Background:
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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. In March 2009, Mayotte voted overwhelmingly to become France's 101st department - and fifth overseas department - a change scheduled to become official in 2011.
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Location:
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Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
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Geographic coordinates:
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12 50 S, 45 10 E
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total: 374 sq km
country comparison to the world: 204
land:
374 sq km
water:
0 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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185.2 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
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Climate:
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Current Weather
tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)
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Terrain:
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generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Benara 660 m
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Natural resources:
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NEGL
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Land use:
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arable land: NA%
permanent crops:
NA%
other:
NA%
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Irrigated land:
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NA
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Natural hazards:
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cyclones during rainy season
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Environment - current issues:
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NA
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Geography - note:
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part of Comoro Archipelago (18 islands)
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Population:
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231,139 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 45.1% (male 52,406/female 51,790)
15-64 years:
53.1% (male 65,488/female 57,145)
65 years and over:
1.9% (male 2,204/female 2,106) (2010 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 17.3 years
male:
18.1 years
female:
16.5 years (2010 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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3.171% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
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Birth rate:
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38.76 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
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Death rate:
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7.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.15 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
1.05 male(s)/female
total population:
1.08 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 54.75 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 43
male:
60.23 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
49.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 63.28 years
country comparison to the world: 174
male:
60.99 years
female:
65.63 years (2010 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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5.4 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA
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Nationality:
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noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective:
Mahoran
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Ethnic groups:
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NA
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Religions:
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Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3%
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Languages:
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Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population
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Literacy:
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86%
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Education expenditures:
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NA
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form:
Mayotte
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Dependency status:
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departmental collectivity of France
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Government type:
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NA
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Capital:
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name: Mamoudzou
geographic coordinates:
12 46 S, 45 13 E
time difference:
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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Administrative divisions:
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none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
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Independence:
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none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
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National holiday:
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Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
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Constitution:
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4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
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Legal system:
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the laws of France where applicable apply
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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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
(For more information visit the World Leaders website  )
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
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections:
last held on 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
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel
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Political parties and leaders:
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Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Federation of Mahorans or UMP-RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy or FRAP; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; 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]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA
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International organization participation:
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InOC, UPU, WFTU
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
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Flag description:
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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 are a blue upper half with white upturned crescent moon and a red lower half with two yellow ylang-ylang flowers, supported on either side by a white seahorse, and set above a scroll with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant)
note:
the flag of France used for official occasions
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Economy - overview:
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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.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$953.6 million (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$NA
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GDP - real growth rate:
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NA%
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$4,900 (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: NA%
industry:
NA%
services:
NA%
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Labor force:
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44,560 (2002)
country comparison to the world: 190
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Unemployment rate:
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25.4% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 174
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Population below poverty line:
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NA%
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%:
NA%
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Budget:
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revenues: $420 million
expenditures:
$394 million (2005)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.7% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 63
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Market value of publicly traded shares:
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$NA
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Agriculture - products:
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vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra; fish, livestock
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Industries:
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newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA%
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Electricity - production:
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NA kWh
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Electricity - consumption:
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139.2 million kWh (2005)
country comparison to the world: 185
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Exports:
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$6.5 million (2005)
country comparison to the world: 213
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Exports - commodities:
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ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon
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Imports:
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$341 million (2005)
country comparison to the world: 191
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Imports - commodities:
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food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals
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Debt - external:
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$NA
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Exchange rates:
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euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7338 (2009), 0.6734 (2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005)
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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10,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 205
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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48,100 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 195
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic:
NA
international:
country code - 262; microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)
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Television broadcast stations:
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3 (2001)
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Internet country code:
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.yt
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Internet hosts:
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1 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 229
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Airports:
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1 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 220
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m:
1 (2009)
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Ports and terminals:
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Dzaoudzi
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 16-49: 37,001
females age 16-49:
36,018 (2010 est.)
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
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male: 2,627
female:
2,619 (2010 est.)
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Military - note:
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defense is the responsibility of France; a small contingent of French forces is stationed on the island
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| Transnational Issues ::Mayotte |
Disputes - international:
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claimed by Comoros
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