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Geography of Mauritius

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Mauritius
Nickname: The Star and Key of the Indian Ocean
Geography
LocationIndian Ocean
Coordinates20°17′S 57°33′E / 20.283°S 57.550°E / -20.283; 57.550
ArchipelagoMascarene Islands
Area2,011 km2 (776 sq mi)
Highest elevation828 m (2717 ft)
Highest pointPiton de la Petite Rivière Noire
Administration
Largest settlementPort Louis (pop. 147,688)
Demographics
Population1,264,866 (2007)
Pop. density616/km2 (1595/sq mi)
Ethnic groupsIndo-Mauritian 68%, Mauritian Creole people 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%

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

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Satellite image of Mauritius

Area (includes Agaléga, Cargados Carajos (St. Brandon), and Rodrigues):
total: 2,011 km2
land: 2,030 km2
water: 10 km2
note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (St. Brandon), and Rodrigues.

Coastline: 177 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)
continental shelf: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)

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% (2011)

Irrigated land: 212.2 km2 (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 2.75 km3 (2011)

Environment - current issues: water pollution, degradation of coral reefs, overfishing (Mauritius), sea wreck pollution[1] (Cargados Carajos Shoals), 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.

Landscape near Les Mariannes.

Table of Islands

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Island Capital Other Cities Area (km2) Population
Agalega Islands Vingt-Cinq La Fourche, St Rita, Port St James 26.0 290
Cargados Carajos Île Raphael Avocaré Island, L'île du Sud, L'Île Coco, L'île du Gouvernement 3.2 63
Islets of Mauritius Port Louis 1871 1252980
Ile aux Benitiers Ile aux Benitiers 0.7 10
Ile Aux Cerfs Le Touessrok Resort 1.2 0
Ile des Deux Cocos Deux Cocos Resort 0.04 2
Mauritius Island Port Louis Beau-Bassin Rose-Hill, Quatre Bornes, Vacoas-Phoenix, Curepipe 1860 1252964
More Mauritius Islands Ile aux Aigrettes Ronde Island, Ile de la Passe, Coin du Mire, Ile D’Ambre, Ile Plate, Ilot Gabriel, Grand Port Islets, Ile aux Serpents, Ile de L’Est 8.8 1
Islets of Rodrigues Port Mathurin 111 38167
Ile Crabe Rodrigues Port Crabe 0.4 2
Rodrigues Island Port Mathurin Gabriel, Riviere Cocos, port south east 109 38164
More Rodrigues Islands Ile aux Cocos Ile Fregate, Ile aux Sables, Ile aux Chats, le Hermitage, Ile Gombrani 1.36 1
Mauritius Port Louis 2011 1291500

notes: excludes Tromelin and other îles éparses

Climate

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A comprehensive map of Mauritius, including the country's outlying islands

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 24.7 °C (76.5 °F) and a cooler dry winter from June to September with a mean temperature of 20.4 °C (68.7 °F). The temperature difference between the seasons is only 4.3 °C (7.7 °F). The warmest months are January and February with average day maximum temperature reaching 29.2 °C (84.6 °F) and the coolest months are July and August with average overnight minimum temperatures of 16.4 °C (61.5 °F). Annual rainfall ranges from 900 mm (35 in) on the coast to 1,500 mm (59 in) 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 22–27 °C (72–81 °F). 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.[2] Anticyclones affect the country during May to September. Hollanda (1994) and Dina (2002) were the worst two recent cyclones to have affected the island.

