Over the centuries, Mayotte is invaded by a succession of diverse groups from the coast of Africa, the Persian Gulf, Indonesia, and Madagascar.
Portuguese explorers visit the archipelago in 1505.
"Shirazi" Arab migrants introduce islam at about the same time.
Between 1829 and 1840 present-day Comoros and Mayotte are united under the Sultanate of Mayotte.
Between 1843 and 1886 Mayotte and the other Comoro Islands become a French protectorate under the name Comoros.
From 1896 the Comoros are administered from Reunion, but from 1908 the islands are administered from Madagascar.
The archipelago becomes a French overseas territory in 1947 under the name Territory of the Comoros.
In 1975 the Comoros are granted independence.
After a referendum Mayotte remains a French dependency, officialy a French territorial collectivity.
The leading party is the Mouvement Populaire Mahorais (Mahorian Peeople's Movement, MPM), led by Younoussa Bamana.
This was the party that led the resistance against incorporation in the Comoros.
This status is changed in 2001 into a departemental collectivity.