Mayotte (2008) | French Guiana (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | none (overseas department of France) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 45.8% (male 48,016/female 47,533)
15-64 years: 52.5% (male 59,111/female 50,437) 65 years and over: 1.8% (male 1,864/female 1,822) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years:
30.47% (male 27,669; female 26,428) 15-64 years: 64.05% (male 61,457; female 52,266) 65 years and over: 5.48% (male 4,937; female 4,805) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra | rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry |
Airports | 1 (2007) | 11 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total:
4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 374 sq km
land: 374 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
91,000 sq km land: 89,150 sq km water: 1,850 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Indiana |
Background | 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. | First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou. |
Birth rate | 40.35 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 22.02 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $420 million
expenditures: $394 million (2005) |
revenues:
$225 million expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996) |
Capital | name: Mamoudzou
geographic coordinates: 12 46 S, 45 13 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Cayenne |
Climate | tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) | tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 185.2 km | 378 km |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte |
conventional long form:
Department of Guiana conventional short form: French Guiana local long form: none local short form: Guyane |
Currency | - | French franc (FRF); euro (EUR) |
Death rate | 7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 4.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $1.2 billion (1988) |
Dependency status | departmental collectivity of France | overseas department of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | none (overseas department of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | none (overseas department of France) |
Disputes - international | claimed by Comoros | Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa) |
Economic aid - recipient | $201.3 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (2005) | $NA |
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, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism. | The economy is tied closely to that of France through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou, fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry which provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers. |
Electricity - consumption | 139.2 million kWh (2005) | 409.2 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 440 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | NA | black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10% |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) | Euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January 2005)
head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OILI (since 8 April 2004) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term; next election to be held in 2010 |
chief of state:
President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since NA January 1997) head of government: President of the General Council Andre LECANTE (since NA March 1998); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils |
Exports | $6.5 million f.o.b. (2005) | $155 million (f.o.b., 1997) |
Exports - commodities | ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon | shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing |
Exports - partners | France 43%, Comoros 36%, Reunion 15% (2006) | France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (1997) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | 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, flanked on either side by a seahorse, appear above a scroll with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant); the only official flag is the national flag of France | the flag of France is used |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1998 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1998 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 12 50 S, 45 10 E | 4 00 N, 53 00 W |
Geography - note | part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands | mostly an unsettled wilderness |
Highways | - | total:
1,817 km paved: 817 km unpaved: 1,000 km (1998) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe |
Imports | $341 million f.o.b.; note - excludes petroleum imports (2005) | $625 million (c.i.f., 1997) |
Imports - commodities | food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals | food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals |
Imports - partners | France 49%, Seychelles 8.8%, China 4.1%, South Africa 2.8% (2006) | France 52%, US 14%, Trinidad and Tobago 6% (1997) |
Independence | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | none (overseas department of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction | construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining |
Infant mortality rate | total: 59.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 65.33 deaths/1,000 live births female: 53.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
13.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.7% (2005) | 2.5% (1992) |
International organization participation | InOC, UPU | FZ, WCL, WFTU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | 20 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel | Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana) |
Labor force | 44,560 (2002) | 58,800 (1997) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km |
Land use | arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 90% other: 10% (1996 est.) |
Languages | Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population | French |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | French legal system |
Legislative branch | unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%, PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%, other 27.1%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP 9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1 note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held in September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.1%, UDF 44.9%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1 |
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%, various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari Committee 2 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 25 May - 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1, PSG 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 62.16 years
male: 59.94 years female: 64.45 years (2007 est.) |
total population:
76.3 years male: 72.97 years female: 79.79 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83% male: 84% female: 82% (1982 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique | Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname |
Map references | Africa | South America |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France; a small contingent of French forces is stationed on the island | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | - | French Forces, Gendarmerie |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA% |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
49,495 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
32,052 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran |
noun:
French Guianese (singular and plural) adjective: French Guianese |
Natural hazards | cyclones during rainy season | high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding |
Natural resources | NEGL | bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish |
Net migration rate | 3.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 10.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or UMP-RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy or FRAP; 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] | Guianese Socialist Party or PSG [Antoine KARAM]; Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland HO-WEN-SZE]; Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE] (may be a subset of PSG); Walwari Committee [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 208,783 (July 2007 est.) | 177,562 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 3.617% (2007 est.) | 2.74% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001) | AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998) |
Radios | - | 104,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km (1995) |
Religions | Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3% | Roman Catholic |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.172 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.023 male(s)/female total population: 1.092 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros |
general assessment:
NA domestic: fair open wire and microwave radio relay system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 10,000 (2002) | 47,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 48,100 (2005) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (2001) | 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks | low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains |
Total fertility rate | 5.69 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 3.17 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 25.4% (2005) | 21.4% (1998) |
Waterways | - | 3,300 km navigable by native craft
note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers |