Mauritius
COUNTRY QUICKFACTS
Full Country Name: Republic of Mauritius
Capital: Port Louis
Population: 1,189,000
People: Indo-Mauritian (68%), Créole (27%), Sino-Mauritian (3%), Franco-Mauritian (2%)
Languages: English, Créole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori.
Religion: Hindu (51%), Christian (30%), Muslim (17%).
Geography: 1,860 km² (718 mi²).
Time: GMT + 4.
Currency: Mauritian rupee (MUR)
Other Quick Facts:
Location: Mauritius is situated in the Indian Ocean approximately 800 km off the East Coast of Madagascar.
Geographic coordinates: 20 17 S, 57 33 E
Area:
total: 1,860 km²
land: 1,850 km²
water: 10 km²Note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
Area - comparative: almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 177 km
Maritime claims: Continental shelf 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone 200 NM territorial sea 12 NM
Climate: Tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Terrain: Small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
Elevation extremes:
- Lowest point Indian Ocean 0 m
- Highest point Mont Piton 828 m
Natural resources:
Arable land, fish
Land use:
Arable land: 49% (~906 km²)
Permanent crops: 3% (~55 km²)
Permanent pastures: (~55 km²)
Forests and woodland: 22% (~407 km²)
Other: 23% (1993 est.) (~425 km²)
Irrigated land: 170 km² (1993 est.)
Natural hazards:
- Cyclones (November to April)
- Almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazard
