Rodrigues – The island named after the navigator Diogo Rodrigues (1528)
Rodrigues takes its name from the Portuguese explorer Diogo Rodrigues, who came upon the then uninhabited island in 1528. Arab sailors may have known the Mascarene Islands as early as the tenth century, as early maps suggest. Before human settlement, Rodrigues was home to unique wildlife such as the Rodrigues solitaire, a flightless bird now extinct, and giant tortoises.
Of volcanic origin and surrounded by a coral reef, the island lies about 560 km east of Mauritius and is today an autonomous part of the Republic, known for its fishing communities, handicrafts and relaxed island life. Do you have stories, photos or family memories from Rodrigues? We warmly invite you to share them with our community!