Demographics of Mauritius
PlaceMauritius
Size of population1,308,222 (2022 est.)
NationMauritian
Age 0–14 years15.4%
Age 65 years11.08%
Growth0.1% (2022 est.)
Birth9.86 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death8.86 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Infant mortality12.08 deaths/1,000 live births
Life74.86 years
Life male72.04 years
Life female77.88 years
Fertility1.35 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Density640 inhabitants per km² (2023)

The Mauritian society is multiethnic. Indo-Mauritians make up the bulk of the population with the rest being descendants of people from Subsaharan Africa, including Madagascar, China and Western Europe, mostly France.

Mauritius also hosts foreign nationals from mostly India, Bangladesh and France with the rest from South Africa, Madagascar and Subsaharan Africa. As of 2023, Mauritius had the highest population density in Africa.

Population

Over 300k Indians migrated to the Mauritius between 1800 to 1920.[1]

According to , the total population was in , compared to 479,000 in 1950.[2]

The proportion of the population aged under 15 was 21.9% in 2010.[2] 71.2% were between 15 and 65 years of age, with 6.9% being 65 years or older.[2]

2022 Census

Mauritius has a population of 1,235,260 (608,090 males, 627,170 females), according to the 2022 Census.[3] The population on the island of Mauritius was 1,191,280 (586,590 males and 604,690 females);[4] Rodrigues island was 43,650 (21,330 males and 22,320 females); and Agaléga island was 330 (170 males and 160 females).[4][3][5]

The average age of the population was 38 years;[4][3][5] 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).[5]

Structure of the population

UN estimates

Total populationPopulation aged 0–14 (%)Population aged 15–64 (%)Population aged 65+ (%)
1950479 00045.251.93.0
1955570 00046.151.32.6
1960662 00046.650.92.5
1965754 00046.251.32.5
1970828 00043.853.62.6
1975891 00039.957.32.8
1980966 00035.461.03.6
19851 021 00031.464.54.1
19901 059 00029.765.84.5
19951 122 00027.867.25.0
20001 187 00026.767.65.7
20051 243 00024.869.16.1
20101 281 00021.971.26.9

2012 estimates

Population Estimates by sex and age group (01.VII.2012) (Based on the results of the 2011 Population Census.) :

Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total621 297634 5851,255,882100
0–438 37937 77276 1516.06
5–946 80245 13091 9327.32
10–1449 92648 04497 9707.80
15–1950 15849 996100 1547.97
20–2448 74747 37496 1217.65
25–2943 79443 39287 1866.94
30–3452 32551 550103 8758.27
35–3945 44744 44889 8957.16
40–4443 96143 15087 1116.94
45–4949 13448 57097 7047.78
50–5443 71844 51488 2327.03
55–5937 17438 62575 7996.04
60–6428 92931 94660 8754.85
65–6916 98620 84237 8283.01
70–7411 09914 47125 5702.04
75–797 76111 31119 0721.52
80–844 0777 03311 1100.88
85+2 8806 4179 2970.74
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–14135 107130 946266 05321.18
15–64443 387443 565886 95270.62
65+42 80360 074102 8778.19

Census 2019

Population by sex and age group (Census 04.VII.2019) (Excludes the islands of St. Brandon and Agalega.):[6]

Age groupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total610 848625 9691,236,817100
0–436 70236 37673 0785.91
5–944 94744 06889 0157.20
10–1447 30246 33793 6397.57
15–1950 71550 293101 0088.17
20–2446 87145 80092 6717.49
25–2945 58945 34890 9377.35
30–3452 18251 247103 4298.36
35–3944 24143 55687 7977.10
40–4445 15044 23689 3867.23
45–4949 80049 54199 3418.03
50–5442 99643 34186 3376.98
55–5935 71337 34173 0545.91
60–6427 14330 19957 3424.64
65–6915 84619 59335 4392.87
70–7410 98614 38925 3752.05
75–797 34910 69518 0441.46
80–844 1767 19311 3690.92
85–892 1354 2336 3680.51
90–945121 4701 9820.16
95–991073844910.04
100+1383960.01
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–14128 951126 781255 73220.68
15–64440 400440 902881 30271.26
65+41 12458 04099 1648.02
unknown3732466190.05

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.

