:Mayotte Geography

Total area:
    375 km2
Land area:
    375 km2
Comparative area:
    slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
    none
Coastline:
    185.2 km
Maritime claims:
  Exclusive economic zone:
    200 nm
  Territorial sea:
    12 nm
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%
Environment:
    subject to cyclones during rainy season
Note:
    part of Comoro Archipelago; located in the Mozambique Channel about halfway
    between Africa and Madagascar

:Mayotte People

Population:
    86,628 (July 1992), growth rate 3.8% (1992)
Birth rate:
    50 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
    12 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
    0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
    84 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
    55 years male, 59 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
    6.9 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
    noun - Mahorais (singular and plural); adjective - Mahoran
Religions:
    Muslim 99%; remainder Christian, mostly Roman Catholic
Languages:
    Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French
Literacy:
    NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Labor force:
    NA
Organized labor:
    NA

:Mayotte Government

Long-form name:
    Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
Type:
    territorial collectivity of France
Capital:
    Mamoutzou
Administrative divisions:
    none (territorial collectivity of France)
Independence:
    none (territorial collectivity of France)
Constitution:
    28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
    French law
National holiday:
    Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch:
    government commissioner
Legislative branch:
    unicameral General Council (Conseil General)
Judicial branch:
    Supreme Court (Tribunal Superieur d'Appel)
Leaders:
  Chief of State:
    President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
  Head of Government:
    Commissioner, Representative of the French Government Jean-Paul COSTE (since
    NA 1991); President of the General Council Youssouf BAMANA (since NA 1976)
Political parties and leaders:
    Mahoran Popular Movement (MPM), Younoussa BAMANA; Party for the Mahoran
    Democratic Rally (PRDM), Daroueche MAOULIDA; Mahoran Rally for the Republic
    (RMPR), Mansour KAMARDINE; Union of the Center (UDC)
Suffrage:
    universal at age 18
Elections:
  General Council:
    last held June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results - percent of vote
    by party NA; seats - (17 total) MPM 9, RPR 6, other 2
  French Senate:
    last held on 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results -
    percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) MPM 1
  French National Assembly:
    last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results - percent
    of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) UDC 1
Member of:
    FZ
Diplomatic representation:
    as a territorial collectivity of France, Mahoran interests are represented
    in the US by France
Flag:
    the flag of France is used

:Mayotte 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 is heavily dependent on French
    financial assistance.
GDP:
    exchange rate conversion - $NA, per capita $NA; real growth rate NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
    NA%
Unemployment rate:
    NA%
Budget:
    revenues $NA; expenditures $37.3 million, including capital expenditures of
    $NA (1985)
Exports:
    $4.0 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:
    NA kW capacity; NA million kWh produced, NA kWh per capita
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:
    Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
    $402 million
Currency:
    French franc (plural - francs); 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
    French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.3801 (January 1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453
    (1990), 6.3801 (1989), 5.9569 (1988), 6.0107 (1987)
Fiscal year:
    calendar year

:Mayotte Communications

Highways:
    42 km total; 18 km bituminous
Ports:
    Dzaoudzi
Civil air:
    no major transport aircraft
Airports:
    1 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
    small system administered by French Department of Posts and
    Telecommunications; includes radio relay and high-frequency radio
    communications for links to Comoros and international communications; 450
    telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV

:Mayotte Defense Forces

Note:
    defense is the responsibility of France