Mayotte (2008) | Saint Martin (2007) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territorial overseas collectivity 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.) |
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Agriculture - products | vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra | - |
Airports | 1 (2007) | 1 |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 |
Area | total: 374 sq km
land: 374 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 54.4 sq km
land: 54.4 sq km water: NEGL |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC | more than one-third the size of Washington, DC |
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. | Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and set about exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in 1633, but continued to be harassed by the Dutch. The Spanish finally relinquished St. Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it amongst themselves in 1648. The cultivation of sugar cane introduced slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003, the populace of St. Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity. |
Birth rate | 40.35 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues: $420 million
expenditures: $394 million (2005) |
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Capital | name: Mamoudzou
geographic coordinates: 12 46 S, 45 13 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
name: Marigot
geographical coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight savings: +1 hour |
Climate | tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) | temperature averages 80-85 degrees all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; July-Novemeber is the hurricane season |
Coastline | 185.2 km | 58.9 km (for entire island) |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte |
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin
conventional short form: Saint Martin local long form: Collectivity d'outre mer de Saint-Martin local short form: Saint-Martin |
Death rate | 7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $NA | - |
Dependency status | departmental collectivity of France | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
Disputes - international | claimed by Comoros | - |
Economic aid - recipient | $201.3 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (2005) | - |
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 of Saint Martin centers around tourism with 85% of the labor force engaged in this sector. Over one million visitors come to the island each year with most arriving through the Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. No significant agriculture and limited local fishing means that almost all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also imported, primarily from Mexico and the United States. Saint Martin is reported to have the highest per capita income in the Caribbean. |
Electricity - consumption | 139.2 million kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | - |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | fresh water supply is dependent on desalinization of sea water |
Ethnic groups | NA | creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), white, East Indian |
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 - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) |
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 Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)
head of government: President of the Territorial Council Louis-Constant FLEMING (since 16 July 2007) cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic, social, and cultural council election: French president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term election results: Louis-Constant FLEMING unanimously elected president by the Territorial Council on 16 July 2007 |
Exports | $6.5 million f.o.b. (2005) | - |
Exports - commodities | ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon | - |
Exports - partners | France 43%, Comoros 36%, Reunion 15% (2006) | - |
Fiscal 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 - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 15% services: 84% (2000) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | - |
Geographic coordinates | 12 50 S, 45 10 E | 18 05 N, 63 57 W |
Geography - note | part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands | the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the World shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Imports | $341 million f.o.b.; note - excludes petroleum imports (2005) | - |
Imports - commodities | food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals | crude petroleum, food, manufactured items |
Imports - partners | France 49%, Seychelles 8.8%, China 4.1%, South Africa 2.8% (2006) | US, Mexico (2006) |
Independence | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction | tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry |
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.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.7% (2005) | - |
International organization participation | InOC, UPU | UPU |
Irrigated land | NA | - |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel | - |
Labor force | 44,560 (2002) | - |
Labor force - by occupation | - | 85% directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 15 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km |
Land use | arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% |
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Languages | Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population | French (official language), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles) |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
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 Territorial Council (23 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held July 2012) election results: percent of seats by party - UPP 49%, RRR 42.2%, Reussir Saint-Martin 8.9%; seats by party - UPP 16, RRR 6, Reussir Saint-Martin 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 62.16 years
male: 59.94 years female: 64.45 years (2007 est.) |
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Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
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Location | Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique | island 300 km southeast of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Africa | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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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 |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848) |
Nationality | noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran |
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Natural hazards | cyclones during rainy season | - |
Natural resources | NEGL | salt |
Net migration rate | 3.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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] | Union Pour le Progres or UPP [Louis Constant FLEMING]; Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON]; Reussir Saint-Martin [Jean-Luc HAMLET] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
Population | 208,783 (July 2007 est.) | 33,102 (October 2004 census) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 3.617% (2007 est.) | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001) | FM 3 (2007) |
Religions | Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3% | Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu |
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.) |
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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: fully integrated access
domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Gudaloupe |
Telephones - main lines in use | 10,000 (2002) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 48,100 (2005) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (2001) | - |
Terrain | generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks | - |
Total fertility rate | 5.69 children born/woman (2007 est.) | - |
Transportation - note | - | nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten |
Unemployment rate | 25.4% (2005) | - |