Mayotte
a French island in the
Comoros
of the INDIAN OCEAN
entering harbor
Mayotte was invaded in the 19th century by the Sakalava from the island of Madagascar. The island came under the rule of a Malagasy chief, Andriansouli, and in 1843 he ceded Dzaoudzi to the French, who were looking for a naval base in the western Indian Ocean. The island was then dominated by Creole planters from Réunion, whose descendants continue to exert some political influence. Mayotte and the other three islands of the Comoros were made a colony of France in 1912, and Dzaoudzi remained the capital of the archipelago until it was replaced by Moroni in 1962.
defending the island
By this time, the separatist Mouvement Populaire Mahorais was pressing for full incorporation with France, and they won a narrow victory in the referendum of 1974. When the other islands declared independence in 1975, France retained control of Mayotte, which has become an important base for French influence in the region.
welcome center
The status of the island has remained undecided, since France refuses to designate Mayotte as one of the départements, or administrative districts, of France and has postponed many times any referendum on the territory's future. The United Nations and the Organization of African Unity, however, have recognized Mayotte as part of the country of Comoros.
Dzaoudzi, Mayotte
Colorful costumes worn in the town market
street
man and woman
bananas
straw items for sale
cloth goods
basket
charcoal
costumes
selling bread
cooking
Photos
from the other Islands of the
INDIAN OCEAN
