Mayotte

Mayotte, the southernmost of four main islands in the Comoros Archipelago, with an area of 374 sq km (144 sq mi), lies in the Mozambique Channel about 480 km (300 mi) NW of Madagascar, at 12° 49′ S and 45° 17′ E. Mayotte is surrounded by a coral reef, which encloses the islets of M'Zambourou (Grand Terre) and Pamanzi. Beyond the island's coastal plain, a plateau reaches heights of 660 m (2,165 ft). The average daily high is 32° C (90° F); the average low is 17° C (63° F). Average annual precipitation is about 124 cm (49 in). The population was estimated at 170,879 in mid-2002; about 97% of the population was Muslim. Vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, and copra are among the leading agricultural products.

The island of Mayotte was originally ceded to France by its Malagasy ruler in 1843. Together with the other Comoro Islands, which became French colonies in 1912, it was attached to the French overseas territory of...