Mauritius 🇲🇺

Filed under Africa and more precisely Eastern Africa, Mauritius is a sovereign state. The long form of the name is Republic of Mauritius. Port Louis is the capital.

Around 1.2 million people live there, placing it 159th of 250 by population — between Cyprus above it and Eswatini below. Within Eastern Africa alone it is the 16th largest of 20 and the 14th most populous.

By land area it covers 2,040 km², which ranks it 183rd of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Réunion and just ahead of the Comoros. For scale, it is around a fifth smaller than Luxembourg.

Where Mauritius is and what surrounds it

The coordinates the dataset gives are 20.3° S, 57.5° E, which puts it in the southern hemisphere, roughly 2,258 km from the equator, in what geographers would call tropical latitudes.

Namibia, New Caledonia and Tonga sit at almost exactly the same latitude on other parts of the globe.

There is no land frontier at all — every boundary it has is a coastline. That puts it among the 85 entries of 250 here with no land neighbours, which shapes how it trades and who it deals with.

Population and languages of Mauritius

Population divided by land area gives roughly 611 people per square kilometre, which makes it densely populated. The median across all 250 entries here is about 90 per square kilometre.

The demonym is Mauritian, so residents are Mauritians.

Officially it is multilingual, listing English, French and Mauritian Creole. Mauritian Creole is listed for no other entry in this dataset, which makes it effectively unique to Mauritius. English, the first listed, is shared with 90 other entries worldwide.

Inside Africa it places 48th of 59 by population, and it accounts for under 1% of everyone living in Eastern Africa.

Money, internet and phone codes

It uses the Mauritian rupee (₨, MUR). That currency appears nowhere else on this list.

The top-level domain is .mu. To phone it from abroad you dial +230. In ISO terms it is mu in two letters and MUS in three.

Port Louis is the city to remember for this country.

Mauritius is one of the 193 UN member states in this dataset. The other 57 entries are territories, dependencies or observers, which is why totals on this site run to 250 rather than the familiar 195.

Fun facts about Mauritius

• Ranked by land area, Mauritius is 183rd out of the 250 countries and territories on this site.
• Mauritian Creole is listed as an official language for no other entry in this dataset.
• It lies about 2,258 km from the equator, in tropical latitudes.
• Population density works out at roughly 611 people per square kilometre.
• Websites based there use the .mu domain.
• English is official here and in 90 other entries worldwide.
• It has no land border with any other country — one of 85 such entries in this dataset.
• Its capital city is Port Louis.

Mauritius — frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Mauritius?

The capital of Mauritius is Port Louis.

What currency does Mauritius use?

Mauritius uses the Mauritian rupee, written ₨ (currency code MUR). No other entry in this dataset uses it.

How big is Mauritius?

Mauritius covers 2,040 km², ranking 183rd of 250 by land area. That makes it around a fifth smaller than Luxembourg.

Does Mauritius border any other country?

No. Mauritius has no land border with any other country, so every route in or out is by sea or air. 85 of the 250 entries on this site are in the same position.

What language is spoken in Mauritius?

Mauritius lists 3 official languages: English, French and Mauritian Creole. Mauritian Creole does not appear as an official language anywhere else in this dataset.

Where is Mauritius located?

Mauritius is in Eastern Africa, part of Africa. Its reference coordinates are 20.3° south and 57.5° east, roughly 2,258 km from the equator in tropical latitudes.

Is Mauritius a country?

Yes. Mauritius is a sovereign state and one of the 193 UN members listed on this site.

What is the population of Mauritius?

Mauritius has a population of about 1.2 million, which makes it the 159th most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. Cyprus sits just above it and Eswatini just below.