$NA
Exchange rates:
Mauritian rupees (MUR) per US dollar - 27.973 (2008 est.), 31.798 (2007), 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004)
Communications ::Mauritius
Telephones - main lines in use:
364,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 103
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.033 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 142
Telephone system:
general assessment: small system with good service
domestic: monopoly over fixed-line services terminated in 2005; fixed-line teledensity roughly 30 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services launched in 1989 with teledensity in 2008 reaching 80 per 100 persons
international: country code - 230; landing point for the SAFE submarine cable that provides links to Asia and South Africa where it connects to the SAT-3/WASC submarine cable that provides further links to parts of East Africa, and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code:
.mu
Internet hosts:
22,813 (2009) country comparison to the world: 99
Internet users:
380,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 114
Transportation ::Mauritius
Airports:
5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 181
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 2,028 km country comparison to the world: 173 paved: 2,028 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 3 country comparison to the world: 141 by type: passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Port Louis
Military ::Mauritius
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Mauritius Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 341,018 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 277,690
females age 16-49: 282,211 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 10,901
female: 10,796 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.3% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 168
Transnational Issues ::Mauritius
Disputes - international:
Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius; claims French-administered Tromelin Island
Illicit drugs:
consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry
page last updated on November 11, 2009
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@Mayotte (Africa)
Introduction ::Mayotte
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.
Geography ::Mayotte
Location:
Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
12 50 S, 45 10 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 374 sq km country comparison to the world: 204 land: 374 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
185.2 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)
Terrain:
generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
other: NA%
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
cyclones during rainy season
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
part of Comoro Archipelago (18 islands)
People ::Mayotte
Population:
223,765 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45.3% (male 50,985/female 50,413)
15-64 years: 52.9% (male 63,395/female 54,882)
65 years and over: 1.8% (male 2,085/female 2,005) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.2 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 16.4 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.317% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 6
Birth rate:
39.26 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 20
Death rate:
7.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 128
Net migration rate:
1.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 53
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female
total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 56.29 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 41 male: 61.89 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 50.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.91 years country comparison to the world: 175 male: 60.65 years
female: 65.24 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.5 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 18
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran
Ethnic groups:
NA
Religions:
Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3%
Languages:
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population
Literacy:
NA
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Mayotte
Country name:
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte
Dependency status:
departmental collectivity of France
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: Mamoudzou
geographic coordinates: 12 46 S, 45 13 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Independence:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Hubert DERACHE (since 22 July 2009)
head of government: President of the General Council Ahmed Attoumani DOUCHINA (since March 2008)
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
Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 9 and 16 March 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 8, Diverse Right 4, independents 4, Citizens and Republic Movement 1, Democratic Movement 1, Diverse Left 1; note - political parties are the same as parties in France
note: Mayotte elects two members of the French Senate; elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UC-UDF 1, UMP 1; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 10-17 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel
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]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
InOC, UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
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)
note: the flag of France used for official occasions
Economy ::Mayotte
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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$953.6 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 202
GDP (official exchange rate):