Mauritius (French: Maurice, Mauritian Creole: Moris) is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2,300 km (1,400 mi) from the African continent. Mauritius is mostly appreciated by visitors for its natural beauty and man-made attractions, multi-ethnic and cultural diversity, tropical climate, beautiful beaches and water sports.
Landscape & landmarks＋
The SSR botanical garden, Pamplemousses, is the oldest botanical garden in the Southern Hemisphere. It was founded by Pierre Poivre (1719 – 1786) in 1770, contains some flora unique to Mauritius and covers an area of around 37 ha.
Culinary traditions from France, India, China and Eastern Africa have been passed on through generations. […] Biryani from Mughal origins is a dish prepared by the Muslim community, where meat is mixed with spiced rice and potatoes.
Excerpts from Wikivoyage contributors, revision 2026-08-15. CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected excerpts; wiki formatting removed; omissions marked […]. Guide wording and any figures belong to this dated source; they do not replace the atlas statistics above. Food descriptions are not official national-dish designations.
A little more to discover +
National flower
Not yet verified
Official national dish
Not yet verified
Representative food
Not yet verified
Subregion
Eastern Africa
Calling code
+230
Internet domain
.mu
Land border codes
None listed
Quick facts
Traffic keeps to the left side of the road. Source ↗
Ratio = comparison country's source area ÷ Mauritius's source area; rounded to two decimals. Rankings use competition ranks (ties share a rank). Area values use the pinned geographic snapshot, not a population observation year.
Land neighbours
Land neighbours in this atlas: none. This follows the source-listed borders.
Source-listed time zones
UTC+04:00
Static source offsets, not a live clock or daylight-saving calculation. Source ↗
Computed from the atlas snapshot retrieved September 26, 2026. Population rank excludes the one country without 2024 data; no claim of an all-territory global ranking.
AI-generated illustrative artwork. These composite scenes are not maps, photographs or exact viewpoints. Facts come from the linked sources; the pictures are not evidence.
A little journey through Mauritius ＋
Explore three sides of Mauritius: reef-fringed water, the living plant collection at Pamplemousses, and a table shaped by many food traditions. The illustration is a collage of island themes, bringing separate places and dishes together rather than mapping a single viewpoint.
A Mauritian coastline is more than a strip of sand. Coral reefs, shallow lagoons and coastal wetlands form neighbouring habitats. Blue Bay and Pointe d’Esny offer two examples of this wider coastal world, where life above and below the water is closely connected.
Coral reefs separate many of Mauritius’s shallow lagoons from the open sea. The reef and the water behind it are distinct parts of the coastal environment. Mauritius Environment Observatory — Coastal zone ↗
Coral garden
Blue Bay Marine Park is recognised for its coral communities and underwater habitat. Different coral forms support the varied marine life found within this protected coastal site. Republic of Mauritius — Blue Bay and Pointe d’Esny ↗
Mangroves at Pointe d’Esny
Nearby Pointe d’Esny includes a coastal wetland with mangrove trees. Its habitats support coastal fish, crustaceans and birds, extending the island’s coastal story onto land. Republic of Mauritius — Blue Bay and Pointe d’Esny ↗
At Pamplemousses, the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Garden brings trees, palms and water plants into one living collection. Its giant water lilies came from the Amazon region. Look closer at their raised leaf rims, changing flower colours and the planted islands of the Grand Bassin.
Victoria amazonica is native to the Amazon region, rather than Mauritius. In the garden’s rectangular pond, its broad floating leaves have distinctive raised edges. SSR Botanic Garden — Ponds and Grand Bassin ↗
Flowers that change colour
The garden describes the water lily’s flowers as creamy white on their first evening, then pink the next day. The illustration brings both stages together. SSR Botanic Garden — Ponds and Grand Bassin ↗
A pond with small islands
The Grand Bassin is a separate garden water feature with small planted islands. Vegetation on those islands provides cover for birds in the garden. SSR Botanic Garden — Ponds and Grand Bassin ↗
Mauritian food draws on Indian, Chinese, African and European influences, with local versions taking shape in homes and street stalls. Flatbreads, dumplings and tomato-based dishes can tell different parts of that story. This selection invites exploration without declaring one official national meal.
Boulettes are small steamed dumplings with varied fillings. Often served in hot broth with vegetables or noodles, they add another texture to Mauritius’s street-food traditions. Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority — Mauritian food ↗
