Mayotte is an overseas territory belonging to France, although in the past few decades, around it, there are disputes with the Comoros, whose constitution makes Mayotte its autonomous entity. The ownership of Mayotte by the Comoros is also recognized by the UN General Assembly. The area of the region is 376 km. 2, with a population of 246.5 thousand people.
This is what the modern regional flag of Mayotte looks like:
History of the flag
Mayotte has been a French protectorate since 1843, long before all the Comoros became a colony.
In 2009, in a referendum on the belonging of Mayotte, the majority of residents voted for the status of a department of France. For this reason, it does not have its own official symbol and on every state occasion the French tricolor is used.
However, Mayotte has its own regional flag.
Description
The white background of the cloth depicts two seahorses holding a shield divided into two fields. In the upper blue field there is a white crescent moon and on the lower red field there are two six-pointed stars of golden color.
At the top of the cloth, in Latin letters red, the name of the region “Mayotte” is written, and at the bottom, the official motto – Mayotte “Ra Hachiri”, which means “We are vigilant”, is written on the ribbon.
Flag colors
Five colors are used on the region’s symbol: red, white, silver, blue and gold.
Meaning of colors and flag symbol
The colors of the French tricolor are used on the flag of Mayotte. The crescent moon with horns upwards is a symbol of the fact that 97 percent of its inhabitants are Muslim (Sunni). The six-pointed stars are the flowers of ylang-ylang, used in the manufacture of essential oil, for the cultivation of which 9% of the cultivated land is used. This product accounts for 25% of local exports, which is why the island is called “Perfume”.
The jagged division of two fields signifies a coral reef.
The outline of the seahorses resembles the shape of the largest island, Grande Terre.
Interesting facts about the flag
The regional symbol of the department essentially repeats its coat of arms, with the only difference being the addition of the inscription “Mayotte” on top.
General information about the island of Mayotte
| Official language | French |
| Capital | Mamuzu |
| Territory | 376 km2 |
| Population | 246 489 people |
| Currency | euro (EUR, code 978) ;
French franc (FRF code 250) (before 1999) |
| Phone Code | +33 |
