Mauritius Country Overview
Where is Mauritius located? The island nation of Mauritius is located in the southwest of the Indian Ocean. The world time zone in which Mauritius is located is called “Mauritius Time” (MUT) and has a standard offset of 4 hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Therefore clocks in Mauritius are always 4 hours ahead of the world time (UTC+4). In summer, the regional time changes to “Mauritius Summer Time” (MUST).
Bordering Countries of Mauritius
According to abbreviationfinder, Mauritius is bordered by two countries: Reunion Island to the east and Rodrigues Island to the north. To the east of Mauritius lies Reunion Island, a French-speaking island in the Indian Ocean. Here visitors can explore its stunning coastline with its white sand beaches and crystal clear waters and take part in thrilling water sports such as surfing or kitesurfing. Inland, visitors can explore the picturesque forested hills of Reunion Island’s interior and discover its unique wildlife such as wild boar, bats, and rare birds.
To the north of Mauritius lies Rodrigues Island, an autonomous region of Mauritius that is home to some spectacular scenery including lush green forests, picturesque lagoons, and stunning coral reefs. Here visitors can explore some of the island’s unique attractions such as Grand Montagne Nature Reserve where you can spot rare bird species or François Leguat Giant Tortoise Reserve where you can see giant tortoises in their natural habitat.
Overall, Mauritius borders two countries that offer something special for travelers looking to explore this part of Africa further than just Mauritius itself. From Reunion Island’s coastal cities or Rodrigues Island’s lush forests – there are plenty opportunities for exploration in these bordering countries. Whether it’s Reunion’s water sports or Rodrigues’ wildlife reserves – there are plenty of ways to experience this part of Africa.
Population Distribution
As of 2023, the latest population of Mauritius is 1,379,365, based on our calculation of the current data from UN (United Nations).
| Total population | 1,379,365 |
| Population growth rate | 0.54% |
| Birth rate | 13.00 births per 1,000 people |
| Life expectancy | |
| Overall | 74.94 years |
| Men | 71.48 years |
| Women | 78.58 years |
| Age structure | |
| 0-14 years | 19.90% |
| 15-64 years | 69.93% |
| 65 years and above | 10.17% |
| Median age | 34.40 years |
| Gender ratio (Male to Female) | 0.97 |
| Population density | 676.16 residents per km² |
| Urbanization | 43.30% |
| Ethnicities | |
| approx. 53% Indian, 43% Creole (African-Malagasy origin), 2% Chinese, 2% European | |
| Religions | |
| Hindus 52%, Christians 28.3% [Catholics (Roman Catholic) 26%, Protestants 2.3%], Muslims 16.6%, others 3.1% | |
| Human Development Index (HDI) | 0.796 |
| HDI ranking | 66th out of 194 |
People in Mauritius
About 1.3 million people live in Mauritius. Most are originally from India. This is followed by the population group whose ancestors were slaves from Africa or Madagascar and who have often mixed with Europeans. These are called creoles. There are also some Chinese and French. A colorful mixture of peoples lives here.
Languages in Mauritius
The colloquial language that most people speak in Mauritius is called Morisyen. It is a creole language that borrows many words from French. French is actually only spoken by the upper class and the country’s official language is English. There are also several languages, mainly from the North Indian and South Indian regions.
By the way, people in Mauritius love to party. A typical dance and typical music are part of it: Sega.
Religions in Mauritius
Since most of the residents of Mauritius are originally from India, many of the people there are Hindus. About 50 out of 100 are followers of Hinduism. This is followed by Christianity and, as the third largest religion, Islam in its Sunni form.