Figures are from Statistics Mauritius[7] and United Nations Demographic Yearbook.[8]

Average populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)TFR
1900371,00014,49013,69579538.636.52.1
1901371,00012,91014,970-2,06034.840.4-5.6
1902371,00013,49512,71677935.933.82.1
1903371,00013,61115,034-1,42336.340.1-3.8
1904371,00014,10312,0642,03937.231.95.3
1905370,00014,04315,379-1,33637.240.7-3.5
1906370,00012,66915,124-2,45533.640.0-6.4
1907370,00014,18613,0371,14937.734.63.1
1908370,00013,45615,094-1,63836.040.3-4.3
1909369,00012,83713,761– 92434.436.9-2.5
1910369,00013,32912,48884136.133.82.3
1911369,00014,58512,2042,38139.232.86.4
1912370,00013,20914,429-1,22035.538.8-3.3
1913371,00015,15313,2011,95240.835.55.3
1914372,00015,22912,1343,09540.832.58.3
1915373,00013,09413,101– 734.834.8-0.0
1916374,00013,16211,4321,73035.030.44.6
1917375,00013,88712,2341,65336.932.54.4
1918375,00013,10912,79431534.833.90.9
1919375,00013,26124,455-11,19435.264.9-29.7
1920376,00012,79111,7731,01835.132.32.8
1921376,00014,36015,159– 79938.140.3-2.2
1922376,00013,95512,96798837.034.52.5
1923377,00013,87910,7783,10136.828.58.3
1924380,00015,43010,5584,87241.128.113.0
1925383,00016,5459,3277,21842.624.917.7
1926386,00015,5209,9585,56239.425.314.1
1927389,00013,74810,0153,73334.525.19.4
1928391,00015,20611,3423,86437.928.29.7
1929393,00013,77112,4131,35834.030.73.3
1930393,00012,79314,341-1,54831.635.4-3.8
1931393,00011,94115,467-3,52629.738.4-8.7
1932390,00010,26612,848-2,58225.732.2-6.5
1933390,00013,47910,6152,86433.826.67.2
1934392,00013,51610,0693,44733.725.18.6
1935394,00013,24610,4452,80132.825.87.0
1936398,00013,86710,5003,36734.125.88.3
1937400,00014,09711,5272,57034.428.16.3
1938402,00013,42012,0461,37432.629.23.4
1939405,00014,57811,3403,23835.227.47.8
1940407,00012,14510,3731,77229.124.94.2
1941407,00013,43010,4362,99432.225.07.2
1942408,00013,55311,9271,62632.528.63.9
1943410,00013,60410,6422,96232.625.57.1
1944419,00018,25811,3556,90343.427.016.4
1945424,00016,29015,2771,01338.436.02.4
1946437,00016,93912,6784,26138.829.09.8
1947445,00019,4588,83010,62843.719.823.9
1948455,00019,42910,6808,74942.723.519.2
1949458,00020,9317,52313,40845.716.429.3
1950479,00023,6676,61117,05649.413.835.6
1951498,00023,5437,30516,23847.314.732.6
1952514,00024,6897,56917,12048.014.733.3
1953537,00024,4288,55015,87845.515.929.6
1954551,00022,5138,58713,92640.915.625.3
1955570,00023,6127,26016,35241.412.728.7
1956591,00025,6666,91018,75643.411.731.7
1957609,00026,0557,82318,23242.812.829.9
1958627,00025,3987,30718,09140.511.728.9
1959644,00024,7927,04017,75238.510.927.6
1960662,00026,0177,58818,42939.311.527.8
1961680,00027,0286,69720,33139.79.829.9
1962700,00027,1626,48520,67738.89.329.5
1963715,00028,8596,91221,94740.49.730.7
1964735,00028,6106,42122,18938.98.730.2
1965754,00027,1956,63720,55836.18.827.3
1966773,00027,8316,94420,88736.09.027.0
1967789,00024,4716,75017,72131.08.622.5
1968804,00025,4097,38218,02731.69.222.4
1969815,00022,6216,73315,88827.78.319.5
1970828,00022,7656,52016,24527.57.919.6
