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. In March 2009, Mayotte voted overwhelmingly to become France's 101st department - and fifth overseas department - a change scheduled to become official in 2011.

Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique

slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

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

generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks

cyclones during rainy season

part of Comoro Archipelago (18 islands)

209,530 (July 2011 est.)

31.67 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

2.6 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

-13.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

MAMOUDZOU (capital) 6,000 (2009)

4 children born/woman (2011 est.)

Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3%

Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population

departmental collectivity of France

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

the laws of France where applicable apply

18 years of age; universal

unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)

Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Federation of Mahorans or UMP-RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy or FRAP; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; 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]

none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)

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 are a blue upper half with white upturned crescent moon and a red lower half with two yellow ylang-ylang flowers, supported on either side by a white seahorse, and set above a scroll with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant)

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.

$953.6 million (2005 est.)

vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra; fish, livestock

newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

139.2 million kWh (2005)

ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon

food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7179 (2009), 0.6734 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)

the publicly-owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which operates in France's overseas departments and territories, broadcasts over the RFO Mayotte television and radio station (2008)

defense is the responsibility of France; a small contingent of French forces is stationed on the island