Little Known Mayotte – Today’s Flag
Mayotte was purchased by France in 1841. Mayotte was the only island in the archipelago that voted in both 1974 and 1976 to retain its link with France and forgo independence. The Comoros continue to claim the island. Mayotte became an overseas department of France in March 2011. Mayotte is a small island with only 256,518 people. However as the island is only 144 square miles in size, which results in a very densely populated island with 690 people per square kilometer while the same space in France is only occupied by, on average, 122 people. The main island, Grande-Terre is 39 kilometres (24 mi) long and 22 kilometres (14 mi) wide, and its highest point is Mount Benara.