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01 · Identity card

Understanding Mauritian society

Before you set foot on the island, here are the essential landmarks to grasp its reality, beyond the postcard.

LanguagesEnglish, French & CreoleEnglish runs the administration, French the media, Creole the heart.
- English is the official language, used in Parliament and at school, although very few people speak it as a mother tongue — it remains rare in shops and everyday exchanges, which mostly happen in Kreol
- French dominates the press, television and shops
- Kreol morisien is spoken at home by the vast majority of Mauritians; among older generations it often blends with Bhojpuri in the same sentence
- Many Mauritians juggle 3 or 4 languages in a single conversation, adding Bhojpuri, Hindi, Marathi or Mandarin
- Other languages from elsewhere, Urdu (Indo-Muslim community), Tamil, Telugu, Arabic, are still passed down in families and places of worship without being spoken day to day
ReligionsA rare pluralityHinduism, Catholicism and Islam coexist with Buddhist and other minorities.
- Hinduism: about 48% of the population, the highest proportion in Africa
- Catholicism: about 26%
- Islam: about 17%
- Tamil temples, mosques, churches and pagodas stand side by side on the same streets
- Most of each community's religious festivals are national public holidays
TerritoryCoast vs Central PlateauThe coast concentrates tourism, the central plateau keeps a more local way of life.
- Port-Louis, the capital, concentrates administrative power; Ébène, on the central plateau, has become the country's second economic hub (finance, tech, call centres)
- Coastal villages live at two speeds: some have become very touristy (Grand Baie, Flic-en-Flac, Belle Mare), others have kept their authentic character (La Gaulette, Bambous, Souillac, Trou d'Eau Douce)
- The central plateau (Curepipe, Rose-Hill, Quatre Bornes, Vacoas) is also home to the country's largest towns, cooler, rainier and more urbanised than you'd imagine
- Rodrigues, the sister island 600 km away (about 1h30 by plane, from around €200), manages its local affairs autonomously through its Regional Assembly, while remaining administratively part of the Republic of Mauritius
TransportBus, Metro Express & carA dense bus network, a light rail line, but the car still rules at rush hour.
- The Metro Express, a light rail line opened in 2019, links Port-Louis to Curepipe via Rose-Hill
- A dense bus network, run by a mix of public and private operators, practical and cheap
- Taxis are everywhere: always negotiate or confirm the price before getting in
- A car remains the most practical way to explore freely, but Port-Louis is very congested at rush hour
CultureRainbow mixA national identity built on the coexistence of African, Indian, Chinese and European cultures.
- Mauritian culture was born from the creolisation of the four official communities, a mix lived day to day rather than a sum of separate cultures
- Séga tipik and Geet-Gawai listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
- 1 February: public holiday marking the abolition of slavery
- Mauritian cuisine is among the most mixed in the world (Creole, Indian, Chinese, European)
- Strong national pride around the image of the "rainbow island" or "rainbow nation"
Social tiesFamily, the central pillarThe extended family is at the heart of everything: meals, mutual help, passing things on.
- Extended family at the heart of social life, whatever the community
- Strong mutual help between generations, especially in villages
- Sunday family lunch, often around a curry
- Grandparents play a central role in bringing up children
Social dynamicsMen & womenThings are changing, but the pay gap is still marked.
- Women earn on average about 78% of men's wages
- Women are increasingly present in paid work and politics, even though they make up only about 17% of MPs (12 out of 70); in May 2026, Arianne Navarre-Marie became the country's first female Deputy Prime Minister
- Traditional roles still marked in rural or very religious families
- Clear generational change among young people
EconomyServices & diversificationTourism, offshore finance and technology: one of the highest GDPs per capita in Africa.
- Services: ~74% of GDP (tourism, offshore finance, technology, BPO)
- Manufacturing, historically driven by the textile factories of the export processing zone (EPZ), remains a major employer even though its weight has declined compared with services
- Sugar cane still covers ~90% of cultivated land, but accounts for little of GDP
- Unemployment: about 5.6% (2025), among the lowest in the region
- Poverty rate steadily falling, about 7% in 2023

03 · The communities

Who lives on the island?

Indians, Africans, Malagasy, Chinese, Europeans… The island was uninhabited before sailors and settlers arrived: there is no indigenous Mauritian people, everyone descends from migration, whether chosen or forced. Its history has made Mauritius one of the most mixed countries in the world, where four large official communities live side by side every day.

One nation, four official communities

The Mauritian Constitution historically divides the population into four groups, a classification inherited from the British administration: Hindus, Muslims, Sino-Mauritians and the General Population (which includes Creoles or Afro-Mauritians, Franco-Mauritians and everyone who doesn't fall into the other three categories). Together, the Hindu communities make up more than half of the population; the term "Indo-Mauritian" is also sometimes used more broadly to refer to Hindus and Muslims together, both descended from waves of Indian migration.

