2000 Edition

Background

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

Area

land

374 sq km

total

374 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

185.2 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Benara 660 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Geographic coordinates

12 50 S, 45 10 E

Geography - note

part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

NA%

forests and woodland

NA%

other

NA%

permanent crops

NA%

permanent pastures

NA%

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

cyclones during rainy season

Natural resources

NEGL

Terrain

generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks

Age structure

0-14 years: 47% (male 36,420; female 36,183) 15-64 years: 52% (male 44,058; female 36,613) 65 years and over: 1% (male 1,302; female 1,335) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

45.26 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

9.11 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

NA

Infant mortality rate

71.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

61.55 years (2000 est.)

male

57.41 years

total population

59.45 years

Literacy

definition

NA

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

NA%

Nationality

adjective

Mahoran

noun

Mahorais (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

11.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

155,911 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

4.76% (2000 est.)

Religions

Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female

total population

1.1 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.33 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

none (territorial collectivity of France)

Capital

Mamoutzou

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Country name

conventional long form

Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte

conventional short form

Mayotte

Data code

MF

Dependency status

territorial collectivity of France

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territorial collectivity of France)

Executive branch

cabinet

NA

chief of state

President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Philippe BOISADAM (since NA)

elections

French president elected by popular vote for a seven-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

head of government

President of the General Council Younoussa BAMANA (since NA 1977)

Flag description

the flag of France is used

Government type

NA

Independence

none (territorial collectivity of France)

International organization participation

FZ

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Legal system

French law

Legislative branch

unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; note - only nine of the 19 seats were subjected to voting in March 1997; after the election, seats by party were as follows: MPM 8, RPR 5, PS 1, independents 5

elections

last held 23 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 2000)

note

Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 1995 (next to be held 24 September 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MPM 1; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May and 1 June 1997 (next to be held as a special election on NA May 2002); results - percent of vote by party - UDF/FD 51.7%, RPR 48.3%; seats by party - UDF/FD 1

National holiday

National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Political parties and leaders

Association for French Mayotte or Association Pour Mayotte Francaise ; Democratic Front or FD ; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Younoussa BAMANA]; Mahoran Rally for the Republic or RPR [Soibahadine Ibrahim RAMADAN]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti Socialiste) ; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$73 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)

revenues

$NA

Currency

1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

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

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.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - exports

NA kWh

Electricity - imports

NA kWh

Electricity - production

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

NA%

hydro

NA%

nuclear

NA%

other

NA%

Exchange rates

euros per US$1 - 0.9867 (January 2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.65 (January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995)

Exports

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

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $85 million (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $600 (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

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

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (1997)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

45% (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

NA

Telephone system

small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications

domestic

NA

international

microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros and other international connections

Telephones - main lines in use

450 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

3 (1997)

Televisions

3,500 (1994)

Airports

1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

72 km

total

93 km

unpaved

21 km

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Dzaoudzi

Railways

0 km

Military - note

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

Disputes - international

claimed by Comoros

MEXICO