Mayotte

Mayotte is an island group between Madagascar and the east African coast. It was purchased by France in 1841.

 File:Mayotte 40c.jpg|40c type Groupe. File:Mayotte soccer.jpg|2001 stamp with children playing soccer/football. Note the small "REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE" and the dual currency values for France's full changeover to the Euro. 
 * Beginning in 1892, it issued its own stamps in the familiar type Groupe design.
 * Around 1912, Mayotte's postal service was attached to Madagascar's. It released a surcharged issue probably intended to use up old stamps. These were valid anywhere in Madagascar.
 * Mayotte and nearby islands Anjouan, Grand Comoro and Moheli became part of Madagascar in 1912.
 * From 1976, it had an odd relationship with France, neither a full department (and part of France) nor a territory.
 * In 1997, current French definitives of France were overprinted MAYOTTE, with Mayotte stamps following with additional "REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE" or "RF" inscriptions. In 2011, Mayotte became an overseas department of France and continued to release its own stamps.