This group of Indian Ocean islands became independent on March 12, 1968, having been a British Crown colony since its conquest from France in 1810, but retaining cultural links with France. It became a Republic in 1992. Its main industry and export revenue earner has traditionally been the production of sugarcane. Less important crops are tea and tobacco. The other mainstays of the economy have become tourism; light manufacture especially textiles and clothing; and the financial sector. Expanding industries are fish processing, and information and communications technology.

Industrial property development: in late 2016 the Mauritian authorities published a draft new IP Law for comments. Mauritius has followed the example of other African countries by seeking to consolidate all its IP Laws in one statute. The Industrial Property Act 2019 came into force on January 31, 2022.

Mauritius became a member of the African Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) on September 25, 2020, when it deposited its instrument of accession to the agreement that established ARIPO, the Lusaka Agreement of December 9, 1976. Mauritius has, however, not yet signed specific ARIPO patent and trademark treaties, so for the moment this membership has no practical effect.