Mayotte is located in Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique.
Land in Mayotte is generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks.
Mahoran land covers an area of 374 square kilometers which is slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
As for the Mahoran climate; tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November).
Mahorais (singular and plural) speak Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population.
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.
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.
Mahoran natural resources include NEGL
part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands
Mahoran religion is Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic).
Natural hazards in Mayotte include cyclones during rainy season.
MayotteThis advice has been reviewed and reissued. The overall level of the advice has not changed.
SUMMARY
- Mayotte is a French Overseas Territory. There is no formal British diplomatic or consular representation. The General section of this travel advice gives you more information.
- Most visits to Mayotte are trouble-free. We are not aware of any British nationals who have required consular assistance in Mayotte in the past year.
- The threat from terrorism is low. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners.
- Although the risk from crime is also low, it does exist and you should take normal common-sense precautions.
- The mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus continues to affect Mayotte with the number of reported cases increasing as summer and the rainy season approach. See the Health section of this Travel Advice for further details.
- The cyclone season in Mayotte normally runs from December to April. Please see the Natural Disasters section of this advice for further details and Hurricanes for more information.
- We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling to Mayotte. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. Please see: Travel Insurance.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
NATURAL DISASTERS
The cyclone season in Mayotte normally runs from December to April. You should monitor local and international weather updates the International Cyclone Centre website at: http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/tropic for updates. Please also see Hurricanes for more detailed information and advice should you be involved in a cyclonic situation.
GENERAL
If things go wrong when overseas, please see: What We Can Do To Help.
There is no resident British Diplomatic Mission in Mayotte. Routine consular matters are covered by the British Embassy in Paris. In case of real emergency (death or serious accident), the British High Commission in Port Louis, Mauritius, may be able to provide limited assistance; British High commission Les Cascades Building, Edith Cavell Street, Port Louise, PO Box 1063 (Tel: (230) 202 9400) (Fax: (230) 202 9407).
