Location Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates 20 17 S, 57 33 E

Map references World

Area
total: 1,860 sq km
land: 1,850 sq km
water: 10 sq km
note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues

Area - comparative almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries 0 km

Coastline 177 km

Maritime claims
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

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 Riviere Noire 828 m

Natural resources arable land, fish

Land use
arable land: 49%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 3%
forests and woodland: 22%
other: 23% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land 170 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues water pollution

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

NOTE: The information regarding Mauritius on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Mauritius Geography 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Mauritius Geography 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.