Mauritian society contains several ethnic groups. The majority of the residents of Mauritius are descendants of people from India, also Africans(mainly descendants of Malagasy and Mozambique) and Chinese. Mauritius also contains descendants of colonial France and Britain, as well as mixed race Mauritians(mainly of French/Indian or a mixture of French/African/Chinese/Indian. Mauritius also comprises migrants from continental Africa, Asia, France, South Africa and the East African island of Madagascar. As of 2023, Mauritius had the highest population density in Africa.
According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects[1][2], the total population was 1,298,915 in 2021, compared to 479,000 in 1950.[3]
The proportion of the population aged under 15 was 21.9% in 2010.[3] 71.2% were between 15 and 65 years of age, with 6.9% being 65 years or older.[3]
2022 Census
Mauritius has a population of 1,235,260 (608,090 males, 627,170 females), according to the 2022 Census.[4] The population on the island of Mauritius was 1,191,280 (586,590 males and 604,690 females);[5]Rodrigues island was 43,650 (21,330 males and 22,320 females); and Agaléga island was 330 (170 males and 160 females).[5][4][6]
The average age of the population was 38 years;[5][4][6] the proportion of children aged under 15 years decreased from 20.7% (in 2011) to 15.4% (in 2022); and the number of adults aged 60 years and over increased from 12.7% (2011) to 18.7% (2022).[6]
Population Estimates by sex and age group (01.VII.2012) (Based on the results of the 2011 Population Census.):
Age Group
Male
Female
Total
%
Total
621 297
634 585
1,255,882
100
0–4
38 379
37 772
76 151
6.06
5–9
46 802
45 130
91 932
7.32
10–14
49 926
48 044
97 970
7.80
15–19
50 158
49 996
100 154
7.97
20–24
48 747
47 374
96 121
7.65
25–29
43 794
43 392
87 186
6.94
30–34
52 325
51 550
103 875
8.27
35–39
45 447
44 448
89 895
7.16
40–44
43 961
43 150
87 111
6.94
45–49
49 134
48 570
97 704
7.78
50–54
43 718
44 514
88 232
7.03
55–59
37 174
38 625
75 799
6.04
60–64
28 929
31 946
60 875
4.85
65–69
16 986
20 842
37 828
3.01
70–74
11 099
14 471
25 570
2.04
75–79
7 761
11 311
19 072
1.52
80–84
4 077
7 033
11 110
0.88
85+
2 880
6 417
9 297
0.74
Age group
Male
Female
Total
Percent
0–14
135 107
130 946
266 053
21.18
15–64
443 387
443 565
886 952
70.62
65+
42 803
60 074
102 877
8.19
Census 2019
Population by sex and age group (Census 04.VII.2019) (Excludes the islands of St. Brandon and Agalega.):[7]
Age Group
Male
Female
Total
%
Total
610 848
625 969
1,236,817
100
0–4
36 702
36 376
73 078
5.91
5–9
44 947
44 068
89 015
7.20
10–14
47 302
46 337
93 639
7.57
15–19
50 715
50 293
101 008
8.17
20–24
46 871
45 800
92 671
7.49
25–29
45 589
45 348
90 937
7.35
30–34
52 182
51 247
103 429
8.36
35–39
44 241
43 556
87 797
7.10
40–44
45 150
44 236
89 386
7.23
45–49
49 800
49 541
99 341
8.03
50–54
42 996
43 341
86 337
6.98
55–59
35 713
37 341
73 054
5.91
60–64
27 143
30 199
57 342
4.64
65–69
15 846
19 593
35 439
2.87
70–74
10 986
14 389
25 375
2.05
75–79
7 349
10 695
18 044
1.46
80–84
4 176
7 193
11 369
0.92
85–89
2 135
4 233
6 368
0.51
90–94
512
1 470
1 982
0.16
95–99
107
384
491
0.04
100+
13
83
96
0.01
Age group
Male
Female
Total
Percent
0–14
128 951
126 781
255 732
20.68
15–64
440 400
440 902
881 302
71.26
65+
41 124
58 040
99 164
8.02
unknown
373
246
619
0.05
Vital statistics
The table below presents the population development of Mauritius since 1900. The figures up to 1945 are for the island of Mauritius only. As of 1946, the island of Rodrigues is included.
Mauritian Creoles (descendants of Africans) are thirty-eight percent of the population. Today, a significant proportion of Creoles are of African descent, with varying amounts of French and Indian ancestry. The Creole community also includes the country's ‘Metisse,’ or mixed-race communities, which consist of people with any admixture of the island's other groups.[12] Rodrigues and Chagossians are usually incorporated within the Creole ethnic group.
Along with the French European community, Britishexpatriates or people of British descent make up roughly three percent of the population of Mauritius.[13][14]
While the government officially groups Mauritians into four ethnic groups – Hindus, Muslims, Chinese, and General Population – the general population includes all who do not practice Hinduism or Islam and are not Chinese by ethnicity. The general population is the Christian community, which includes Creoles, mixed-race people, white people, and those who have converted to Christianity.
Small groups of foreign students from Europe or the Indian Ocean region are also present. Recent years have seen a steady flow of foreign workers into the textile industry (primarily Chinese women), the construction industry (primarily Indian workers), and harbor-related activities (primarily Taiwanese men).
Picture from the 1950s of the Central Market, Port Louis, Mauritius.
The main languages spoken in Mauritius are Mauritian Creole, English, French, and Bhojpuri.[16] English is the official administrative language of the parliament, though French is also permitted. However, the lingua franca is Mauritian Creole, and the newspapers and television programs are usually in French.[17] The Mauritian currency features the Latin, Tamil and Devanagari scripts.
Mauritian Creole, which is spoken by 90 percent of the population, is considered to be the native language of the country and is used most often in informal settings.[16] It was developed in the 18th century by African slaves who used a pidgin language to communicate with each other and with their French masters, who did not understand the various African languages. The pidgin evolved with later generations to become a casual and main language.[18]
In 2015, the population was estimated to be 48.5% Hindu, 27.2% Roman Catholic, 17.5% Muslim, 3.9% No religion and unspecified, 2.5% Protestantism, and 0.4% Other religions.[19]
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