Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego independence.

Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique

12 50 S, 45 10 E

total: 374 sq km
land: 374 sq km
water: 0 sq km

0 km

185.2 km

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)

generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m

cyclones during rainy season

part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

201,234 (July 2006 est.)

0-14 years: 46% (male 46,512/female 46,067)
15-64 years: 52.3% (male 56,899/female 48,274)
65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,756/female 1,726) (2006 est.)

total: 17 years
male: 18 years
female: 16 years (2006 est.)

3.77% (2006 est.)

40.95 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

4.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

total: 60.76 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 66.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 54.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

total population: 61.76 years
male: 59.57 years
female: 64.02 years (2006 est.)

5.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran

Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population

conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte

territorial collectivity of France

Mamoutzou

none (territorial collectivity of France)

none (territorial collectivity of France)

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

French law

18 years of age; universal

unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%, PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP 9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1
note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF 44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1

Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism.

$466.8 million (2003 est.)

$2,600 (2003 est.)

48,800 (2000)

38% (1999)

revenues: $NA
expenditures: $73 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)

vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra

newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

$3.44 million f.o.b. (1997)

ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon

France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2004)

$141.3 million f.o.b. (1997)

food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals

France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2004)

$107.7 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (1995)

euro (EUR)

calendar year

10,000 (2002)

48,100 (2004)

general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA
international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

3 (2001)

.yt

1 (2005)

1 (2005)

total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005)

total: 93 km
paved: 72 km
unpaved: 21 km

Dzaoudzi

defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French forces stationed on the island

claimed by Comoros