 Dzaoudzi was the capital of Mayotte (and earlier the capital of all the colonial Comoros) until 1977, when the capital was relocated to Mamoudzou on the main island of Grande-Terre.It is situated on Petite-Terre (or Pamanzi), which at is the largest of several islets adjacent to Maore.The area of the lagoon behind the reef is approximately , reaching a maximum depth of about 80m.