An island southeast of
Comoros, Mayotte (
Shimaore: Maore,
Malagasy: Mahori) is a
French overseas region in the Indian Ocean. In 2011, it became the newest
department of France, in other words it is now considered just as French as Paris or Marseille (this is also the case for other regions of Overseas France with department status, like
Réunion Island and
French Guiana). With 250,000 people, it also holds the title of the least populous overseas department. Formerly, it spent 8 years being an overseas collectivity, and before that 29 years as an overseas territory, during which time its French status was, and to be honest still is, contested with Comoros.
Before 1974, Mayotte had the same administrative entity and history as Comoros, with which it shares culture, ethnicity, and Islam. Everything changed in the 1974 independence referendum, however. The three other major islands of the archipelago (Grande Comore, Moheli, and Anjouan) overwhelmingly voted to secede from France. A slim majority of Mahorians, however, were against the idea. This led France to change the rules, so now the islands had to decide their sovereignty individually. Two years later, after Comoros had already declared independence, France organized a separate referendum in Mayotte. The result: a landslide no, sealed the island's fate to be ruled by France. Comoros was predictably angered, but well, considering that the locals had rejected them twice, on top of being opposed by a great power, it's not like they could do much.
And honestly, there is little reason for Mahorians to regret their decision to secede from Comoros, which has witnessed political and economic instability for as long as the country has been independent. A vast gap of standard of living is one thing to consider as well, so much that every year, hundreds of Comorians risk their lives crossing the dangerous waters between the archipelago into Mayotte, the majority of whom never make there alive. Sometimes, it feels as though the meaning of the island's namenote Mayotte is derived from "maut" (موت), Arabic for "death" is more than just poetic.
The Maorais flag
While the French tricolor is the official flag, this flag also sees use. It consists of a shield with a cloud design, a sideways crescent and flowers in blue and red segments, with seahorses as the supporters of the shield. The motto, placed in a grey ribbon, reads "RA HACHIRI" – We are vigilant in Shimaore (Comorian).
The French national anthem
Allons enfants de la patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé!
Contre nous, de la tyrannie
L'étendard sanglant est levé.
L'étendard sanglant est levé.
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
Mugir ces féroces soldats?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
Égorger vos fils et vos compagnes!
Aux armes, citoyens!
Formez vos bataillons!
Marchons, marchons,
Qu'un sang impur abreuve nos sillons!
—
Let us go, children of the motherland,
The day of glory has come!
Against us, the tyranny's
bloody flag has been raised.
Bloody flag has been raised.
Can you hear in the countryside,
These ferocious soldiers bellowing?
They come all the way into your arms
To arms, citizens!
Form your batallions!
Let us march, let us march,
Government
- Overseas department under a unitary semi-presidential republic
- President of the Departmental Council: Ben Issa Ousseni
Miscellaneous
- Capital and largest city: Mamoudzou
- Population: 288,926
- Area: 374 km² (144 sq mi)
- Currency: Euro (€) (EUR)
- ISO-3166-1 Code: YT
