Mauritius covers a total land area of 720 square miles, and is almost entirely of volcanic origin, except for stretches of beaches, coral reefs and small patches of alluvium at the mouths of rivers. Pear-shaped, mountainous with its highest peak standing at 2,711 feet above sea level, Mauritius emerged from the ocean floor some 5 million years ago. Volcanic activity over thousands of years has given rise to varied types of soil.