Mauritius

Mauritius is an island country in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. It is known for its beautiful beaches, coral reefs, and tropical forests. Mauritius is also famous as the home of the dodo bird, which went extinct long ago. People from many different backgrounds live together on the island.

Land and People

About 1.3 million people live in Mauritius. The capital is Port Louis. The island is volcanic with mountains in the center and beaches along the coast. Coral reefs surround almost the entire island, creating calm lagoons.

Culture and Fun Facts

Mauritius has people from Indian, African, Chinese, and European backgrounds, making it very diverse. The country has a strong economy and is known for sugar cane farming and tourism. The dodo bird once lived only on Mauritius but went extinct in the 1600s. The island has a unique underwater waterfall illusion.

Fun Facts

• The dodo bird lived only on Mauritius and went extinct around 1681.
• Mauritius has an underwater waterfall illusion caused by sand and silt flowing off the coastal shelf.
• The country has people of Indian, African, Chinese, and European descent all living together.

Did You Know?

From the sky, the coast of Mauritius looks like it has an underwater waterfall. It is actually an illusion created by sand and silt being swept off the island's shelf into deeper water.