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A referendum on becoming an overseas department of France was held in Mayotte on 29 March 2009. Mayotte had been an overseas collectivity of France since 2003. In contrast to the four other similar regions (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion and French Guiana), Mayotte would not have become an Overseas department (DOM) or an Overseas region (ROM), but would only have had a single assembly; the four other existing DOM-ROM will have the option of changing their status to this format as well.〔(Départementalisation de Mayotte : début d'une campagne d'explication ), ''La Gazette'', 9 January 2009 〕 As a result of the yes vote, Mayotte became the 101st French department in 2011, and the first with a population overwhelmingly of the Muslim faith. The move has been opposed by the African Union and Comoros, who claim it is "occupation by a foreign power" and several protests have been held in Moroni, capital of Comoros.〔(Mayotte to hold referendum on whether to become France's 101st département ), ''Telegraph'', 27 March 2009〕〔(Comorans demonstrate against French referendum for Mayotte ), ''Afrique en ligne'', 28 March 2009〕 The Comoran vice-president said the vote was a "declaration of war".〔(Mayotte backs French connection ), ''BBC News'', 29 March 2009〕 == Background == The population of Mayotte was approximately 186,000 at the time of the election.〔 Ninety-five percent of Mahorans are Sunni Muslims.〔 Many Mahorans are fluent only local languages, including Shimaore and Bushi, rather than the French language.〔 It is believed that one-third of the population consists of illegal immigrants, mostly from the neighboring, impoverished Comoros islands.〔 Continued political union with France has allowed Mayotte to remain relatively prosperous, at least by regional standards,〔 compared to the independent Comoros. The Comoros, which has suffered from economic and political instability since its independence, continues to claim Mayotte as part of its territory.〔 French President Nicolas Sarkozy promised a referendum on Mayotte's future status during the 2007 French presidential election. Many Mahorans hoped to benefit economically in the future with a possible yes result. The unemployment rate in Mayotte stood at over 25% at the time of the 2009 referendum.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mahoran status referendum, 2009」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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