Time Difference:
UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Airports:
2
Travel Climate:
Mauritius has a maritime climate with slight differences between tropical summer and subtropical winter. Humidity is high, and annual rainfall along the central plateau's western slopes totals nearly 200 inches. In Floreal the winter low can drop to 50°F with high winds and rain, making it seem much colder. The summer daytime high is in the 80s with nighttime temperatures about 10°F cooler. Temperatures in Port Louis and at the beach are about 10°F higher than elsewhere on the island. Rainy and dry seasons are not well defined, and vegetation remains green all year. Cyclones threaten the island between November and April.
Travel Currency:
Mauritian rupee (MUR)
Languages:
English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri
Ethnic Groups:
Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
National Holiday:
Independence Day, 12 March (1968); note - also became Republic Day (1992)
Geographic Coordinates:
20 17 S, 57 33 E
Location:
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar