french overseas territories Archives

Senegal

Flags / africa, Atlantic Ocean, economy, french overseas territories, geography, history, transportation

Much symbolism and many connotations are beholden to the stripes and singular star of the Senegalese flag. From a national perspective, green is highly symbolic within all of the country’s primary religions. In Islam, the country’s majority religion at 94% percent of the population, the green of both the first stripe and the star represent the colour of the Prophet, Christians see the presence of green as a portent of hope, and Animists view green as representative of fecundity.

The Senegalese government offers exegesis for the presence of yellow and red as well, yellow being “the symbol of wealth; it represents the product of work, for a nation whose main priority is the progress of economy, which will allow the increase of the cultural level, the second national priority.” Additionally, yellow is denoted as “the colour of arts, literature, and intellect”, primarily because literature teachers in Senegal are known to wear yellow blouses. Red “recalls the colour of blood, therefore colour of life and the sacrifice accepted by the nation, and also of the strong determination to fight against underdevelopment.”

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Wallis and Futuna

Flags / economy, flags, french overseas territories, geography, history, islands, pacific ocean, Pacific Ocean Islands, transportation

The official flag of Wallis and Futuna is the French national flag, as it is a French territory. Wallis and Futuna has a locally used unofficial flag which bears the French flag in the canton.

The unofficial flag of Wallis and Futuna features a red saltire on a white square, which in turn is placed on a red field (alternatively, a larger white cross pattée is used). The cross is shifted a little off centre toward the fly (the cross pattée is also shifted slightly downwards); the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is in the upper hoist quadrant.

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Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Flags / Atlantic Ocean, economy, flags, french overseas territories, geography, history, islands, North America, transportation

The flag of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is officially the flag of France, as Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is a self-governing overseas collectivity of France.

In 1982 an unofficial local flag was designed, based on the Collectivity’s coat of arms. The flag is blue with a yellow ship, said to be Grande Hermine, which brought Jacques Cartier to Saint-Pierre on 15 June 1536. Three square fields placed along the hoist recall the origin of most inhabitants of the islands, from top to bottom, Basques, Bretons, and Normans. The flag was likely designed by André Paturel, a local business owner.

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Saint Martin

Flags / caribbean, economy, flags, french overseas territories, geography, history, islands, North America, transportation

The French tricolore is the official national flag used in the Collectivity of Saint Martin. There are said to be several unofficial flags as well.

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Saint Barthélemy

Flags / caribbean, economy, flags, french overseas territories, geography, history, islands, North America, transportation

The flag of Saint Barthélemy is the French tricolor. This is because Saint Barthélemy is a self-governing overseas collectivity of France. An unofficial flag of Saint Barthélemy consisting of the island’s coat of arms centered on a white field is also used on the island.

The coat of arms of Saint-Barthélemy is a shield divided into three horizontal stripes (parted per fess), three gold fleurs-de-lis on blue, above a white Maltese cross on red, over three gold crowns on blue, and “Ouanalao” is what the indigenous people called the island. On top of the shield is a mural crown.

The fleurs-de-lis, Maltese Cross, and gold crowns are heraldic reminders of the island’s history as a colony ruled by first the Kingdom of France, then the Knights Hospitaller and in turn the Kingdom of Sweden.

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Réunion

Flags / economy, flags, french overseas territories, geography, history, indian ocean, islands, transportation

The Vexillological Association of Réunion selected a flag in 2003. It depicts the volcano of Fournaise, bedecked by gold sunbeams. It was designed in 1974 by Guy Pignolet with help of Jean Finck and Didier Finck who called it Lö Mahavéli but it really started to be promoted once the association chose it in 2003. It does not have official recognition but since 2014, it is flying on top of many public buildings after several city councils have taken the decision to do so.

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New Caledonia

Flags / economy, flags, french overseas territories, geography, history, islands, pacific ocean, Pacific Ocean Islands, social/political

Two flags are in use in New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France. Up to 2010, the only flag used to represent New Caledonia was the flag of France, a tricolor featuring three vertical bands coloured blue (hoist side), white, and red known to English speakers as the French Tricolour or simply the Tricolour. However, in July 2010, the Congress of New Caledonia voted in favour of a wish to fly the Kanak flag of the independentist movement FLNKS alongside the French tricolor. The wish, legally non-binding, proved controversial. A majority of Neo-Caledonian communes, but not all, now fly both flags, the rest flying only the Tricolour.

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Mayotte

Flags / economy, flags, french overseas territories, geography, history, indian ocean, islands

The official flag of Mayotte is the French tricolor. The unofficial local flag consists of a white field with the archipelago’s coat of arms below an inscription “MAYOTTE” in red capitals. It consists of a shield with a cloud design, a sideways crescent and flowers in blue and red segments. The supporters of the shield are seahorses. The motto, placed in a grey ribbon, reads “RA HACHIRI” – We are vigilant in Shimaore (Comorian).

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Martinique

Flags / caribbean, economy, europe, flags, france, french overseas territories, geography, history, islands, North America, social/political, transportation

The unofficial “snake flag” (drapeau aux serpents) features a white cross on a blue field with a white snake in each quarter. These are fer-de-lance vipers (Bothrops lanceolatus, French trigonocéphale) native to Martinique. It was used by the French military on their buildings and/or uniforms. Members of the National Gendarmerie bore the coat-of-arms version of the flag. It stood next to the French flag on some public buildings of the island—such as the prefecture and the police station of Fort-de-France.

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Guadeloupe

Flags / Atlantic Ocean, caribbean, economy, flags, france, french overseas territories, geography, history, islands, North America, political, transportation

Guadeloupe has no flag with official status other than the French national flag.

A locally used unofficial flag, based on the coat of arms of Guadeloupe’s capital Basse-Terre has a black or red field with a yellow sun and a green sugar cane, and a blue stripe with yellow fleurs-de-lis on the top.

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