# Port Louis

> capital city of Mauritius

**Wikidata**: [Q3929](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3929)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Louis)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/port-louis

## Summary
Port Louis is the capital city of Mauritius, situated in the Port Louis District on the island of Mauritius within the Indian Ocean. Classified as a port city, a big city, and a first-level administrative division, it serves as the administrative center for the Municipal City Council of Port Louis. Founded in 1735 and named after Louis XV of France, the city had a population of 149,194 as of 2012.

## Key Facts
- **Country**: Mauritius
- **Location**: Port Louis District, Mauritius Island, Africa
- **Coordinates**: -20.161944444444, 57.498888888889
- **Area**: 46,700,000 square metres
- **Elevation**: 134 metres above sea level
- **Population**: 149,194 (2012 census)
- **Inception**: 1735
- **Demonym**: Portlouisien (masculine), Portlouisienne (feminine)
- **UN/LOCODE**: MUPLU
- **ISO 3166-2 Code**: MU-PU (ended 2020-11-24)
- **Legislative Body**: Municipal City Council of Port Louis
- **Official Website**: https://mccpl.mu/
- **Named After**: Louis XV of France
- **Instance of**: City, Port City, First-level Administrative Division

## FAQs
**What is the political history of Port Louis regarding its capital status?**
Port Louis has served as the capital of "Isle de France" (1736–1810), British Mauritius (1810–1968), the Commonwealth realm of Mauritius (1968–1992), and the Republic of Mauritius (starting March 12, 1992).

**Which administrative districts border Port Louis?**
The city shares borders with the Pamplemousses, Moka, Plaines Wilhems, and Rivière Noire districts.

**What are the sister cities (twinned administrative bodies) of Port Louis?**
Port Louis is twinned with Saint-Malo (France), La Possession (France), Foshan (China), Pretoria (South Africa), Antsiranana (Madagascar), Port Mathurin (Mauritius), and Karachi (Pakistan), with relationships established between 1988 and 2003.

**What are the demographics and linguistic context of the city?**
The city had a population of 149,414 in 2012. It is known by multiple aliases including Porlwi, Polwi, Maurícia, Porto Luís, and ポールルイ, with Wikipedia entries in over 100 languages including Afrikaans, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, and Hindi.

## Why It Matters
As the capital of Mauritius, Port Louis is the political and administrative heart of the nation, hosting the Municipal City Council and the office of the mayor. Its designation as a "first-level administrative division" highlights its dual role as both a city and a top-tier administrative unit within the country's governance structure. Historically, its strategic location in the Indian Ocean has established it as a significant port city, a role underscored by its naming after French royalty and its long history as a capital under French, British, and independent rule. It connects Mauritius to the world through extensive international identifiers (such as VIAF, GND, and GeoNames) and maintains diplomatic ties with cities across Africa, Asia, and Europe.

## Notable For
- Serving as the capital of Mauritius since 1736 under various colonial and independent governments.
- Being a "first-level administrative division" in addition to being a city.
- Its location bordering four distinct districts in Mauritius.
- Maintaining extensive town twinning relationships, including with Pretoria, Foshan, and Karachi.
- Being named directly after King Louis XV of France.
- Hosting the legislative body known as the Municipal City Council of Port Louis.
- Its inclusion in the Wikipedia Vital Articles Level 4 list.

## Body

### Geography and Location
Port Louis is located on the island of Mauritius in the continent of Africa. It sits on the Indian Ocean at coordinates -20.161944444444, 57.498888888889. The city covers a total area of 46,700,000 square metres and has an elevation of 134 metres above sea level. It is situated within the Port Louis District and shares borders with the Pamplemousses District, Moka District, Plaines Wilhems District, and Rivière Noire District.

### Governance and Political Status
The city is the capital of Mauritius, a status it has held continuously since 1736, though the sovereign state it represents has changed over time. It was the capital of "Isle de France" starting in 1736 until 1810, followed by "British Mauritius" until 1968, and the "Commonwealth realm of Mauritius" until 1992. Since March 12, 1992, it has been the capital of the modern Republic of Mauritius.

Port Louis is classified as a city, a port city, and a "first-level administrative division." The legislative body governing the city is the Municipal City Council of Port Louis, and the head of government office is the Mayor of Port Louis. Its administrative identifiers include the UN/LOCODE MUPLU and the former ISO 3166-2 code MU-PU (which ended on November 24, 2020).

### History and Etymology
The city was founded in 1735. It is named after Louis XV of France. Historical encyclopedic sources such as *The Nuttall Encyclopædia*, *Meyers Konversations-Lexikon* (4th edition, 1885–1890), and the *Granat Encyclopedic Dictionary* have entries describing the city. A timeline of its history is maintained as a separate topic of study.

### Demographics and Culture
According to the 2012 census, the population of Port Louis was 149,194. Residents are referred to by the demonyms "Portlouisien" (masculine singular) or "Portlouisienne" (feminine singular). The city is multilingual and multicultural, recognized by aliases such as Port-Louis, Porlwi, Polwi, Maurícia, Porto Luís, and ポールルイ. Its Wikipedia presence spans over 100 languages, including Afrikaans, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, German, Hindi, Japanese, and Russian.

### International Relations
Port Louis maintains sister city relationships with several municipalities globally:
- **La Possession** (since February 8, 1988)
- **Foshan** (since January 27, 1989)
- **Saint-Malo** (since October 20, 1999)
- **Pretoria** (since February 14, 1997)
- **Antsiranana** (since October 4, 2000)
- **Port Mathurin** (since November 14, 2003)
- **Karachi**

### External Identifiers and Media
Port Louis is cataloged in numerous international databases and libraries. Key identifiers include:
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: n79090018
- **VIAF ID**: 128993813
- **GeoNames ID**: 934154
- **GND ID**: 4116066-6
- **Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID**: place/Port-Louis
- **Facebook Location ID**: 106248356079603
- **Apple Maps ID**: 9186005629790333141
- **MusicBrainz Area ID**: 7430dfff-05a6-48c4-83af-2721740586fa

Visual representations of the city include its flag, coat of arms ( Coat of arms of Port Louis, Mauritius), and various images hosted on Wikimedia Commons, including panoramic views, nighttime views, and locator maps. The official website for the Municipal City Council is https://mccpl.mu/.

## References

1. archINFORM
2. GEOnet Names Server. 2018
3. [Source](https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:code:3166:MU)
4. [Source](https://www.mccpl.mu/ct_int.html)
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
7. MusicBrainz
8. [Annual Digest of Statistics 2015. Government of Mauritius](http://statsmauritius.govmu.org/English/Publications/Documents/Regular%20Reports/annual%20digest/Digest_2015.pdf)
9. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
10. GeoNames
11. BBC Things
12. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/mu.htm)
13. YSO-Wikidata mapping project
14. Quora
15. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)