Africa :: Mayotte
(overseas collectivity of France)
page last updated on March 8, 2011
Flag of Mayotte
Location of Mayotte
 
Map of Mayotte
Introduction ::Mayotte
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
Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
12 50 S, 45 10 E
total: 374 sq km
country comparison to the world: 204
land: 374 sq km
water: 0 sq km
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
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: Mlima Benara 660 m
NEGL
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
other: NA%
NA
cyclones during rainy season
NA
part of Comoro Archipelago (18 islands)
People ::Mayotte
209,530 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
0-14 years: 46.5% (male 49,249/female 48,287)
15-64 years: 51% (male 49,665/female 57,209)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 2,559/female 2,561) (2011 est.)
total: 16.7 years
male: 15.7 years
female: 17.6 years (2011 est.)
1.533% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
31.67 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
2.6 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 222
-13.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 215
urban population: 50% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 2.5% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
MAMOUDZOU (capital) 6,000 (2009)
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 (2011 est.)
total: 16.17 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 111
male: 16.78 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)
total population: 76.83 years
country comparison to the world: 70
male: 74.73 years
female: 78.99 years (2011 est.)
4 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
NA
NA
NA
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran
NA
Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3%
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population
86%
NA
Government ::Mayotte
conventional long form: Department Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte
departmental collectivity of France
NA
name: Mamoudzou
geographic coordinates: 12 46 S, 45 13 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
the laws of France where applicable apply
18 years of age; universal
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 2014
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
Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel
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]
NA
InOC, UPU
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
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 are a blue upper half with white upturned crescent moon and a red lower half with two yellow ylang-ylang flowers, supported on either side by a white seahorse, and set above a scroll with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant)
note: the flag of France used for official occasions
note: as an overseas collectivity of France, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)
Economy ::Mayotte
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.
$953.6 million (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
$NA
NA%
$4,900 (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
44,560 (2002)
country comparison to the world: 191
25.4% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 173
NA%
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $420 million
expenditures: $394 million (2005)
1.7% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 47
$NA
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra; fish, livestock
newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction
NA%
NA kWh
139.2 million kWh (2005)
country comparison to the world: 184
$6.5 million (2005)
country comparison to the world: 213
ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon
$341 million (2005)
country comparison to the world: 191
food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals
$NA
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7179 (2009), 0.6734 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)
Communications ::Mayotte
10,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 202
48,100 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 197
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
the publicly-owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which operates in France's overseas departments and territories, broadcasts over the RFO Mayotte television and radio station (2008)
.yt
1 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 231
Transportation ::Mayotte
1 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 225
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
Dzaoudzi
Military ::Mayotte
males age 16-49: 34,769
females age 16-49: 42,005 (2010 est.)
male: 2,395
female: 2,487 (2010 est.)
defense is the responsibility of France; a small contingent of French forces is stationed on the island
Transnational Issues ::Mayotte
claimed by Comoros