Aapravasi Ghat

　　The Aapravasi Ghat area was built in 1849 and has a history of over 150 years. It is a complex of buildings situated by the waterfront in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius. However, due to natural disasters and historical reasons, only about 15% of the original structures remain today, including the dock steps, hospital area, laborers’ temporary housing, and service zones.

　　The Aapravasi Ghat area is considered the birthplace of modern indentured labor and today’s global economic system. The 1,640-square-meter area in Port Louis marks the origin of documented labor migration. In 1834, the British government chose Mauritius as the first site for the so-called “Great Experiment” — replacing enslaved labor with free contract workers.

　　Between 1834 and 1920, nearly half a million indentured laborers arrived at Aapravasi Ghat from India to work in Mauritius’s sugar plantations, or were transported to Australia, Réunion Island, southern and eastern Africa, or the Caribbean. The Aapravasi Ghat buildings are among the earliest clear representations of the world’s future economic system and stand as one of the greatest testimonies to human migration in history.

　　Aapravasi Ghat Must-visit reason: One of the greatest testimonies to human migration Continent: Africa Country/Region: Mauritius Province/State: Port Louis City: Port Louis