Legend:  Definition
 Field
Listing  Rank
Order
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Background:
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Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining
independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan
and Moheli declared their 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 was sworn in
on May 26, 2002. |
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Location:
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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 |
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Geographic coordinates:
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12 10 S, 44 15 E |
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Map references:
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Africa
|
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Area:
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total: 2,170 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 2,170 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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340 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) |
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Terrain:
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volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
|
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m |
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Natural resources:
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NEGL |
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Land use:
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arable land: 34.98%
permanent crops: 17.94%
other: 47.08% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala
on Grand Comore is an active volcano |
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Environment - current issues:
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soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes
without proper terracing; deforestation |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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:
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important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
|
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Population:
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632,948 (July 2003 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 42.9% (male 136,060; female 135,277)
15-64 years: 54.2% (male 169,121; female 173,822)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 8,863; female 9,805) (2003
est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 18.6 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.9 years (2002) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.96% (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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38.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Death rate:
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8.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 79.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 70.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 88.32 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 61.18 years
male: 58.92 years
female: 63.5 years (2003 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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5.21 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.12% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Comoran(s)
adjective: Comoran |
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Ethnic groups:
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Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava |
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Religions:
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Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% |
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Languages:
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Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili
and Arabic) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 56.5%
male: 63.6%
female: 49.3% (2003 est.)
|
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local short form: Comores
local long form: Union des Comores |
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Government type:
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independent republic |
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Capital:
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Moroni |
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Administrative divisions:
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3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli
(Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni,
Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou |
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Independence:
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6 July 1975 (from France) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 6 July (1975) |
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Constitution:
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23 December 2001
note: a Transitional National Unity Government (GUNT) was
formed on 20 January 2002 following the passing of the new constitution;
the GUNT governed until the presidential elections on 14 April 2002
|
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Legal system:
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French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002);
note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January
2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential
elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim
president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO
was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security;
the president is both the chief of state and the head of government
election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president
with 75% of the vote
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 April 2002 (next
to be held NA April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president;
note - AZALI has not appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn
into office in May 2002
head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May
2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president;
in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April
2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was
appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May
2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and
Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and
the head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
|
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Assembly of the Union (30 seats; half the deputies are
selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the other
half by universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years) note
- elections for the former legislature, the Federal Assembly, dissolved
in 1999, where held on 1 and 8 December 1996; the next elections
for the Assembly of the Union were scheduled to be held in April
2003 but have yet to occur |
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Judicial branch:
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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) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Forces pour l'Action Republicaine or FAR [Col. Abdourazak ABDULHAMID];
Forum pour la Redressement National or FRN (alliance of 12 parties);
Front Democratique or FD [Moustoifa Said CHEIKH]; Front National
pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed RACHID];
Movement des Citoyens pour la Republique or MCR [Mahamoud MRADABI];
Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais or MPA (Anjouan separatist movement)
[leader NA]; Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC
[Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Movement pour le Socialisme et la Democratie
or MSD (splinter group of FD) [Abdou SOEFOU]; Parti Comorien pour
la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement
National pour le Development or RND (party of the government) [Omar
TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate),
ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory),
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador
to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)
chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the
Union of the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street,
New York, NY 10022
telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 and 223-2711
FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius
is accredited to Comoros |
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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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,
to privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, to improve health
services, to diversify exports, to promote tourism, and to 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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $441 million (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 40%
industry: 4%
services: 56% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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60% (2002 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.5% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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144,500 (1996 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 80% |
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Unemployment rate:
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20% (1996 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $27.6 million
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2001 est.) |
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Industries:
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tourism, perfume distillation |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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-2% (1999 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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21.27 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 90.6%
hydro: 9.4%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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19.78 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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700 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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Agriculture - products:
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vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava
(tapioca) |
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Exports:
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$16.3 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra |
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Exports - partners:
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France 32.4%, Germany 19.4%, US 17.6%, Singapore 11.5%, Netherlands
6.5% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$39.8 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement,
transport equipment |
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Imports - partners:
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France 34.3%, South Africa 12%, Japan 6.1%, Kenya 5.9%, UAE 5.8%,
Mauritius 4.9%, Thailand 4.6% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$232 million (2000 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$10 million (2001 est.) |
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Currency:
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Comoran franc (KMF) |
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Currency code:
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KMF |
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Exchange rates:
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Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 522.74 (2002), 549.78 (2001),
533.98 (2000), 461.78 (1999), 442.46 (1998)
note: prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged
to the French franc at 75 Comoran francs per French franc; since
1 January 1999, the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate
of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
|
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total: 880 km
paved: 673 km
unpaved: 207 km (1999 est) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 28 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 432,132 GRT/796,734 DWT
ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 15, chemical tanker 1, petroleum
tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 2
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as
a flag of convenience: Malta 1, Pakistan 1, Turkey 1 (2002 est.)
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Airports:
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4 (2002) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
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Disputes - international:
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claims French-administered Mayotte
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This page was last updated on 18 December,
2003
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