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Topic 3
Butte aux papayes
142m
Curepipe Point
686m
Calebasses Mt.
632m
400m 400m
600m 600m
200m 200m
0m 0m
Cap Malheureux
Jurancon
Peak
248m
Souillac
Mauritius is about 1865 km2. It is 61 km in length and 47 km in width.
You have learnt about some features of our natural environment such as mounts/hills,
mountains, mountain ranges, plains and plateau. These natural features form part of the
relief of Mauritius.
What is the relief of the land?
The relief is the variation or changes in the height of the land.
Suppose you are travelling from Cap Malheureux in the north of Mauritius to Souillac in the
south.
How is the land? Does it remain at?
Obviously not, the height changes, and the land has different forms.
As shown in Figure 11 below, height changes and gives the land
different forms.
3.0
fig. 11
our natural environment
Topic 3 the main relief
features of mauritius
•The difference in the height of the land is the relief.
• The different forms of the land are the relief features.
note:
At the end of this topic you will be able to:
• dene the term relief;
•explain what a contour line is;
•read and interpret maps with contour lines;
•l locate and describe the main relief features of Mauritius;
•show an understanding of the formation of the main relief features of Mauritius;
•trace, draw and label maps showing the main relief features of Mauritius.