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Mayotte
Find a premier Hotel & Resort at
Hilton Hotels.
or book Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
Activities hike
(almost a climb) to the summit of mont Choungui will offer a
spectacular panorama of the island
makis can be found in remote regions of the island
diving is mandatory. Expect spectacular sights in the
world's largest lagoon.
sea turtles come to roost on the southern beaches
in august-september, humpback whales can be found with their
calves in the lagoon.
Travel By plane
planes fly daily between Réunion and Dzaoudzi, the
airport/military base in Mayotte. For a return flight from
Paris to Mayotte, expect to cash out at least 800€.
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Mayotte is an overseas collectivity of France at the
northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean,
between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique. The
territory is geographically part of the Comoros islands, but
not politically. It is also known as Mahoré, especially by
advocates of its inclusion in the Union of Comoros.
History
Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other Comoros in
1843. For the history of Mayotte before 1974 see History of
the Comoros. It was the only island in the archipelago that
voted in referendums in 1974 and 1976 to retain its link
with France and forgo independence (with 63.8% and 99.4% of
votes respectively). The Comoros continue to claim the
island, and a draft 1976 United Nations Security Council
resolution supported by 14 of the 15 members of the Council
would have recognized Comoros sovereignty over Mayotte, but
France vetoed the resolution (the last time, as of 2004,
France cast a lone veto in the Council).
The situation of Mayotte proved to be unwieldy for France:
while the local population very largely did not want to be
independent from France and join Comoros, some international
criticism was heard about the ongoing ties of Mayotte to
France. Furthermore, the peculiar local administration of
Mayotte, largely ruled by customary Muslim law, would be
difficult to integrate into the legal structures of France,
not to mention the costs of bringing the standards of living
to levels close to those of metropolitan France. Because of
these reasons, the laws passed by the national parliament
must state specifically that they apply to Mayotte for them
to be applicable on Mayotte.
The status of Mayotte was changed in 2001 towards one very
close to the status of the départements of mainland France,
with the particular designation of collectivité
départementale, although the island is still claimed by the
Comoros. This change was approved by 73% at a referendum on
Mayotte. After the constitutional reform of 2003 it became a
collectivité d'outre-mer while keeping to be entitled
collectivité départementale de Mayotte.
Geography
Sea near MamoudzouThe main island, Mahoré (or Grand Terre),
is geologically the oldest of the Comoros. It is 39 km long
and 22 km wide, and its highest points are between 500 and
600 meters above sea level. Because of the volcanic rock,
the soil is relatively rich in some areas. A coral reef
encircling much of the island ensures protection for ships
and a habitat for fish.
Dzaoudzi was the capital of Comoros until 1962 and now is
Mayotte's administrative center. It is situated on Île
Pamanzi (or Petit Terre), which at 10 km² is the largest of
several islets adjacent to Mahoré, to which it is linked by
a causeway. Mayotte is a member of the Indian Ocean
Commission, with a separate membership rather than with the
Comoros.
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Background:
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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.
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Location:
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Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel,
about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar
to northern Mozambique |
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Geographic coordinates:
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12 50
S, 45 10 E
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total: 374 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 374 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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185.2
km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during
northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season
is cooler (May to November) |
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Terrain:
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generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient
volcanic peaks |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m |
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Nationality:
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noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran |
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Ethnic groups:
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NA
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Religions:
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Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) |
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Languages:
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Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official
language) spoken by 35% of the population |
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Currency:
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euro
(EUR); French franc (FRF) |
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Currency code:
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EUR;
FRF |
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Exchange rates:
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euros
per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs
per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.yt
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