Mauritius’s natural resources revolve around water, forests and highly endemic island biodiversity. What are Mauritius’s most important natural resources? The island receives 2,041 mm of rain a year (27th in the world), forest covers 19.5% of its territory, and it is home to 136 bird species, including 10 endemic species that survive today. Notable species include the pink pigeon and the Mauritius ornate day gecko.
Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean known for its natural beauty and unique biodiversity. The wealth of its natural resources has been a key factor in the country’s economic development, as it has made good use of its forests, rivers and coasts to drive sectors such as tourism and fishing.
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The island is home to a wide variety of endemic animal and plant species, many of them endangered. Conserving Mauritius’s natural resources is a constant challenge, but it is essential to ensure sustainable economic development and to protect the island’s unique biodiversity.
What are Mauritius’s most important natural resources? How is energy generated, and how much water is available? How diverse are the animal and plant species of Mauritius?
Natural resources
Natural resources are materials or energy sources provided by or found on Earth that are useful to humans. Every product we manufacture is made up of natural resources.
- Renewable resources: these can be restored by natural processes faster than the rate at which they are consumed. Examples include solar radiation, wind, hydroelectric power, water when used properly, and plant and animal life.
- Non-renewable resources: once extracted, these are depleted and cannot regenerate. Examples include hydrocarbons, metals and minerals.
Examples of Mauritius’s main natural resources
Environmental indicators of Mauritius
Official data on forests, water, energy and threatened species.
| Forest cover | 19.5% of land area2023 |
|---|---|
| Renewable freshwater per capita | 2,179 m³ per year2022 |
| Electricity from renewable sources | 21.7% of total generation2021 |
| Threatened species | 152 mammals, birds, fish and plants2022 |
| Protected land area | 5.0% of land area2025 |
| Arable land | 37.6% of land area2023 |
Water resources of Mauritius
Mauritius has 2.75 km³ of renewable freshwater resources, which placed it 136th in the world ranking of water reserves in 2020. It has two main rivers, the Grande Rivière Sud Est and the Rivière du Rempart, and one main lake, Grand Bassin.
Average rainfall and soils of Mauritius
Mauritius has an average annual rainfall of 2,041 mm, which places it 27th in the world.
In general, the soils of Mauritius are rich in nutrients and minerals, because the high humidity promotes the decomposition of organic matter.
Renewable electricity and hydropower production in Mauritius
In 2024, Mauritius generated 610 GWh of electricity from renewable sources — 18% of its total generation of 3.4 TWh — and hydropower supplied 110 GWh (Ember, 2024). The country’s main hydroelectric plant is the Champagne Hydro Power Station, with an installed capacity of 30 MW.
Forest resources of Mauritius
Mauritius had forest covering 19.5% of its territory in 2023, equivalent to 388.9 km². Globally, it ranks 154th in forest area.
A standout is the Macchabee forest region, home to important endemic species and a focus of conservation and ecotourism activities.
Environmental performance and protection of Mauritius’s natural resources
In Mauritius, the Environmental Performance Index (2024) score is 47.3, and the country ranks 77th on the index. In addition, protected areas cover 5.0% of its land area (World Bank, 2025).
Natural parks of Mauritius: the hidden wealth of natural resources
Biodiversity: animal and plant resources of Mauritius
Birds of Mauritius
Mauritius has rich diversity, with a total of 136 bird species according to the most recent count, and the country ranks 189th in the world.
Of these species, 10 surviving species are endemic to the country (eight on Mauritius itself and two on Rodrigues); many other endemic birds, such as the dodo, are extinct. However, 12 species are endangered. A standout is the pink pigeon.
Fish and amphibians of Mauritius
Mauritius has rich biodiversity and is home to 2 amphibian species and 1,175 fish species according to the most recent count, ranking 95th and 36th in the world, respectively. However, 30 of its fish species are threatened (World Bank, 2022).
It is important to take measures to protect this valuable natural resource and ensure the survival of species such as the butterflyfish, representative of the country’s aquatic fauna.
Reptiles of Mauritius
Mauritius has a total of 30 reptile species according to the most recent count, ranking 112th in the world. This natural resource is very important for the country, and its flagship reptiles are the endemic day geckos of the genus Phelsuma, such as the Mauritius ornate day gecko (Phelsuma ornata).
Organizations that protect or study Mauritius’s natural resources
- Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change: Ministry that protects the environment, manages waste and tackles climate change.
- National Parks and Conservation Service (NPCS): Government service that manages the national parks and conserves terrestrial biodiversity.
- The Forestry Service (Mauritius): Forestry service that protects, manages and reforests the native forests of Mauritius.
- Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF): NGO dedicated to saving endemic species and restoring ecosystems in Mauritius.
- Reef Conservation Mauritius: Marine NGO that restores coral reefs and protects coastal ecosystems.
- International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): International union that conserves nature and biodiversity in the Indian Ocean.
Mauritius’s greatest natural wealth is not on land but at sea. Its exclusive economic zone covers about 2.3 million square kilometers of the Indian Ocean, a marine area many times larger than the island itself, and it supports a blue economy that, excluding coastal tourism, generates 10.3% of GDP, with an official target of 20% (Economic Development Board Mauritius, 2024).
Sugarcane: the monoculture that shaped the island
On land, a single crop dominates the landscape. Sugarcane occupies about 36% of Mauritius’s total area and around 70% of its cultivated land, a legacy of the colonial monoculture that still organizes the Mauritian countryside (Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM) of the Convention on Biological Diversity – Mauritius, 2020). That concentration explains why sugar and its by-products continue to shape the country’s land use and agricultural trade balance.
Fishing and tuna: the engine of the blue economy
The ocean does not just surround Mauritius; it also sustains it economically. Prepared and preserved fish, mainly tuna, accounted for about $263 million in exports in 2023, 14.2% of the country’s total merchandise exports (TrendEconomy, using UN Comtrade data, 2023). Tuna processing makes the island one of the leading fishing hubs in the western Indian Ocean.
Energy: the resource Mauritius lacks
Mauritius has no oil, gas or coal of its own, so it buys almost all of its energy abroad. In 2024 it imported 90.9% of its primary energy, in the form of oil (61.1%) and coal (29.8%), and 81.8% of its electricity came from non-renewable sources, compared with only 18.2% from renewables (International Trade Administration (trade.gov), 2024). That near-total dependence is its greatest vulnerability in terms of resources.
Frequently asked questions
What is Mauritius’s main natural resource? Its great asset is the ocean: an exclusive economic zone of about 2.3 million km² that supports a blue economy equivalent to 10.3% of GDP, excluding coastal tourism (Economic Development Board Mauritius, 2024).
Where does Mauritius get its electricity? Mostly from imported fossil fuels: more than 75% of electricity generation came from fossil sources in 2023, with coal providing about a third (Low Carbon Power, 2023).
Sources used
- Economic data by country – The Global Economy
- Forest area (km²) – World Bank
- Forest area (% of land area) – World Bank
- Water and agriculture statistics – FAO
- Precipitation (mm) – World Bank
- Environmental Performance Index – Environmental Performance Index
- Bird species – Mongabay
- Amphibian species by country – Mongabay
- Plant species – Mongabay
- Reptile species by country – Mongabay
- Endemic bird species by country – Our World in Data
The FAO reported in 2023 that Mauritius has diversified its economy beyond sugarcane, developing a growing sustainable fishing and aquaculture industry.
Last updated: September 26, 2026
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