Rodrigues

Remote Rodrigues is situated about 560 kilometres (350 miles) to the east of Mauritius, of which it's a constituent island. Measuring only 18 km (11 miles) long and 6.5km (four miles) wide, Rodrigues has a surface area of 108km² (42 square miles). The 'Cinderella of the Mascarenes' has hilly terrain with the highest peak, Mont Limon, measuring just 398 metres. It's the sole Mascarene island with extensive limestone deposits and caves.

A large coral reef surrounds the island, forming a lagoon within which lie eighteen small islets. The island's coral reef is 'self-seeding', in that it receives no coral zooplankton from elsewhere. A species of coral, two species of Pomacentrus damselfish and many species of crustaceans are confined to this reef.

Rodrigues is served by Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport in Plane Corail, with regular Air Mauritius flights (90 minutes' duration) from Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in Mauritius. There's a once weekly direct flight between Rodrigues and Reunion, too. Rodrigues has a good network of roads with no traffic lights.

Port Mathurin, one of the world's smallest capitals, has a lively market, the island's only bus station and a variety of religious sites that include a Catholic church, an Anglican church, Hindu temples and mosques. Charming colonial-style houses add to its character.

The island's population of some 44,000 people are predominantly of African descent. They speak Rodriguan Creole, very similar to Mauritian Creole albeit with some words being pronounced differently.

Rodrigues has a mild tropical maritime climate with persistent trade winds blowing throughout the year. The average summer temperature is around 25.9°C and the mean winter temperature is around 22.3°C. January—March is the hottest period while August is the coolest month. The wettest month is February and September—October is the driest period. The climate is hotter and drier than in Mauritius. Cyclones may occur from November—April.

As is the case with the other Mascarene islands, man's arrival quickly resulted in the extinction of many endemic vertebrates. Today, the spectacular Rodrigues flying fox is currently listed as endangered and is a subject of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. The two remaining endemic bird species – the bright yellow and orange Rodrigues fody and the Rodrigues warbler – can both be seen in the wooded area of the interior, notably around Solitude and Citronelle.

To restore and protect some of its forests, Grande Montagne, Anse Quitor (along with the adjacent François Leguat Giant Tortoise Reserve) and two offshore islets, Île aux Sables and Île aux Cocos (on which there's a large seabird colony) have been declared nature reserves. Notable among its 49 species of endemic plants is the critically endangered Lily-flowered hibiscus or Mandrinette (Hibiscus liliiflorus), which botanists have been working hard to save from extinction.