Mayotte is an island land located in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and Africa. It was first sighted by the Portuguese but was not colonized.
During the early 1800s the island was conquered and changed hands among the local kings and sultans a number of times. In 1843 France gained control of the islands along with the rest of the Comoros islands. When the rest of the islands voted for independence in 1974, Mayotte opted to stay with France. Again in 2009 Mayotte voted to become a French overseas department.
The Geography of Mayotte
Total Size: 374 square km
Size Comparison: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
