Geography of Mauritius


Mauritius is an island off Africa's southeast coast located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. It is geologically located within the Somali Plate.

Statistics

Area :
total:
2,040 km2
land:
2,030 km2
water:
10 km2
note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals, and Rodrigues.
Coastline:
177 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
continental shelf:
or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire 828 m
Natural resources:
arable land, fish
Land use:
arable land:
38.24%
permanent crops:
1.96%
other:
59.80%
Irrigated land:
212.2 km2
Total renewable water resources:
2.75 km3
Environment - current issues:
water pollution, degradation of coral reefs, overfishing, sea wreck pollution, Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by foreign, primarily Taiwanese commercial vessels and Mauritian Fishing Cooperatives, invasive alien species, illegal net fishing in the St. Brandon Lagoon by unlicenced, non resident fishing operators.
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
Geography - note:
The main island is from which the country derives its name, former home of the dodo, a large flightless bird related to pigeons, driven to extinction by the end of the 17th century through a combination of hunting and the introduction of predatory species.

Table of Islands

IslandCapitalOther CitiesArea Population
Agalega IslandsVingt-CinqLa Fourche, St Rita, Port St James26.0290
Cargados CarajosÎle RaphaelAvocaré Island, L'île du Sud, L'Île Coco, L'île du Gouvernement3.263
Islets of MauritiusPort Louis18711252980
Ile aux BenitiersIle aux Benitiers0.710
Ile Aux CerfsLe Touessrok Resort1.20
Ile des Deux CocosDeux Cocos Resort0.042
Mauritius IslandPort LouisBeau-Bassin Rose-Hill, Quatre Bornes, Vacoas-Phoenix, Curepipe18601252964
More Mauritius IslandsIle aux AigrettesRonde Island, Ile de la Passe, Coin du Mire, Ile D’Ambre, Ile Plate, Ilot Gabriel, Grand Port Islets, Ile aux Serpents, Ile de L’Est8.81
Islets of RodriguesPort Mathurin11138167
Ile Crabe RodriguesPort Crabe0.42
Rodrigues IslandPort MathurinGabriel, Riviere Cocos, port south east10938164
More Rodrigues IslandsIle aux CocosIle Fregate, Ile aux Sables, Ile aux Chats, le Hermitage, Ile Gombrani1.361
MauritiusPort Louis20111291500

notes: excludes Tromelin and other îles éparses

Climate

Situated near the Tropic of Capricorn, Mauritius has a tropical climate. There are 2 seasons: a warm humid summer from November to April, with a mean temperature of and a cooler dry winter from June to September with a mean temperature of. The temperature difference between the seasons is only 4.3°C. The warmest months are January and February with average day maximum temperature reaching and the coolest months are July and August with average overnight minimum temperatures of. Annual rainfall ranges from on the coast to on the central plateau. Although there is no marked rainy season, most of the rainfall occurs in the summer months. Sea temperature in the lagoon varies from. The central plateau is much cooler than the surrounding coastal areas and can experience as much as twice the rainfall. The prevailing trade winds keep the east side of the island cooler and bring more rain.
Occasional tropical cyclones generally occur between January and March and tend to disrupt the weather for about three days, bringing heavy rain. Anticyclones affect the country during May to September. Hollanda and 2001–02 [South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season|Dina] were the worst two recent cyclones to have affected the island.

Climate change

Mauritius is increasingly vulnerable to climate change, facing rising temperatures, sea levels, and more frequent extreme weather events. The island faces stronger tropical cyclones, prolonged droughts, flash floods, landslides, and marine heatwaves which leading to coral bleaching. Coastal erosion, driven by rising sea levels, threatens infrastructure and freshwater supplies. Climate change is also impacting key sectors such as tourism and fisheries, with significant economic consequences. To adapt, Mauritius is implementing disaster preparedness measures, protecting coastal ecosystems like mangroves, and raising public awareness.
Mauritius contributes approximately 0.01% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The country has pledged to cut emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to projected levels without intervention, with a goal of reaching net zero by 2070. As part of its climate change strategy, Mauritius plans to eliminate coal from electricity generation by 2030, reduce landfill waste by diverting 70% of it through a circular economy approach, and increase the share of electric vehicles to 15% by the same year.

Terrain

The country's landscape consists of a small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling a central plateau. Mauritius is almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards. The main island is of volcanic origin.
The mountains with the greatest prominence include:

Extreme points

This is a list of the extreme points of Mauritius, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.