Geography of Mauritius
Native name: Maurice Nickname: The Star and Key of the Indian Ocean |
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Location of Mauritius
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Geography | |
Location | Indian Ocean |
Coordinates | 20°17′S 57°33′E / 20.283°S 57.550°E |
Archipelago | Mascarene Islands |
Area | 2,040 km2 (790 sq mi) |
Highest elevation | 828 m (2,717 ft) |
Highest point | Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire |
Country | |
Largest settlement | Port Louis (pop. 147,688) |
Demographics | |
Population | 1,264,866 (as of 2007) |
Density | 616 /km2 (1,595 /sq mi) |
Ethnic groups | Indo-Mauritian 68%, Mauritian Creole people 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2% |
Mauritius is an island located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar.
Contents
Climate[edit]
The local climate is tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; there is a warm, dry winter from May to November and a hot, wet, and humid summer from November to May. Anti-cyclones affect the country during May to September.
Cyclones affect Mauritius during November–April. Hollanda (1994) and Dina (2002) were the worst two last cyclones to have affected the island.
Statistics[edit]
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar Geographic coordinates: 20°17′S 57°33′E / 20.283°S 57.550°E
Map references: World
Area (includes Agaléga, Cargados Carajos (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues):
total: 2,040 km²
land: 2,030 km²
water: 10 km²
note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoais (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
Land boundaries: 0 km
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)
Terrain: small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
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)
Natural hazards: cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
Environment - current issues: water pollution, degradation of coral reefs
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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: The main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs; 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[edit]
notes: excludes Tromelin and other iles eprases
Extreme points[edit]
This is a list of the extreme points of Mauritius, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.
- Northernmost point – Tappe à Terre, North Island, Agalega Islands
- Easternmost point – Trou d’Argent, Rodrigues Island
- Southernmost point - Le Gris Gris, Savanne District, Mauritius
- Westernmost point - North West Point, North Island, Agalega Islands
See also[edit]
References[edit]
External links[edit]
- Mauritius Travel Information (English)
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