1971841,00021,9266,43615,49026.17.718.4
1972850,96821,4956,75314,74225.37.917.3
1973869,33420,0156,77913,23623.07.815.2
1974880,65024,0026,42417,57827.37.320.0
1975892,04522,5577,20115,35625.38.117.23.19
1976903,61023,2746,96816,30625.87.718.03.13
1977918,00523,8597,15416,70526.07.818.23.04
1978933,49925,2786,59618,68227.17.120.03.09
1979949,88826,1636,87119,29227.67.220.33.07
1980966,03926,2946,91919,37527.27.220.13.19
1981980,46224,9676,65318,31425.56.818.72.68
1982992,52122,4596,58415,87522.66.616.02.39
19831,001,69121,0736,53214,54121.06.514.52.23
19841,012,22120,3326,64613,68620.16.613.52.16
19851,020,52819,3766,90612,47019.06.812.22.02
19861,028,36019,1706,80512,36518.66.612.01.99
19871,036,08220,0336,75313,28019.36.512.82.05
19881,043,23920,9416,87914,06220.16.613.52.14
19891,051,26021,8227,14914,67320.86.814.02.23
19901,058,77522,6027,03115,57121.36.614.72.32
19911,070,26622,1977,02715,17020.76.614.22.30
19921,084,44122,9027,02315,87921.16.514.62.37
19931,097,37422,3297,43314,89620.36.813.62.31
19941,112,84621,7957,40214,39319.66.712.92.25
19951,122,45720,5497,46513,08418.36.711.72.14
19961,133,99620,7637,67013,09318.36.811.52.12
19971,148,28420,0127,98612,02617.47.010.52.04
19981,160,42119,4347,83911,59516.86.810.01.97
19991,175,26720,3117,94412,36717.36.810.52.05
20001,186,87320,2057,98212,22317.06.710.31.99
20011,196,28719,6967,98311,71316.46.79.81.93
20021,204,62119,9838,31011,67316.56.99.61.96
20031,213,37019,3438,52010,82315.87.08.81.91
20041,221,00319,2308,47510,75515.66.98.71.92
20051,228,25418,8208,64610,17415.17.08.21.88
20061,233,99617,6049,1628,44214.07.36.71.77
20071,239,63017,0348,4988,53613.56.76.81.74
20081,244,12116,3729,0047,36812.97.15.81.67
20091,247,42915,3449,2246,12012.07.24.81.59
20101,250,40015,0059,1315,87411.77.14.61.57
20111,252,40414,7019,1705,53111.77.34.41.55
20121,251,60214,5029,3435,15911.57.44.11.56
20131,253,70813,6889,4404,24810.97.53.41.45
20141,255,12613,2839,6823,60110.57.72.81.44
20151,256,13512,7389,7472,99110.17.72.41.37
20161,256,34012,94810,1742,77410.28.12.11.41
20171,256,81613,38510,1403,24510.68.02.61.46
20181,256,84312,98010,7872,19310.38.51.81.42
20191,256,58912,86211,1741,68810.28.81.41.41
20201,255,95413,46511,0602,40510.68.71.91.46
20211,255,60912,98213,274-29210.310.5-0.21.42
20221,251,13512,09612,938-8429.610.2-0.61.33
20231,248,31712,87211,8391,03310.39.50.81.40
20241,245,44912,85312,50734610.310.00.31.44
20251,243,74113,25012,68556510.710.20.5

Current vital statistics

[9]

PeriodLive birthsDeathsNatural change
202312,87211,839+1033
202412,85312,507+346
Difference-19 (-0.1%)+668 (+5.64%)-687

Life expectancy

PeriodLife expectancy in
Years[10]
1950–195550.19
1955–196055.74
1960–196561.23
1965–197062.96
1970–197563.55
1975–198065.58
1980–198568.10
1985–199068.49
1990–199570.28
1995–200070.36
2000–200572.09
2005–201072.75
2010–201574.13

Ethnic groups

Indo-Mauritians represent roughly sixty-eight percent of the population. The Indo-Mauritian population consists of Hindu and Muslim descendants of Indian laborers.

