Port Louis

Why it's the capital

Dutch settlers used the bay as a harbour from 1606 and called it Harbour of Tortoises. The Moka Mountain Range protected the spot from strong cyclone winds, so it was chosen for the island's main harbour and fort, and in 1736, under French rule, it became the administrative centre of Mauritius.

Fun facts

1. The city is named in honour of King Louis XV of France.
2. The Champ de Mars racecourse opened in 1812 and is the oldest racecourse in the Southern Hemisphere; before 1810 the ground was used to train French soldiers.
3. About half a million Indian indentured labourers arrived through the Aapravasi Ghat immigration depot between 1849 and 1923, and the site became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.