Mayotte (2008) | Turks and Caicos Islands (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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: 32.6% (male 3,101; female 3,004)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 6,266; female 5,651) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 319; female 397) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish |
Airports | 1 (2007) | 8 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 374 sq km
land: 374 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC | 2.5 times 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. | The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands are presently a British overseas territory. |
Birth rate | 40.35 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 24.18 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $420 million
expenditures: $394 million (2005) |
revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-98 est.) |
Capital | name: Mamoudzou
geographic coordinates: 12 46 S, 45 13 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Grand Turk (Cockburn Town) |
Climate | tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) | tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry |
Coastline | 185.2 km | 389 km |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) | introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands |
Currency | - | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $NA |
Dependency status | departmental collectivity of France | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | claimed by Comoros | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $201.3 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (2005) | $4.1 million (1997) (1997) |
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 Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the 93,000 visitors in 1998. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. |
Electricity - consumption | 139.2 million kWh (2005) | 4.65 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 5 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hills 49 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater |
Ethnic groups | NA | black |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) | the US dollar is used |
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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Jim POSTON (since 16 December 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January 1995) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor |
Exports | $6.5 million f.o.b. (2005) | $13.7 million (1999) |
Exports - commodities | ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells |
Exports - partners | France 43%, Comoros 36%, Reunion 15% (2006) | US, UK |
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 | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $128 million (1999 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $7,300 (1999 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 8.7% (1999 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 12 50 S, 45 10 E | 21 45 N, 71 35 W |
Geography - note | part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands | about 40 islands (eight inhabited) |
Highways | - | total: 121 km
paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |
Imports | $341 million f.o.b.; note - excludes petroleum imports (2005) | $175.6 million (1999) |
Imports - commodities | food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials |
Imports - partners | France 49%, Seychelles 8.8%, China 4.1%, South Africa 2.8% (2006) | US, UK |
Independence | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction | tourism, offshore financial services |
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.) |
17.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.7% (2005) | 4% (1995) (1995) |
International organization participation | InOC, UPU | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 14 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel | Supreme Court |
Labor force | 44,560 (2002) | 4,848 (1990 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% |
arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population | English (official) |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas |
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 Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 52.2%, PNP 40.9%, independent 6.9%; seats by party - PDM 9, PNP 4 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 62.16 years
male: 59.94 years female: 64.45 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 73.76 years
male: 71.59 years female: 76.03 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas |
Map references | Africa | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002 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 the UK |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Constitution Day, 30 August (1976) |
Nationality | noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran |
noun: none
adjective: none |
Natural hazards | cyclones during rainy season | frequent hurricanes |
Natural resources | NEGL | spiny lobster, conch |
Net migration rate | 3.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 12.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
People - note | - | destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US |
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] | People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 208,783 (July 2007 est.) | 18,738 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 3.617% (2007 est.) | 3.28% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Grand Turk, Providenciales |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001) | AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 8,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3% | Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990) |
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: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2002 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: fair cable and radiotelephone services
domestic: NA international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 10,000 (2002) | 3,000 (1994) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 48,100 (2005) | 0 (1994) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (2001) | 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997) |
Terrain | generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks | low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps |
Total fertility rate | 5.69 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 3.18 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 25.4% (2005) | 10% (1997 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |