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.
Location
Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates
12 50 S, 45 10 E
Map references
Africa
Area
total
374 sq km
land
374 sq km
water
0 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
0 km
Coastline
185.2 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Climate
tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)
Terrain
generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point
Benara 660 m
Natural resources
NEGL
Land use
arable land
NA%
permanent crops
NA%
other
NA%
Irrigated land
NA
Natural hazards
cyclones during rainy season
Environment - current issues
NA
Geography - note
part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands
Population
208,783 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
45.8% (male 48,016/female 47,533)
15-64 years
52.5% (male 59,111/female 50,437)
65 years and over
1.8% (male 1,864/female 1,822) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
17.1 years
male
18.1 years
female
16.1 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
3.617% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
40.35 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
3.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.172 male(s)/female
65 years and over
1.023 male(s)/female
total population
1.092 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
59.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male
65.33 deaths/1,000 live births
female
53.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
62.16 years
male
59.94 years
female
64.45 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.69 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
Nationality
noun
Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective
Mahoran
Ethnic groups
NA
Religions
Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3%
Languages
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population
Literacy
definition
NA
total population
NA
male
NA
female
NA
Country name
conventional long form
Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form
Mayotte
Dependency status
departmental collectivity of France
Government type
NA
Capital
name
Mamoudzou
geographic coordinates
12 47 S, 45 14 E
time difference
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Independence
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January 2005)
head of government
President of the General Council Said Omar OILI (since 8 April 2004)
cabinet
NA
elections
French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term; next election to be held in 2010
Legislative branch
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%, other 27.1%; 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 in 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 55.1%, UDF 44.9%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel
Political parties and leaders
Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or UMP-RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy or FRAP; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar SALIM]; Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC [Omar SIMBA]; Socialist Party or PS [Ibrahim ABUBACAR] (local branch of French Parti Socialiste); Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
International organization participation
UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description
unofficial, local flag with the coat of arms of Mayotte centered on a white field, above which the name of the island appears in red capital letters; the main elements of the coat of arms, flanked on either side by a seahorse, appear above a scroll with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant); the only official flag is the national flag of France
Economy - overview
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.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$953.6 million (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
NA
GDP - real growth rate
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$4,900 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
NA%
industry
NA%
services
NA%
Labor force
44,560 (2002)
Unemployment rate
25.4% (2005)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
NA%
highest 10%
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.7% (2005)
Budget
revenues
$420 million
expenditures
$394 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005)
