 Indo-Mauritians are descended from Indian immigrants who arrived in the 19th century via the Aapravasi Ghat in order to work as indentured laborers after slavery was abolished in 1835.Included in the Indo-Mauritian community are Muslims (about 17% of the population) from the Indian subcontinent.The Franco-Mauritian elite controls nearly all of the large sugar estates and is active in business and banking.