Mayotte — map and facts

#### About Mayotte Mayotte is a French overseas department and region situated in the Indian Ocean, positioned in the northern Mozambique Channel between the eastern coast of Mozambique and the northwestern tip of Madagascar. Its capital is Mamoudzou, located on the main island of Grande-Terre. With a population exceeding 320,000, Mayotte is one of the most densely populated French territories and one of the poorest departments in France. The island archipelago consists of two main islands, Grande-Terre and Petite-Terre, along with numerous smaller islets. As a department of France, Mayotte is also part of the European Union. The population is predominantly Muslim and maintains strong cultural connections with the Comorian islands that surround it. Mayotte has one of the youngest populations in France and has experienced rapid demographic growth driven in large part by immigration, including significant numbers of undocumented migrants from the neighboring Comoros islands.

#### Geography and Landscape Mayotte consists of a volcanic archipelago enclosed within one of the largest lagoons in the world, a barrier reef system stretching approximately 195 kilometers that encompasses around 1,100 square kilometers of turquoise water. Grande-Terre, the larger main island, is mountainous and heavily forested, with its highest point, Mount Bénara, reaching 660 meters. The island's terrain features deep valleys, dramatic ridgelines, and a coastline cut by mangrove-lined estuaries. Petite-Terre, sometimes called Pamandzi, is much smaller and hosts the island's main airport. The lagoon enclosed by the barrier reef is renowned for its exceptional marine biodiversity, including coral gardens, sea turtles, dugongs, and humpback whales that use the warm protected waters for breeding. The island experiences a tropical climate with a hot, wet season from November to April and a cooler, drier season from May to October.

#### History Mayotte and the surrounding Comorian archipelago were settled by successive waves of Bantu, Malay, and Arab peoples from roughly the fifth century onward, giving rise to a distinctive Swahili-influenced culture. Arab traders played a significant role in the region from the ninth century, and Islam became established as the dominant religion by the 15th century. France began establishing influence over Mayotte in 1841 when the island's sultan, Andriantsoly, ceded it to France in exchange for protection from rival chieftains. France gradually extended its control over the broader Comoros archipelago through the late 19th century. When the Comoros voted for independence in a 1974 referendum, Mayotte was alone in voting to remain with France, setting the stage for a long administrative dispute. The island eventually became a French departmental collectivity in 2001 and achieved full overseas department status in 2011, making it the 101st department of France and the newest member of the European Union's outermost regions.