Grande‑Terre is the main island of the
French overseas region of
Mayotte. The island is part of the
Comoros archipelago located in the northern
Mozambique Channel in the
Indian Ocean between northwestern Madagascar and northeastern Mozambique. It spans approximately and features a coastal reef barrier measuring in length. The island is underlain by
basalt shields formed during
Miocene–
Pliocene era, and was overlain by later basalt and phonolite domes. Deep valleys were carved by subsequent erosion.
Mount Benara is the tallest feature on the island at while there are several other smaller volcanoes. There are several seasonal rivers and streams across the region.
Tropical forests exist on mid‑elevation slopes, scrub and
mangroves near coasts, and cultivated land along coastal plains. == Climate ==