Mayotte

Territorial collectivity of France

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

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

Area

Total area: 375 sq km
Land area: 375 sq km
Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land Boundaries

0 km

Coastline

185.2 km

Maritime Claims

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

International Disputes

Claimed by Comoros

Climate

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

Terrain

Generally undulating with ancient volcanic peaks, deep ravines
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m

Natural Resources

Negligible

Land Use

Arable land: NA
Permanent crops: NA
Meadows and pastures: NA
Forest and woodland: NA
Other: NA

Irrigated Land

Environment

Current issues: NA
Natural hazards: cyclones during rainy season
International agreements: NA

Note: Part of Comoro Archipelago

PEOPLE

Population

100,838 (July 1996 est.)
97,088 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

50% (male 25,099; female 24,881) (July 1996 est.)
49% (male 24,120; female 23,910) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

48% (male 24,790; female 23,727) (July 1996 est.)
48% (male 23,935; female 22,824) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

2% (male 1,152; female 1,189) (July 1996 est.)
3% (male 1,134; female 1,165) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

3.78% (1996 est.)
3.8% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

47.93 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
48.44 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

10.12 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
10.46 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

75.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
77.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total population: 58.7 years (1996 est.), 58.27 years (1995 est.)
Male: 56.43 years (1996 est.), 56.04 years (1995 est.)
Female: 61.05 years (1996 est.), 60.57 years (1995 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

6.63 children born/woman (1996 est.)
6.71 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
Adjective: Mahoran

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Muslim 99%
Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Languages

Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French

Literacy

Labor Force

GOVERNMENT

Names

Conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
Conventional short form: Mayotte

Digraph

Type

Territorial collectivity of France

Capital

Mamoutzou

Administrative Divisions

None (territorial collectivity of France)

Independence

None (territorial collectivity of France)

National Holiday

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

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal System

French law

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) represented by Prefect Alain WEIL (since NA), who was appointed by the French Ministry of the Interior
Head of government: President of the General Council Younoussa BAMANA (since NA 1976)

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

General Council (Conseil General)

Elections last held NA March 1994 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (19 total) MPM 12, RPR 4, independents 3

French Senate

Elections last held 24 September 1995 (next to be held 24 September 2001); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) MPM 1

French National Assembly

Elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results - UDF-CDS 54.3%, RPR 44.3%; seats - (1 total) UDF-CDS 1

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel)

Political Parties and Leaders

Mahoran Popular Movement (MPM), Younoussa BAMANA; Party for the Mahoran Democratic Rally (PRDM), Daroueche MAOULIDA; Mahoran Rally for the Republic (RPR), Mansour KAMARDINE; Union for French Democracy (UDF), Maoulida AHMED; Center of Social Democrats (CDS)

Member of

Flag

The flag of France is used

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. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $54 million (1993 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

National Product Per Capita

$600 (1993 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

Unemployment Rate

Budget

Revenues: NA
Expenditures: $37.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1985 est.)

Exports

$2.9 million (f.o.b., 1992)
$4 million (f.o.b., 1984)

Commodities:

Ylang-ylang (perfume essence)
Vanilla
Copra

Partners:

France 80%
Comoros 15%
Reunion

Imports

$87.5 million (f.o.b., 1992)
$21.8 million (f.o.b., 1984)

Commodities:

Building materials
Transportation equipment
Rice
Clothing
Flour

Partners:

France 63%
South Africa 11%
Thailand 9%
Singapore

External Debt

Industrial Production

Growth rate NA

Electricity

Capacity: NA kW
Production: NA kWh
Consumption per capita: NA kWh

Industries

Newly created lobster and shrimp industry

Agriculture

Most important sector; provides all export earnings; crops - vanilla, ylang-ylang, coffee, copra; imports major share of food needs

Economic Aid

Recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $402 million

Currency

1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Exchange Rates

French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.0056 (January 1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.5520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

0 km

Highways

Total: 93 km
Paved: bituminous 72 km
Unpaved: 21 km

Ports

Dzaoudzi

Merchant Marine

None

Airports

Total: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1995 est.)

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

450 telephones; small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications

Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: radio relay and high-frequency radio communications for links to Comoros and international communications

Radio

Broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 30,000 (1994 est.)

Television

Broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 3,500 (1994 est.)

DEFENSE FORCES

Note: Defense is the responsibility of France

History
World Atlas

last updated: 21 november 1997

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