Mauritian Creoles, descendants of African slaves, represent twenty-seven percent of the population. The Creole community also includes the country's mixed-race communities, which consist of people with any admixture of the island's other groups.[11] Rodriguais and Chagossians are usually incorporated within the Creole ethnic group.

Sino-Mauritians from the Hakka and other ethnolinnguistic groups make up around three percent of Mauritian society.[12]

White Mauritians, of mostly French descent, make up roughly two 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 mostly made-up of Christian Creole and White Mauritians.

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 Bangladeshi men), the construction industry (primarily Indian and Bangladeshi workers), and harbor-related activities.

Language

Further information: Languages of Mauritius

The main languages spoken in Mauritius are Mauritian Creole, English, French, and Bhojpuri.[15] 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.[16] 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.[15] It was developed in the 18th century by enslaved Africans who used a pidgin language to communicate with each other and with French enslavers and colonizers. The pidgin evolved with later generations to become a casual and main language.[17]

Mauritian Creole is a French-based creole.

Religion

Further information: Religion in Mauritius

More than 90% of the Sino-Mauritian community are Christian; the remainder are largely Buddhist.[12]

Migrants

According to the United Nations, there were 28,713 international migrants in Mauritius in 2017.

Their most common countries of origin were as follows:

International migrants in Mauritius in 2017
India8,689
Bangladesh8,364
China2,964
Madagascar2,287
France1,511
Sri Lanka1,131
South Africa624
Great Britain456
Pakistan187
Italy146
Germany136
Seychelles124
Source: United Nations"Migrant Stock by Origin and Destination". 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2019.

References

  1. ^ Madhavan, M. C. (1985). "Indian Emigrants: Numbers, Characteristics, and Economic Impact". Population and Development Review. 11 (3): 457–481. doi:10.2307/1973248. ISSN 0098-7921
  2. ^ "World Population Prospects, the 2010 Revision". 6 May 2011. Archived 6 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  3. ^ "2022 Population Census – Main Results - Highlights". statsmauritius.govmu.org
  4. ^ "2022 Population Census – Main Results - Highlights". statsmauritius.govmu.org
  5. ^ "Economic and Social Indicators". Archived 2022-12-03 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ "United Nations Statistics Division – Demographic and Social Statistics". Unstats.un.org. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  7. ^ "Statistics Mauritius : Population and Vital Statistics". Statsmauritius.govmu.org. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  8. ^ "United Nations Statistics Division – Demographic and Social Statistics". Unstats.un.org. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  9. ^ "Statistics Mauritius. Population and Vital Statistics". statsmauritius.govmu.org. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  10. ^ "World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations". esa.un.org. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  11. ^ Common Denominators: Ethnicity nationalism and the politics of compromise in Mauritius
  12. ^ Eriksen 1998, p. 82
  13. ^ "BBC NEWS | Special Reports | Brits Abroad". news.bbc.co.uk. Archived 2020-04-19 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  14. ^ "Mauritius - UK Relations". www.globalsecurity.org
  15. ^ "English Usage in Mauritius". Chass.utoronto.ca. Archived from the original on 2010-06-17. Retrieved 2017-08-29.
  16. ^ "Coexistence International at Brandeis University". Brandeis.edu. Retrieved 2010-07-04.
  17. ^ "Mauritius". M2002.thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 2011-05-11. Retrieved 2017-08-29.

Further reading

  • Eriksen, T. H. (1998). Common denominators: nation-building and compromise in Mauritius. Oxford: Berg Publishers. ISBN 9781859739594.