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Demographics of Mauritius

Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience

A colorful display of fresh vegetables at the central market in Port Louis, Mauritius.

Mauritius is a colorful country with many different kinds of people. Most people come from families that began in India. But there are also people whose families came from Subsaharan Africa, including Madagascar, China, and Western Europe, especially France.

The country welcomes visitors and workers from many places. Many people living in Mauritius come from India, Bangladesh, and France, with some also from South Africa, Madagascar, and other parts of Africa.

As of 2023, Mauritius had the most people living close together of any country in Africa. This makes it a very busy and lively place, where many cultures meet and share their traditions.

Population

Many people from India moved to Mauritius between 1800 and 1920.

In 2021, Mauritius had about 1,298,915 people, which is much more than the 479,000 people in 1950.

Most people in Mauritius are between 15 and 65 years old. In 2022, the average age was 38 years. Fewer children under 15 years old were seen compared to 2011, while more adults aged 60 and over were counted.

2022 Census

In 2022, Mauritius had 1,235,260 people. On the main island of Mauritius, there were 1,191,280 people. The island of Rodrigues had 43,650 people, and Agaléga had 330 people.

UN estimates

2012 estimates

Census 2019

Total populationPopulation aged 0–14 (%)Population aged 15–64 (%)Population aged 65+ (%)
1950479 00045.251.93.0
1955570 00046.151.32.6
1960662 00046.650.92.5
1965754 00046.251.32.5
1970828 00043.853.62.6
1975891 00039.957.32.8
1980966 00035.461.03.6
19851 021 00031.464.54.1
19901 059 00029.765.84.5
19951 122 00027.867.25.0
20001 187 00026.767.65.7
20051 243 00024.869.16.1
20101 281 00021.971.26.9
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total621 297634 5851,255,882100
0–438 37937 77276 1516.06
5–946 80245 13091 9327.32
10–1449 92648 04497 9707.80
15–1950 15849 996100 1547.97
20–2448 74747 37496 1217.65
25–2943 79443 39287 1866.94
30–3452 32551 550103 8758.27
35–3945 44744 44889 8957.16
40–4443 96143 15087 1116.94
45–4949 13448 57097 7047.78
50–5443 71844 51488 2327.03
55–5937 17438 62575 7996.04
60–6428 92931 94660 8754.85
65–6916 98620 84237 8283.01
70–7411 09914 47125 5702.04
75–797 76111 31119 0721.52
80–844 0777 03311 1100.88
85+2 8806 4179 2970.74
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–14135 107130 946266 05321.18
15–64443 387443 565886 95270.62
65+42 80360 074102 8778.19
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total610 848625 9691,236,817100
0–436 70236 37673 0785.91
5–944 94744 06889 0157.20
10–1447 30246 33793 6397.57
15–1950 71550 293101 0088.17
20–2446 87145 80092 6717.49
25–2945 58945 34890 9377.35
30–3452 18251 247103 4298.36
35–3944 24143 55687 7977.10
40–4445 15044 23689 3867.23
45–4949 80049 54199 3418.03
50–5442 99643 34186 3376.98
55–5935 71337 34173 0545.91
60–6427 14330 19957 3424.64
65–6915 84619 59335 4392.87
70–7410 98614 38925 3752.05
75–797 34910 69518 0441.46
80–844 1767 19311 3690.92
85–892 1354 2336 3680.51
90–945121 4701 9820.16
95–991073844910.04
100+1383960.01
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–14128 951126 781255 73220.68
15–64440 400440 902881 30271.26
65+41 12458 04099 1648.02
unknown3732466190.05

Vital statistics

The table below shows how the population of Mauritius has grown since the year 1900. The numbers up until 1945 only include the main island of Mauritius. Starting in 1946, the nearby island of Rodrigues is also counted.

The information comes from Statistics Mauritius and the United Nations Demographic Yearbook.

Current vital statistics

Life expectancy

PeriodLive birthsDeathsNatural change
202312,87211,839+1033
202412,85312,507+346
DifferenceDecrease -19 (-0.1%)Negative increase +668 (+5.64%)Decrease -687
PeriodLife expectancy in
Years
1950–195550.19
1955–1960Increase 55.74
1960–1965Increase 61.23
1965–1970Increase 62.96
1970–1975Increase 63.55
1975–1980Increase 65.58
1980–1985Increase 68.10
1985–1990Increase 68.49
1990–1995Increase 70.28
1995–2000Increase 70.36
2000–2005Increase 72.09
2005–2010Increase 72.75
2010–2015Increase 74.13

Ethnic groups

Indo-Mauritians make up most of the people in Mauritius, about sixty-eight percent. They are mostly from Indian backgrounds, including Hindu and Muslim groups who came as laborers.

About twenty-seven percent are Mauritian Creoles, who come from African slaves. This group also includes people of mixed backgrounds from other groups on the island, such as Rodriguais and Chagossians.

Small groups like Sino-Mauritians from the Hakka make up around three percent, and White Mauritians, mostly of French descent, are about two percent.

The government sorts people into four main groups: Hindus, Muslims, Chinese, and General Population, which includes Christians and others not in the first three groups.

There are also some foreign students and workers, mainly from Europe, India, and Bangladesh, working in areas like the textile industry, construction industry, and harbor activities.

Language

Further information: Languages of Mauritius

Picture from the 1950s of the Central Market, Port Louis, Mauritius.

Mauritius has several languages, with Mauritian Creole, English, French, and Bhojpuri being the main ones. English is the official language used in government and parliament, but French is also allowed. Mauritian Creole is the most commonly spoken language and is used in everyday life, especially in informal settings like talking with friends and family. It developed from a simple way of speaking created by enslaved Africans in the 1700s to talk with each other and with their French rulers, and it evolved into the main language of the country.

Mauritian Creole is based on French and is considered the native language of Mauritius. Newspapers and TV shows are often in French, and the country's money uses Latin, Tamil, and Devanagari writing styles.

Religion

People in Mauritius have many different religions. Most follow Hinduism, with many others practicing Christianity and Islam. A small number have other beliefs or none at all.

Most members of the Sino-Mauritian group are Christian, and some are Buddhist.

Further information: Religion in Mauritius

Migrants

According to the United Nations, there were 28,713 people from other countries living in Mauritius in 2017.

Most of these people came from a few main places.

International migrants in Mauritius in 2017
 India8,689
 Bangladesh8,364
 China2,964
 Madagascar2,287
 France1,511
 Sri Lanka1,131
 South Africa624
 Great Britain456
 Pakistan187
 Italy146
 Germany136
 Seychelles124
Source: United Nations "Migrant Stock by Origin and Destination" (PDF). 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2019.

Images

A chart showing how many boys and girls there were in Mauritius for each age group in 2020.

Related articles

France
Mauritius
Western Europe
India
Bangladesh
South Africa

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