Mauritius (; ), officially the Republic of Mauritius , is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent. The country includes the island of Mauritius, Rodrigues ( east), and the outer islands (Agaléga, St. Brandon and two disputed territories). The islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues ( southwest) form part of the Mascarene Islands, along with nearby Réunion, a French overseas department. The area of the country is 2,040 km². The capital and largest city is Port Louis.