Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union president took office in May 2002.
Location
Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates
12 10 S, 44 15 E
Map references
Africa
Area
total
2,170 sq km
land
2,170 sq km
water
0 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
0 km
Coastline
340 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Climate
tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Terrain
volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point
Le Kartala 2,360 m
Natural resources
NEGL
Land use
arable land
35.87%
permanent crops
23.32%
other
40.81% (2005)
Irrigated land
NA
Natural hazards
cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano
Environment - current issues
soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation
Environment - international agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
Population
711,417 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
42.6% (male 151,920/female 150,851)
15-64 years
54.4% (male 191,096/female 196,120)
65 years and over
3% (male 9,933/female 11,497) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
18.7 years
male
18.4 years
female
18.9 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
2.84% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
36.35 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
7.95 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.007 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.974 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.864 male(s)/female
total population
0.985 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
70.66 deaths/1,000 live births
male
78.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female
62.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
62.73 years
male
60.37 years
female
65.15 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
4.97 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.12% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
Nationality
noun
Comoran(s)
adjective
Comoran
Ethnic groups
Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Religions
Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%
Languages
Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
56.5%
male
63.6%
female
49.3% (2003 est.)
Country name
conventional long form
Union of the Comoros
conventional short form
Comoros
local long form
Union des Comores
local short form
Comores
Government type
republic
Capital
name
Moroni
geographic coordinates
11 41 S, 43 16 E
time difference
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore, Anjouan, Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli, Moroni*, Moutsamoudou*
Independence
6 July 1975 (from France)
National holiday
Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Constitution
23 December 2001
Legal system
French and Islamic law in a new consolidated code
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006)
head of government
President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006)
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections
as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three main islands in the Union; election last held 14 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2010); prime minister appointed by the president; note - the post of prime minister has been vacant since May 2002
election results
Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI elected president; percent of vote - Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI 58.0%, Ibrahim HALIDI 28.3%, Mohamed DJAANFAMI 13.7%
Legislative branch
unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and 18 by universal suffrage; to serve for five years);
elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CdIA 12, CRC 6; note - 15 additional seats are filled by deputies from local island assemblies
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of the republic)
Political parties and leaders
Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assowmani]; Camp of the Autonomous Islands or CdIA (a coalition of parties organized by the islands' presidents in opposition to the Union President); Front National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID] (Islamic party in opposition); Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]
Representative to the US and Ambassador to the UN Mahmoud M. ABOUD
chancery
Mission to the US, 336 East 45th Street (2nd floor), New York, NY 10017
telephone
[1] (212) 750-1637
Diplomatic representation from the US
the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Madagascar is accredited to Comoros
Flag description
four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
Economy - overview
One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government - which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports, promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$441 million (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$402 million (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
3% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$600 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
40%
industry
4%
services
56% (2001 est.)
Labor force
144,500 (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
80%
industry and services
20%
Unemployment rate
20% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line
60% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Netherlands 35.7%, France 18.2%, Italy 12.7%, Singapore 7.8%, Turkey 4.9%, US 4.5% (2006)
Imports
$115 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities
rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment
Imports - partners
France 25.1%, UAE 10%, South Africa 6.5%, Pakistan 6.4%, Kenya 5.1%, China 4.8%, India 4.4%, Italy 4.2% (2006)
Debt - external
$232 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$24 million (2003 est.)
Currency (code)
Comoran franc (KMF)
Currency code
KMF
Exchange rates
Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 392.03 (2006), 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003), 522.74 (2002)
note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
16,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
16,100 (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations
domestic
HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
international
country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios
90,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
NA
Televisions
1,000 (1997)
Internet country code
.km
Internet hosts
5 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
1 (2000)
Internet users
20,000 (2005)
Airports
4 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
4
2,438 to 3,047 m
1
914 to 1,523 m
3 (2006)
Roadways
total
880 km
paved
673 km
unpaved
207 km (1999)
Merchant marine
total
121 ships (1000 GRT or over) 564,882 GRT/801,238 DWT
by type
bulk carrier 10, cargo 85, chemical tanker 1, container 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned
72 (Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 1, Greece 10, India 1, Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Lebanon 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 1, Pakistan 2, Philippines 1, Russia 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Syria 4, Turkey 11, UAE 6, Ukraine 14, US 2) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Mayotte, Moutsamoudou
Military branches
Comoran Defense Force: Comoran Security Force (includes Gendarmerie and Army), Comoran Federal Police (2006)
