Population, culture, and languages in Mauritius

Population of Mauritius

Mauritius is a plural island enriched by its multiple origins and cultures, and according to the latest figures, it is home to a population of 1,308,222 inhabitants. There are different ethnic origins:

• Indo-Mauritians*: 68%
• Afro-Mauritians (Creoles): 27%
• Sino-Mauritians: 3%
• Franco-Mauritians: 2%

Language(s) spoken in Mauritius

English is the official language of the Mauritian Republic, a remnant of British colonialism. The administration and official texts are all in English. French and Mauritian Creole are, however, the 2 languages most used by the whole population.

Outside of these 3 main languages allowing communication between all, each ethnic group also speaks different languages.

Thus, Hindi, Bhojpuri, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Hakka, Arabic, Mandarin and Cantonese are taught in schools. These languages are also supported by Speaking Unions and cultural centers.