CIA - The World Factbook

Africa :: Mayotte

(overseas collectivity of France)

page last updated on May 11, 2010

(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)

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Introduction ::Mayotte

Background:

Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.

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. In March 2009, Mayotte voted overwhelmingly to become France's 101st department - and fifth overseas department - a change scheduled to become official in 2011.

Geography ::Mayotte

Location:

Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:

12 50 S, 45 10 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 374 sq km

country comparison to the world: 204

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:

Current Weather

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:

Natural hazards:

cyclones during rainy season

Environment - current issues:

Geography - note:

part of Comoro Archipelago (18 islands)

People ::Mayotte

Population:

231,139 (July 2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 181

Age structure:

0-14 years: 45.1% (male 52,406/female 51,790)

15-64 years: 53.1% (male 65,488/female 57,145)

65 years and over: 1.9% (male 2,204/female 2,106) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.3 years

male: 18.1 years

female: 16.5 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

3.171% (2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

Birth rate:

38.76 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

Death rate:

7.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 132

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 84

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female

total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 54.75 deaths/1,000 live births

country comparison to the world: 43

male: 60.23 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 49.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 63.28 years

country comparison to the world: 174

male: 60.99 years

female: 65.63 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.4 children born/woman (2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 14

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Nationality:

noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)

adjective: Mahoran

Ethnic groups:

Religions:

Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3%

Languages:

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

Literacy:

86%

Education expenditures:

Government ::Mayotte

Country name:

conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte

conventional short form: Mayotte

Dependency status:

departmental collectivity of France

Government type:

Capital:

name: Mamoudzou

geographic coordinates: 12 46 S, 45 13 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 Hubert DERACHE (since 22 July 2009)

head of government: President of the General Council Ahmed Attoumani DOUCHINA (since March 2008)

cabinet: NA

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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 on 9 and 16 March 2008 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 8, Diverse Right 4, independents 4, Citizens and Republic Movement 1, Democratic Movement 1, Diverse Left 1; note - political parties are the same as parties in France

note: Mayotte elects two members of the French Senate; elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UC-UDF 1, UMP 1; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 10-17 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Federation of Mahorans or UMP-RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy or FRAP; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; 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:

International organization participation:

InOC, UPU, WFTU

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)

note: the flag of France used for official occasions

Economy ::Mayotte

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.)

country comparison to the world: 200

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$4,900 (2005 est.)

country comparison to the world: 142

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

44,560 (2002)

country comparison to the world: 190

Unemployment rate:

25.4% (2005)

country comparison to the world: 174

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $420 million

expenditures: $394 million (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.7% (2005)

country comparison to the world: 59

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra; fish, livestock

Industries:

newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:

139.2 million kWh (2005)

country comparison to the world: 185

Exports:

$6.5 million (2005)

country comparison to the world: 213

Exports - commodities:

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

Imports:

$341 million (2005)

country comparison to the world: 191

Imports - commodities:

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

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7338 (2009), 0.6734 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005)

Communications ::Mayotte

Telephones - main lines in use:

10,000 (2008)

country comparison to the world: 205

Telephones - mobile cellular:

48,100 (2005)

country comparison to the world: 195

Telephone system:

general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications

domestic: NA

international: country code - 262; microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

3 (2001)

Internet country code:

.yt

Internet hosts:

1 (2009)

country comparison to the world: 229

Transportation ::Mayotte

Airports:

1 (2009)

country comparison to the world: 220

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Ports and terminals:

Dzaoudzi

Military ::Mayotte

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 37,001

females age 16-49: 36,018 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 2,627

female: 2,619 (2010 est.)

Military - note:

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

Transnational Issues ::Mayotte

Disputes - international:

claimed by Comoros

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