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Mayotte
Mayotte (Africa)
Introduction ::Mayotte
Background:
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:
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: Mlima 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)
People ::Mayotte
Population:
231,139 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45.3% (male 50,985/female 50,413)
15-64 years: 52.9% (male 63,395/female 54,882)
65 years and over: 1.8% (male 2,085/female 2,005) (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: 131
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
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: 41 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: 15
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:
86%
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Mayotte
Country name:
conventional long form: Department Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte
Dependency status:
departmental collectivity of France
Government type:
NA
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 (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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
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:
NA
International organization participation:
InOC, 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 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
National anthem:
note: as an overseas collectivity of France, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)
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: 202
GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,900 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 146
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%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.7% (2005) country comparison to the world: 49
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: 184
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 - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7179 (2009), 0.6734 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)
Communications ::Mayotte
Telephones - main lines in use:
10,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 202
Telephones - mobile cellular:
48,100 (2005) country comparison to the world: 197
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
Broadcast media:
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)
Internet country code:
.yt
Internet hosts:
1 (2010) country comparison to the world: 231
Transportation ::Mayotte
Airports:
1 (2010) country comparison to the world: 216
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)
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
