Mayotte, French overseas department in Indian Ocean, France
Mayotte is a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and the East African coast, formed by two main volcanic islands surrounded by coral reef formations. The lagoon encircles both islands and creates a natural barrier between the open sea and the shores of Grande-Terre and Petite-Terre.
The islands remained under French administration in 1975 when the other Comoros islands became independent, achieving full departmental status in 2011. This choice was confirmed through local referendum and led to full integration into the French administrative system.
Women in villages often wear brightly colored wraparound skirts and decorate their faces with white wood-paste masks, a centuries-old beauty tradition. Markets blend French baguettes with dried mangos and spice mixtures, while vendors shift between Shimaore, Kibushi and French throughout the day.
Air connections from Dzaoudzi-Pamandzi International Airport provide links to mainland France and regional destinations. Visitors should prepare for tropical conditions with a rainy season running from November through April.
The territory is the only French department with a Muslim majority population where Islamic legal practices coexist with the French legal system. Visitors experience daily life where mosques stand beside administrative buildings and the Friday call to prayer echoes through European-style urban structures.
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