Mauritius is part of the Mascarene Islands. This archipelago was formed in a series of undersea volcanic eruptions 8-10 million years ago,
as the African plate drifted over the Réunion hotspot. They are no longer volcanically active, and the hotspot now rests under Réunion.
The local climate is tropical, modified by southeast trade winds;
there is a warm, dry winter from May to November and a hot, wet, and humid summer from November to May.
