As at end 2000 the population of the Republic of Mauritius was estimated at 1,193,464. The island of Mauritius, the main island of the Republic, had an estimated population of around 1,157,290 while the population of Rodrigues was around 35,885.

	Mauritian woman

The population of Agalega and Saint Brandon was estimated at around 289.

The population of the Republic grew at a rate of 1.09% in 2000 as against 1.15% in 1999.

The main ethnic groups are: hindus (52%), creoles and franco-mauritians(30%), muslims (15%) and sino-mauritians (3%).