The small but beautiful island of Mauritius is situated in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of the larger island of Madagascar, ideally placed to take advantage of trade with both Africa and India.
However, it is also to be one of the world's most heavenly holiday destinations.
Textiles are a big earner for the Mauritians and being so close to two emerging markets helps maintain a reasonable level of exports.
The goods are shipped from Mauritius via Port Louis, second only to Cape Town in the entire Sub-Saharan region for its ability to accommodate extremely large container ships.
In addition to textiles the port also handles extensive amounts of plastics, pharmaceuticals and chemicals in its role as a major stopping off point in the Indian Ocean.
Because of the amount of work provided by the docks, there are close to 150,000 inhabitants residing in the island's capital city of Port Louis and its immediate surrounding areas, accounting for the largest concentration of the island's population.
Founded by the French in the 18th Century, the port has a distinctly Gallic flavour mixed in with a little Creole with Colonial English on top.
The port boasts a thriving Chinatown and many colonial style buildings give it a distinctly impressive ambience, although they are beginning to be dwarfed by new additions over the past two decades, such as multi-storey miniature skyscrapers.
In addition to its lucrative textile income, Mauritius generates significant amounts of foreign currency from tourism.
There is no such thing as a cheap holiday to Mauritius; this place has been described as heaven on earth as the turquoise blue waters of the Indian Ocean vividly capture the baking sub-tropical sun.
Even in the height of winter during August, temperatures on this idyllic island rarely drop below 19 degrees Celsius, attracting affluent holidaymakers due to its suitability as an all-year-round holiday destination.
The majority of flights to Mauritius are provided by the local carrier although major scheduled airlines also provide flights to the island, operating direct from London and other major European cities.
As well as being assured a warm welcome, tourists will be tempted by a mouth-watering choice of cuisine, which is derived from no less than three continents.
Primarily spicy dishes are influenced by India, China, Europe and Africa, especially the spicy hot Creole Curry which is served with chicken, fish or beef.
With such exquisite cuisine, unbeatable scenery, and the joys of the Indian Ocean, it really is difficult to beat Mauritius when it comes to heavenly holiday destinations.