Mauritius is a bustling multicultural island blessed with fabulous beaches, lagoons and gorgeous coral reefs. Most visitors are attracted to the luxury resorts and warm waters of the Indian ocean, but Mauritius has much more to offer than just a pretty place to sunbathe. The landscapes beyond the beaches are lush and tropical, a paradise for birders. Mauritians are well known for their warm hospitality and delicious food (a blend of Indian, French, African and Chinese cuisines).
Hinduism is the predominant religion and festivals are celebrated in typical colorful style. Shopping is world class, with the capital Port Louis offering upmarket fare, in contrast with the lively open air markets where bargaining is the order of the day.

Mauritius Basic Facts

Location: Mauritius lies off the coast of southern Africa, in the Indian ocean, east of Madagascar.
Area: Mauritius is not a large island, it covers 2,040 sq km, about the same size as Luxembourg and twice the size of Hong Kong.
Capital City: The capital of Mauritius is Port Louis.
Population: 1.3 million people call Mauritius home.
Language: Everyone on the island speaks Creole, it's the first language for 80.5% of the community. Other languages spoken include:, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official despite it being spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3%.
Religion: Hinduism is the predominant religion in Mauritius, with 48% of the population practicing the religion.
The rest is made up of: Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4%.
Currency: The Mauritian Rupee (code: MUR)