Mayotte
Topography

Mayotte is the oldest of the four large islands of the Comoros archipelago, a chain of land emerging from a crescent-shaped submarine relief at the entrance to the Mozambique Channel. Located 295 km (183 mi) west of Madagascar and 67 km (42 mi) southeast of Anjouan, sometimes visible at sunset in the shade, it is composed of several islands and islets covered with lush vegetation. The two largest islands are Grande-Terre and Petite-Terre, backed by a coral reef.

This 160 km (99 mi) long coral reef surrounds a 1,100 km (420 sq mi) lagoon, one of the largest and deepest in the world. Part of the barrier reef features a double barrier that is rare on the planet. It protects almost all of Mayotte from ocean currents and waves, except for a dozen passes, including one in the east called the "S-pass". The lagoon, which averages 5 to 10 km (3.1 to 6.2 mi) wide, is up to 100 m (330 ft) deep.

It is dotted with about a hundred coral islets, such as Mtsamboro. This reef serves as a refuge for boats and oceanic fauna. The volcanic activity that created the islands makes the soil particularly fertile.

The total area of Mayotte is about 374 km (144 sq mi), which makes it by far the smallest French overseas department (after Martinique, which is three times larger at 1,128 km (436 sq mi)). However, this area is difficult to assess accurately, given the number of small uninhabited islets, some of which are completely underwater at high tide, but may reveal significant areas at low tide. The main islands are
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