Mauritius: Geography#
| Location | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, about 800 km (500 mi) east of Madagascar |
|---|---|
| Geographic Coordinates | 20 17 S, 57 33 E -20.283333,57.55 |
| Area | total: 2,040 sq km land: 2,030 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues [Verified in 8 databases] |
| Land boundaries | 0 km |
| Coastline | 177 km |
| Elevation Extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Piton 828 m |
| Highest Mountains | |
| Terrain | small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau |
| Natural Hazards | cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards |
| Natural Resource | arable land, fish |
| Land Use | arable land: 38.24% permanent crops: 1.96% other: 59.8% (2011) |
| Climate | tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May) |
| Irrigated Land | 212.2 sq km (2003) |
| Renewable Water Resources | 2.75 cu km (2011) |
| Environment_CurrentIssues | 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 |
| Large Cities | Due to difference in city rankings taken from two data sources we are listing here both lists : According to Wolfram: Port Louis; Beau Bassin-Rose Hill; Vacoas-Phoenix; Curepipe; Quatre Bornes According to Geonames: Port Louis; Vacoas; Curepipe; Quatre Bornes; Triolet Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office nospam@TUGraz.at @global-geography.org Important Cities |
| 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 |