CommunityHindu Indo-MauritiansThe largest group, descended from the great waves of 19th-century indentured labour.
- About 48% of the population, mostly Hindu
- Descendants of indentured workers who came from India after 1834
- Bhojpuri, Hindi or Marathi roots depending on the family
- Temples all over the island, a strong presence in Triolet, Goodlands, Terre Rouge
CommunityTamils, Telugus & MarathisHindu communities from southern India, with distinct traditions.
- Hindu subgroups originally from southern India
- Practise firewalking, Cavadee, and have their own temples
- Make up about 6% of the total population
- High concentrations in the towns of the centre
CommunityMauritian MuslimsAbout 17% of the population, mostly Sunni.
- Descendants of merchants from Gujarat and Kutch who came in the 19th century, some of Arab origin, sometimes historically referred to by terms such as "Lascar" or "Bambai Malbar"
- A strong presence in trade, especially in Port-Louis (Plaine Verte)
- Mosques all over the island
- Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha set the rhythm of community life
CommunityCreoles (general population)Descendants of enslaved people from Africa and Madagascar, about 27% of the population.
- Descendants of people enslaved under French administration
- Mostly Catholic
- Historically marginalised in terms of land and economy: the "malaise créole"
- A strong bond with séga, the sea and coastal villages
CommunitySino-MauritiansAbout 3% of the population, arrived in the 19th century.
- Mostly from the Canton region, often Hakka
- Generally Catholic, while celebrating traditional Chinese festivals
- A strong presence in trade, Port-Louis's historic Chinatown
- Chinese New Year visible all over the island
CommunityFranco-MauritiansAbout 2% of the population, descendants of French settlers and planters.
- Descendants of the first French settlers and their slave owners
- Still own a large share of the land and big companies
- Mostly Catholic
- A historic presence in Curepipe and on the west coast
CommunityRodriguansFrom the sister island of Rodrigues, 600 km away, a distinct Creole culture.
- An autonomous sister island, a dependency of the Republic of Mauritius
- Like the Creoles of the main island, Rodriguans largely descend from freed slaves
- Many Rodriguans move to Mauritius for work
- Their own Creole culture: séga tambour, accordion, a faster rhythm
- Mostly Catholic

12 · Cultural calendar

When to come, what to celebrate

Every month, the island celebrates a festival, a tradition, a gathering. Here's the calendar of the moments when Mauritian culture comes out into the open, and how to join in without putting a foot wrong.

January
New Year & Cavadee fast
1 and 2 January are public holidays, celebrated with firecrackers from midnight. From mid-January, Tamil devotees begin the fasting and purification that come before Thaipoosam Cavadee.
Local tip
Enjoy the post-holiday calm to explore the central plateau, less busy at this time of year.
February
Abolition, Cavadee & Maha Shivaratree
1 February commemorates the abolition of slavery, with a symbolic ceremony at Le Morne. Thaipoosam Cavadee (fasting, family meals, a procession from the river to the sea, firewalking and body piercing reserved for devotees) and Maha Shivaratree (a pilgrimage on foot to Grand Bassin) also often fall in February, with dates varying according to the lunar calendar.
Local tip
Watch respectfully, wear covering clothes, ask before taking photos. Check the exact dates every year, they change.
March
Independence & Republic Day · 12 March
A double national day: independence (1968) and the proclamation of the Republic (1992). Parades, official ceremonies, flags all over the island, little cakes handed out to children, especially in Port-Louis. Ougadi (Telugu New Year) and sometimes Holi also fall this month.
Local tip
Watch the morning flag-raising at Champ de Mars, Port-Louis. A patriotic, good-natured atmosphere.
April
Easter & a quieter season
Easter brings families together around a dinner of typically Mauritian dishes. The rest of the month is quieter in terms of festivals, ideal for exploring the interior and the villages of the central plateau without the crowds.
Local tip
Make the most of it to visit Curepipe, Rose-Hill and local markets, less touristy than the coast.
May
Labour Day · 1 May
National public holiday. The start of the southern winter, a cooler, drier season that's pleasant for hiking.
Local tip
It's a good time for hiking, especially around Le Morne or Black River Gorges.
June
Village patron saint festivals
Religious fairs and neighbourhood festivals liven up many villages, especially Catholic and Creole ones, from Mahébourg to Quatre Bornes.
Local tip
Look at the posters outside churches and town halls, that's where it all happens.
July
Jumble sales & craft fairs
The coolest time of the year, ideal for craft markets and village fairs.
Local tip
Bring a light jumper for evenings on the central plateau, it can get chilly.
August
Assumption & Ganesh preparations
Assumption Day (15 August) is a public holiday, widely observed by the Catholic community. Preparations for Ganesh Chaturthi begin in Hindu families.
Local tip
Attend an Assumption procession in a Catholic village in the south, such as Rivière-des-Anguilles.
September
Ganesh Chaturthi & Père Laval pilgrimage
Ganesh statues are immersed in the sea or rivers, on a date that varies with the lunar calendar. On 9 September, an ecumenical pilgrimage to the tomb of Père Laval in Sainte-Croix.
Local tip
Watch the Ganesh immersion in the late afternoon on a beach: a festive, colourful atmosphere guaranteed.
October
The hot season returns
The southern summer returns: heat and humidity gradually come back. Preparations for Divali begin in Hindu families.
Local tip
Make the most of the last cool days for hiking before the heat arrives.
November
Divali & Indentured Labourers' Day
Divali, the Hindu festival of lights: candles, garlands, sweets, on a date that varies (Oct-Nov). 2 November commemorates the arrival of the first indentured labourers at Aapravasi Ghat.
Local tip
Take a walk through a Hindu neighbourhood on Divali evening: the houses lit up with diyas are magnificent.
December
Porlwi by Light & Christmas
In early December, the Porlwi by Light festival lights up the streets of Port-Louis for several evenings: street art, street food, projections. Christmas, widely celebrated, closes the year.
Local tip
Go to Porlwi by Light with the family: the capital's pedestrian streets turn into an open-air museum. Check the exact dates every year.

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