2008 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2008 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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.
Geography
Area
total: 374 sq km land: 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
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Benara 660 m
Environment - current issues
NA
Geographic coordinates
12 50 S, 45 10 E
Geography - note
part of Comoro Archipelago (18 islands)
Irrigated land
NA
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA%
Location
Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 45.5% (male 49,521/female 48,996) 15-64 years: 52.7% (male 61,267/female 52,641) 65 years and over: 1.8% (male 1,971/female 1,910) (2008 est.)
Birth rate
39.79 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate
7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Education expenditures
NA
Ethnic groups
NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Infant mortality rate
total: 57.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 63.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 52 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Languages
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 62.54 years male: 60.3 years female: 64.85 years (2008 est.)
Literacy
NA
Median age
total: 17.2 years male: 18.1 years female: 16.2 years (2008 est.)
Nationality
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural) adjective: Mahoran
Net migration rate
2.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Population
216,306 (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate
3.465% (2008 est.)
Religions
Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.6 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Capital
name: Mamoudzou geographic coordinates: 12 46 S, 45 13 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte conventional short form: Mayotte
Dependency status
departmental collectivity of France
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Executive branch
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Denis ROBIN (since 28 July 2008) head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OILI (since 8 April 2004) cabinet: NA 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
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); the only official flag is the national flag of France
Government type
NA
Independence
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
International organization participation
InOC, UPU, WFTU
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel
Legal system
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Legislative branch
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%, PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%, other 27.1%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP 9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1 note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held in September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.1%, UDF 44.9%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1
National holiday
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Political parties and leaders
Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or UMP-RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy or FRAP; 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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra, fish, livestock
Budget
revenues: $420 million expenditures: $394 million (2005)
Currency (code)
euro (EUR)
Currency code
EUR
Debt - external
$NA
Economic aid - recipient
$201.3 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (2005)
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
139.2 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production
NA kWh
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0%
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Exports
$6.5 million f.o.b. (2005)
Exports - commodities
ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon
Exports - partners
France 43%, Comoros 36%, Reunion 15% (2006)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$4,900 (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
NA%
GDP (official exchange rate)
$NA
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$953.6 million (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$341 million f.o.b.; note - excludes petroleum imports (2005)
Imports - commodities
food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals
Imports - partners
France 49%, Seychelles 8.8%, China 4.1% (2006)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.7% (2005)
Labor force
44,560 (2002)
Market value of publicly traded shares
$NA
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
25.4% (2005)
Communications
Internet country code
.yt
Internet hosts
1 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
NA
Internet users
NA
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios
NA
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
Telephones - main lines in use
10,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular
48,100 (2005)
Television broadcast stations
3 (2001)
Televisions
3,500 (1994)
Transportation
Airports
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Ports and terminals
Dzaoudzi
Military and Security
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male: 2,407 female: 2,401 (2008 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of France; a small contingent of French forces is stationed on the island
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
claimed by Comoros This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008