Mayotte

Use Normal Level of Caution

Mayotte, an overseas department of France, is an archipelago located in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar and Mozambique. The archipelago consists of Grande-Terre, the main island, Petite-Terre, and several small islands. The population is about 212,000 people. As a French overseas department, a president of the General Council is the head of government. Mayotte sends two senators to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly.

France acquired Mayotte in 1841. In referendums in 1974 and 1976, the islands voted to retain their connection with France, rather than for independence. Comoros, however, continued to claim Mayotte. In a 2009 referendum, Mayotte citizens voted 95.5 percent in favour of becoming an overseas department of France, and this was made official in March 2011. Gradually, the non-official Islamic law will be abolished and the French civil code will be instituted.

Travellers to Mayotte can enjoy spectacular scenery, diving, snorkelling, and seeing the world’s largest lagoon.

Currency	EUR: Euro
Language	French: More commonly-spoken are Mahorian (a dialect of Swahili) and Malagasy
Capital	Mamoudzou
Recent Alerts	None
Latest Alert	Not Available

Diseases To Be Aware Of

The diseases listed below are those which occur most often in Mayotte. Other, less frequently encountered diseases might be displayed within the Travel Alerts section if they have occurred recently.

Hepatitis A There is a significant risk for hepatitis A virus exposure in Mayotte through contaminated food or water.
Hepatitis B There is a significant risk for acquiring hepatitis B in Mayotte.
Typhoid Fever Unvaccinated people can become infected through contaminated food and water in Mayotte, especially when visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas where food and water sources may be contaminated.
Rabies Rabies may be present in bats, but has not been reported in domestic or wild animals in this country.
Yellow Fever There is no risk of yellow fever transmission in this country. However, this country requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate for travellers 1 year of age and older arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and for travellers having transited more than 12 hours through an airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.
Dengue Fever Outbreaks of dengue fever may occur.
Tuberculosis Tuberculosis occurs in Mayotte. Travellers to Mayotte are at risk for tuberculosis if visiting sick friends or family, working in the health care field, or having close prolonged contact with the general population.
Malaria All areas of Mayotte are at high risk for malaria.
Chikungunya Fever Chikungunya fever has occurred in this country.

Vaccinations to Consider

The following is a list of recommended vaccinations for travelling to Mayotte.

Hepatitis A Vaccine There is a significant risk of exposure to hepatitis A for this country, therefore, the vaccination is recommended.
Hepatitis B Vaccine There is a significant risk of infection with hepatitis B for this country, therefore, the vaccination is recommended.
Typhoid Fever Vaccine There is a risk of exposure to typhoid fever in this country through consumption of unsafe food and water. Since exposure to unsafe sources is variable within this country, the vaccination against typhoid fever is generally recommended, especially when visiting smaller cities or rural areas, where food and water sources may be contaminated.
Rabies Vaccine Vaccination against rabies is recommended for travellers whose activities or employment may bring them into direct contact with bats (i.e. adventure travellers, veterinarians, wildlife professionals, researchers, etc.).
Yellow Fever Vaccine The yellow fever vaccination is not recommended for this country. However, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers 1 year of age and older arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and for travellers having transited more than 12 hours through an airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.

Medications to Consider

The following is a list of recommended medications for travelling to Mayotte.

Anti-malarial Drugs Recommended anti-malaria medications include atovaquone-proguanil, mefloquine or doxycycline. Resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxime-pyrimethamine has been reported.

Safety and Security in Mayotte

Emergency Numbers

Personal Safety

The crime rate is low in this country, and most travellers have no trouble. However, petty crime, such as pickpocketing, bag snatching, or other theft can occur in any crowded area or tourist destination. Always be alert to your personal safety. Keep valuables secured and out of sight. Safeguard your important documents, such as your passport. Avoid walking alone at night.

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Updated: August 22, 2018