Island group of the Comoros, off the E coast
of Africa, a collectivite territoriale of
France by its own wish. The two main islands
are Grande Terre and Petite Terre. area 374
sq km/144 sq mi capital Dzaoudzi products
coffee, copra, vanilla, fishing languages
French, Swahili population (1984) 59,000
history a French colony 1843-1914, and later,
with the Comoros, an overseas territory of
France. In 1974, Mayotte voted to remain a
French dependency.