ABOUT
MAURITIUS
Mauritius, a volcanic island paradise 1,132km off the east coast of Madagascar, is a mountainous island with its highest peak being the mountain of Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire at 828 meters/2,717 ft, located on the west coast of the island. The rich white coral sand beaches and shallow lagoons are formed by the ring of coral reefs which surround almost the entire coastline of the island country of Mauritius. These rich coral reefs which surround the island not only draw tourists because of its extreme beauty and warm waters, but also an abundance of ocean life which have made the reef their home.
The many streams found throughout the island are formed in the crevices between the land created by the new and old lava flows. These springs bring life to Mauritius from their source down to the sea where you can see life pushing out of every little crevice, making this island a lush green biodiversity hotspot. Mauritius boasts over 600 indigenous species of vegetation and many endemic birds which have been brought back from the brink of extinction by the efforts of passionate conservationists and volunteers from around the world.
The island’s people are a culture-rich mix of descendants which were brought to Mauritius to work in the sugar industry during the 19th and 20th centuries from India, Pakistan and Africa. Two-thirds of the population is of Indo-Pakistani origin and about one-fourth of the population is Creole which is a mix of French and African descent with a smaller population of people with a Franco-Mauritian and Chinese descent bringing a flood of colour to this green, biodiverse conservation paradise!
