The around population of Mauritius in July 1993 was 1,106,516 with a population growth rate of 0.95 % for 1993. According to the 1990 census the population was 1,065,988, of whom 34,292 lived on Rodrigues and 170 on outer islands. The nation's population density, more than 537 inhabitants per square kilometer, is one of the highest in the world. The majority of the island's inhabitants are young; some 58.6 % were under the age of twenty-nine in 1990. The capital, Port Louis, is the largest city, with a population of 142,645. Other large metropolitan areas, in descending order, are Beau BassinRose Hill, Vacoas-Phoenix, Curepipe, and Quatre Bornes. In 1991 the population was comparatively evenly separated between those residing in rural and urban areas.

Three-fifths of the population are either Creole or of French descent, and two-fifths are Indian. Europeans and Chinese form smaller communities. Half of the population is Hindu, about one-third Christian, and the rest are Muslims. The number of languages in use among the various ethnic groups is large, but English is the official language, and Creole has become the lingua franca of the nation.

The population density is one of the highest in the world. Overpopulation became a serious problem after eradication of malaria in the 1960s. The rate of natural increase has remained comparatively high even though emigration reduced the annual rate of population growth in the 1980s. Almost one-third of the population is under 15 years old.