Native name: Mahoré Nickname: Grande-Terre | |
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Geography | |
Location | Mozambique Channel |
Coordinates | 12°50′S 45°10′E / 12.833°S 45.167°E |
Archipelago | Comoro Islands |
Area | 374 km2 (144 sq mi) |
Length | 39 km (24.2 mi) |
Width | 22 km (13.7 mi) |
Coastline | 185.2 km (115.08 mi) |
Highest elevation | 660 m (2170 ft) |
Highest point | Benara |
Administration | |
France | |
Overseas Department | Mayotte |
Largest settlement | Mamoudzou (pop. 57,281) |
Demographics | |
Population | 256,518 (2017) |
Pop. density | 690/km2 (1790/sq mi) |
Ethnic groups | Mahoran |
Mayotte is an island of volcanic origin in the northernmost Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique. Mayotte is part of the Comoro Islands, and like them is the result of a former geological hot spot, the oldest of the Comoros archipelago, formed about 7.7 mya.[1] Mayotte has an area of 374 square kilometres, and a coastline of length 185.2 km. Its maritime claims are an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles, and a territorial sea of 12 nm.