Dependency status:
departmental collectivity of France
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: Mamoudzou
geographic coordinates: 12 47 S, 45 14 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
Independence:
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January 2005)
head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OILI
(since 8 April 2004)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council
elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term;
next election to be held in 2010