Mayotte

(territorial collectivity of France)

Geography

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

Map references: Africa

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

Natural resources: negligible

Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
meadows and pastures: NA%
forest and woodland: NA%
other: NA%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: cyclones during rainy season
international agreements: NA

Note: part of Comoro Archipelago

People

Population: 97,088 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 49% (female 23,910; male 24,120)
15-64 years: 48% (female 22,824; male 23,935)
65 years and over: 3% (female 1,165; male 1,134) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.8% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 48.44 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 10.46 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 77.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 58.27 years
male: 56.04 years
female: 60.57 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.71 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran

Ethnic divisions: NA

Religions: Muslim 99%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Languages: Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French

Literacy: NA%

Labor force: NA

Government

Names:
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte

Digraph: MF

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 Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
head of government: Prefect Jean-Jacques DERACQ (since NA); 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 on 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1995); 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: FZ

Diplomatic representation in US: none (territorial collectivity of France)

US diplomatic representation: none (territorial collectivity of France)

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: NA%

National product per capita: $600 (1993 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $37.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1985 est.)

Exports: $4 million (f.o.b., 1984)
commodities: ylang-ylang, vanilla
partners: France 79%, Comoros 10%, Reunion 9%

Imports: $21.8 million (f.o.b., 1984)
commodities: building materials, transportation equipment, rice, clothing, flour
partners: France 57%, Kenya 16%, South Africa 11%, Pakistan 8%

External debt: $NA

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 - 5.2943 (January 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: 42 km
paved: bituminous 18 km
unpaved: 24 km

Ports: Dzaoudzi

Merchant marine: none

Airports:
total: 1
with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1

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: NA

Television:
broadcast stations: 0
televisions: NA

Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of France