evidence: The island of Mayotte is an overseas department (a type of province) of France that is situated in the Mozambique Channel of the Indian Ocean. The island lies about 193 miles (310 kilometers) northwest of Madagascar. Mayotte is the southeasternmost island in the Comoros group, and the country of Comoros claims the island, disputing that it is an administrative unit of France. The capital of Mayotte is Mamoudzou, a city on the eastern coast of the island. Pamandzi, an islet lying about 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) east of Mayotte, is connected to the island by a causeway. Area 144 square miles (375 square kilometers). Population (2024 est.) 326,700. [...] France gained control of Mayotte in 1843. In the early 20th century, it was made part of a French overseas territory along with the other islands of the Comoros group and Madagascar. In 1975 Comoros declared its independence. The people of Mayotte voted to remain with France, though Comoros asserted that the island was part of the new country. In 1979 the United Nations passed a resolution affirming the sovereignty of Comoros over Mayotte. The African Union also supported Comoros’s claim to the island.