Comoros

Comores 

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Area

Land Boundaries

0 km

Coastline

340 km

Maritime Claims

International Disputes

Claims French-administered Mayotte

Climate

Tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Terrain

Volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Kartala 2,360 m

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

NA

Environment

Note: Important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

PEOPLE

Population

569,237 (July 1996 est.)
549,338 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

48% (male 137,235; female 136,207) (July 1996 est.)
48% (male 132,327; female 131,334) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

49% (male 138,447; female 142,058) (July 1996 est.)
49% (male 133,629; female 137,083) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

3% (male 7,242; female 8,048) (July 1996 est.)
3% (male 7,105; female 7,860) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

3.55% (1996 est.)
3.56% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

45.82 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
46.22 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

10.28 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
10.6 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

75.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
77.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

6.65 children born/woman (1996 est.)
6.73 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Languages

Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)

Labor Force

140,000 (1982)

By occupation:

GOVERNMENT

Names

Digraph

CN

Type

Independent republic

Capital

Moroni

Administrative Divisions

Three islands; Grand Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali)

Note: There are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Mutsamudu

Independence

6 July 1975 (from France)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Constitution

7 June 1992

Legal System

French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale)

Elections last held 12-20 December 1993 (next to be held by NA January 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (42 total) ruling coalition: RDR 15, UNDC 5, MWANGAZA 2; opposition: UDZIMA 8; other smaller parties: 10; two seats remained unfilled

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme), two members are appointed by the president, two members are elected by the Federal Assembly, one by the Council of each island, plus all the former presidents of the republic

Political Parties and Leaders

Islands' Fraternity and Unity Party (CHUMA), Said Ali KEMAL; over 20 political parties are currently active, the most important of which are Comoran Union for Progress (UDZIMA), Omar TAMOU; Comoran Party for Democracy and Progress (PCDP), Ali MROUDJAE; Realizing Freedom's Capability (UWEZO), Mouazair ABDALLAH; Democratic Front of the Comoros (FDR), Moustapha CHELKH; Dialogue Proposition Action (DPA/MWANGAZA), Said MCHAWGAMA; Rally for Change and Democracy (RACHADE), Hassan HACHIM; Union for Democracy and Decentralization (UNDC), Mohamed Taki Halidi IBRAHAM; Rally for Democracy and Renewal (RDR); Comoran Popular Front (FPC), Mohamed HASSANALI, Mohamed El Arif OUKACHA, Abdou MOUSTAKIM (Secretary General)

Member of

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AL, CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Anthem

Flag

Comores Flag is green with a white crescent in the center of the field, its points facing away from the hoist side; there are four white five-pointed stars placed in a line between the points of the crescent; the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; 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 design, the most recent of several, is used since 3 october 1996
View old Comores flag

ECONOMY

Overview

One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of several islands that have poor 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, is the leading sector of the economy. It 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 90% of imports. The government is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify exports, and to reduce the high population growth rate. Continued foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be reached in the late 1990s.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $370 million (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

0.9% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$700 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

15% (1993 est.)

Unemployment Rate

15.8% (1989)

Budget

Exports

$13.7 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$40.9 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$160 million (1992 est.)

Industrial Production

Growth rate -6.5% (1989 est.); accounts for 6% of GDP

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

Accounts for 40% of GDP; most of population works in subsistence agriculture and fishing; plantations produce cash crops for export - vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra; principal food crops - coconuts, bananas, cassava; world's leading producer of essence of ylang-ylang (for perfumes) and second-largest producer of vanilla; large net food importer

Economic Aid

Currency

1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100 centimes

Exchange Rates

Comoran francs (CF) per US$1 - 375.42 (January 1996), 374.36 (1995), 416.40 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990)

Note: On 12 January 1994, the Comoran franc was devalued to 75 per French franc from 50 per French franc at which it had been fixed since 1948

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

0 km

Highways

Ports

Fomboni, Moroni, Mutsamudo

Merchant Marine

None

Airports

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

3,770 telephones (1991 est.); sparse system of radio relay and high-frequency radio communication stations for interisland and external communications to Madagascar and Reunion

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Comoran Security Force

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 121,854; males fit for military service 72,873 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

NA, % of GDP: NA

History
World Atlas