Mauritius is an island located in the Indian Ocean about 800km (550 miles) east of Madagascar and 2,000 km (1,250 mi) off the nearest point of the African coast. The island of Rodrigues, an integral part of Mauritius, is located about 560 km (350 miles) off its northeastern coast.

Mauritius is mostly of volcanic formation and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs. A coastal plain, widest in the north, rises sharply to a 1,500 ft high plateau bordered by three mountain ranges - the Black River Range, the Grand Port Range, and the Moka Range. The longest river is the Grand River South East, about 25 miles in length.

AT A GLANCE:

Full name	Republic of Mauritius
Capital	Port Louis
Independence	12March 1968 (from UK)
Time	GMT+4 hours
Population	1,240,827(July 2006 est.)
Area	2,040sq km (2,030 sq km land; 10 sq km water)
Currency	Mauritian Rupee (MUR)
Head of Government	Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam (since 15 July 2005)