Founded in 1638, the oceanside city of Port Louis is recognized as the capital of Mauritius, France. Mauritius is an island country that belongs to the Mascarene chain of islands In the Indian Ocean. The Mauritius Islands have been under French control since around 1715.

The name of the city has changed several times. Dutch settlers coined the area the Harbor of Tortoises in 1636. The French call Port Louis the “Isle de France.” Explorers used the island as a resting point for French ships bound for the Cape of Good Hope in Africa.

They designated Port Louis as a town on August 25, 1966. It officially became a city on December 11, 2011. Tourists enjoy visiting Port Louis to explore its unique architecture, waterfront entertainment areas, and horse racing.

Historical Architecture

They originally chose Port Louis to be the port because of its easy-to-access location in the Indian Ocean. The city is popular for its historical French architecture. The city lists 81 historical buildings on its National Heritage register. These buildings include Fort George, Bowen Square, The Central Railway Station, and the Military Hospital.

Population and Cost of Living

According to local financial experts, the cost of living in Port Louis is less than half of that of New York City in the United States. As of 2019, they estimated the population of Port Louis to be just over a hundred thousand permanent residents. As of 2019, they listed the official population tally at 118,123.