Climate data for Port Louis
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 35
(95)
33
(91)
32
(90)
31
(88)
29
(84)
28
(82)
27
(81)
27
(81)
28
(82)
31
(88)
33
(91)
35
(95)
35
(95)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 31.5
(88.7)
31.4
(88.5)
31.5
(88.7)
30.7
(87.3)
29.3
(84.7)
27.6
(81.7)
26.7
(80.1)
26.8
(80.2)
27.7
(81.9)
28.8
(83.8)
30.2
(86.4)
31.1
(88.0)
29.4
(85.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 24.1
(75.4)
24.0
(75.2)
23.8
(74.8)
23.0
(73.4)
21.5
(70.7)
19.9
(67.8)
19.3
(66.7)
19.1
(66.4)
19.4
(66.9)
20.4
(68.7)
21.8
(71.2)
23.2
(73.8)
21.6
(70.9)
Record low °C (°F) 17
(63)
18
(64)
17
(63)
14
(57)
13
(55)
11
(52)
11
(52)
10
(50)
11
(52)
13
(55)
14
(57)
17
(63)
10
(50)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 131
(5.2)
160
(6.3)
83
(3.3)
87
(3.4)
48
(1.9)
24
(0.9)
18
(0.7)
19
(0.7)
17
(0.7)
15
(0.6)
24
(0.9)
85
(3.3)
711
(27.9)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) 9 10 8 7 6 4 4 5 3 3 3 6 68
Mean monthly sunshine hours 248 226 217 240 248 210 217 217 240 279 270 279 2,891
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization.[3]
Source 2: BBC Weather[4]

Climate change

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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.[5][6][7] Coastal erosion, driven by rising sea levels, threatens infrastructure and freshwater supplies.[6][8] Climate change is also impacting key sectors such as tourism and fisheries, with significant economic consequences.[6] To adapt, Mauritius is implementing disaster preparedness measures, protecting coastal ecosystems like mangroves, and raising public awareness.[9][10][11]

Mauritius contributes approximately 0.01% of global greenhouse gas emissions.[12] 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.[13] 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.[14]

Terrain

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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

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

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Taiwanese Longliner Goes Aground on Mauritius' Saint Brandon Shoal". oceancrew.org. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  2. ^ "Climate of Mauritius". Mauritius Meteorological Services. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  3. ^ World Weather Information Service-Port Louis, World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  4. ^ "Average Conditions Port Louis, Mauritius". BBC Weather. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  5. ^ Doorga, Jay Rovisham Singh (2022-10-01). "Climate change and the fate of small islands: The case of Mauritius". Environmental Science & Policy. 136: 282–290. doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2022.06.012. ISSN 1462-9011.
  6. ^ a b c Fiertz, Natalie (1 October 2024). "CORVI: Assessing Priority Climate Risks in Mauritius". Stimson Center. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  7. ^ UNEP (2023-01-24). "Mauritius sets goals to curb the triple planetary crisis". www.unep.org. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  8. ^ World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal. "Mauritius". climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  9. ^ Department of Climate Change Ministry of Environment, Solid waste Management and Climate Change, Republic of Mauritius (December 2024). Mauritius’ First Biennial Transparency Report (PDF). Republic of Mauritius.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ UNDP. "Climate Change Adaptation in Mauritius' Coastal Zone | UNDP Climate Change Adaptation". www.adaptation-undp.org. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  11. ^ Mauritian Government (2020-02-21). "Mauritius: Climate Change Act". www.preventionweb.net. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  12. ^ Jones, Matthew W.; Peters, Glen P.; Gasser, Thomas; Andrew, Robbie M.; Schwingshackl, Clemens; Gütschow, Johannes; Houghton, Richard A.; Friedlingstein, Pierre; Pongratz, Julia (2024-11-13), National contributions to climate change due to historical emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, Zenodo, doi:10.5281/zenodo.14054503, retrieved 2025-03-17
  13. ^ Climate Watch Data. "Mauritius Climate Change Data | Emissions and Policies". www.climatewatchdata.org. Retrieved 2025-03-17.
  14. ^ Department of Climate Change Ministry of Environment, Solid waste Management and Climate Change, Republic of Mauritius (December 2024). Mauritius’ First Biennial Transparency Report (PDF). Republic of Mauritius.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ "Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire - Peakbagger.com". www.peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  16. ^ "Tourelle du Tamarin". peakery.com. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  17. ^ "Corps de Garde - Peakbagger.com". www.peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  18. ^ "Le Pouce". peakery.com. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  19. ^ "Pieter Both - Peakbagger.com". www.peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2020-12-01.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.

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