Mauritius

American  

[maw-rish-uhs, -rish-ee-uhs] / mɔˈrɪʃ əs, -ˈrɪʃ i əs /

noun

1. an island in the Indian Ocean, E of Madagascar. 720 sq. mi. (1,865 sq. km).

2. a republic consisting of this island and dependencies: formerly a British colony. 809 sq. mi. (2,095 sq. km). Port Louis.

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Mauritius British  

/ məˈrɪʃəs /

noun

1. Former name (1715–1810): Île-de-France.  an island and state in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar: originally uninhabited, it was settled by the Dutch (1638–1710) then abandoned; taken by the French in 1715 and the British in 1810; became an independent member of the Commonwealth in 1968. It is economically dependent on sugar. Official language: English; a French creole is widely spoken. Religion: Hindu majority, large Christian minority. Currency: rupee. Capital: Port Louis. Pop: 1 322 238 (2013 est). Area: 1865 sq km (720 sq miles)

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Other Word Forms

• Mauritian
  adjective

Example Sentences

The proposed 99-year deal calls for the U.K. to pay Mauritius an average of $135 million annually to lease the Diego Garcia base.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

Then there is the reality of wading ashore on islands left to the wind, sun and rain for half a century—and leaving Mauritius, where the malls are full and highways smooth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

Britain kept control of the Chagos Islands after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

But taxes, bureaucracy, and capital controls have kept its financial plumbing offshore where possible, in Singapore, Mauritius, or Dubai.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

On other recently discovered islands where protective measures did not go into effect quickly, exterminations did indeed result: one such victim, the dodo of Mauritius, has become virtually a symbol for extinction.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond