Port Louis

Port Louis, city in north-west Mauritius, capital of the country, located on the island of Mauritius. A port on the Indian Ocean, it is also the country's largest city and main commercial and administrative centre. Major manufactured goods include processed food—especially sugar, wood products, and printed fabrics. Port Louis is the site of the Mauritius Institute (1880), which operates a public library and the Port Louis Museum (featuring natural history collections), and the Citadel, a fortress built in 1838.

Established by the French in about 1735, the city grew as a deep-water port for ships travelling between Europe and Asia, but declined after the Suez Canal was opened in 1869. In 1968, when Mauritius became independent, Port Louis was chosen as the country's capital. Population 143,000 (2003 estimate).