Mauritius

The small island nation of Mauritius is found just over 550 miles off the east coast of Madagascar, itself off the east coast of the continent of Africa. A permanent population of 1.3 million people live on the island with about 150,000 residing in the capital city of Port Louis. Mauritius has an interesting blend of language and culture; English is the only official language although French and Mauritian Creole are also widely spoken. Meanwhile, the people in Mauritius are made up of a mixture of Chinese, African, Asian and French ethnicities. Historically based on agriculture, the economy of the country also enjoys a successful tourism industry.

Mauritius has largely focused attention on quality rather than quantity when it comes to its tourist outlook. Because of its small size and conscientious environmental concerns, low budget tourism has not been encouraged and there are a number of five-star beach resorts. Serviced accommodation in Mauritius is also of very high quality and about 1 million visitors a year enjoy the country. Average temperatures are quite consistent all year round (between 27 and 35°C) but tend to be hottest between November and April making the country ideal for many people as a winter getaway. There are few countries on earth with so much beautiful coastline with white sandy beaches and crystal blue seas.

Cities of Mauritius