1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 375 sq km land: 375 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
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Benara 660 m
Environment-current issues
NA
Environment-international agreements
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates
12 50 S, 45 10 E
Geography-note
part of Comoro Archipelago
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 46% (male 33,067; female 33,016) 15-64 years: 52% (male 40,009; female 33,380) 65 years and over: 2% (male 1,214; female 1,258) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
46.96 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
9.22 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups
NA
Infant mortality rate
71.13 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 59.58 years male: 57.21 years female: 62.02 years (1998 est.)
Literacy
NA
Nationality
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural) adjective: Mahoran
Net migration rate
13.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
141,944 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
5.16% (1998 est.)
Religions
Muslim 99%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
6.48 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (territorial collectivity of France)
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
Executive branch
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Philippe BOISADAM (since NA) head of government: President of the General Council Younoussa BAMANA (since NA 1977) cabinet: NA elections: prefect appointed by the president of France 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
Flag description
the flag of France is used
Government type
NA
Independence
none (territorial collectivity of France)
International organization participation
FZ Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territorial collectivity of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territorial collectivity of France)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel) Political parties and leaders: Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Younoussa BAMANA]; Mahoran Rally for the Republic or RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Association for French Mayotte or Association Pour Mayotte Francaise [Didier BEOUTIS]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti Socialiste); Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]
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) elections: last held NA March 1997 (next to be held NA March 2000) 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, independent candidates 5, local PS 1 note: Mayotte elects 1 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 1 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 capital
Mamoutzou
National holiday
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture-products
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra
Budget
revenues: $NA expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)
Currency
1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Debt-external
$NA
Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $NA 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-capacity
NA kW
Electricity-consumption per capita
NA kWh
Electricity-production
NA kWh
Exchange rates
French francs (F) per US$1-6.0836 (January 1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993)
Exports
total value: $3.64 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra partners: France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion
Fiscal year
calendar year Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$63 million (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$600 (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
NA%
Imports
total value: $131.5 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: building materials, machinery and transportation equipment, metals, chemicals, rice, clothing, flour partners: France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 20%
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
newly created lobster and shrimp industry
Inflation rate-consumer price index
NA%
Labor force
NA
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios
30,000 (1994 est.)
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
450
Television broadcast stations
0
Televisions
3,500 (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate
38% (1991 est.)
Transportation
Airports
1 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: 93 km paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km Ports and harbors: Dzaoudzi
Merchant marine
none
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
Military-note
defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French forces stationed on the island
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
claimed by Comoros