
Off the eastern coast of Africa, in the Indian Ocean, sits the island nation of Mauritius. It is a physiographical member of the Mascarene Islands. Port Louis is the nation's capital.
In the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is located around 800 kilometers (500 miles) east of Madagascar. Approximately 340 miles (550 km) east of the main island is Rodrigues Island, 250 miles (400 km) northeast are the Cargados Carajos Shoals, and 580 miles (930 km) north are the Agalega Islands. Additionally, although Britain disputes this claim, Mauritius asserts sovereignty over the 1,250-mile (2,000-kilometer) northeastern Chagos Archipelago, which includes Diego Garcia.
Most Indo-Pakistani people, who make up around two-thirds of the population, are descended from indentured laborers employed in the sugar industry during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Creole (of mixed French and African descent) make up about one-fourth of the population. A tiny percentage of persons are of Chinese and Franco-Mauritian ancestry.