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Background: |
Comoros has endured more than
20 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 in a
bloodless coup, and helped negotiate the 2000 Fomboni Accords
power-sharing agreement in which the federal presidency rotates among the
three islands, and each island maintains its own local government. AZALI
won the 2002 Presidential election, and each island in the archipelago
elected its own president. AZALI stepped down in 2006 and President SAMBI
took office. Since 2006, Anjouan's President Mohamed BACAR has refused to
work effectively with the Union presidency. In 2007, BACAR effected
Anjouan's de-facto secession from the Union, refusing to step down in
favor of fresh Anjouanais elections when Comoros' other islands held
legitimate elections in July. The African Union (AU) initially attempted
to resolve the political crisis by applying sanctions and a naval blockade
on Anjouan, but in March 2008, AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island.
The move was generally welcomed by the island's inhabitants.
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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 |
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Geographic coordinates: |
12 10 S, 44 15 E |
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Map references: |
Africa |
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Area: |
total: 2,170 sq km
land: 2,170 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative: |
slightly more than 12 times the
size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries: |
0 km |
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Coastline: |
340 km |
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate: |
tropical marine; rainy season
(November to May) |
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Terrain: |
volcanic islands, interiors
vary from steep mountains to low hills |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Indian
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m |
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Natural resources: |
NEGL |
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Land use: |
arable land: 35.87%
permanent crops: 23.32%
other: 40.81% (2005) |
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Irrigated land: |
NA |
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Total renewable water resources: |
1.2 cu km (2003) |
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Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural): |
total: 0.01 cu km/yr
(48%/5%/47%)
per capita: 13 cu m/yr (1999) |
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Natural hazards: |
cyclones possible during rainy
season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active
volcano |
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Environment - current issues: |
soil degradation and erosion
results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing;
deforestation |
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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
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Geography - note: |
important location at northern
end of Mozambique Channel |
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Population: |
731,775 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 42.4% (male
155,662/female 154,520)
15-64 years: 54.6% (male 197,178/female
202,231)
65 years and over: 3% (male 10,203/female 11,981)
(2008 est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 18.7 years
male: 18.5 years
female: 19 years (2008 est.) |
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Population growth rate: |
2.803% (2008 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
35.78 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
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Death rate: |
7.76 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
NA |
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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: 0.85
male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008
est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total: 68.58
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 76.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 60.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 63.1
years
male: 60.72 years
female: 65.55 years (2008
est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
4.9 children born/woman (2008
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.12% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
NA |
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Nationality: |
noun: Comoran(s)
adjective: Comoran |
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Ethnic groups: |
Antalote, Cafre, Makoa,
Oimatsaha, Sakalava |
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Religions: |
Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman
Catholic 2% |
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Languages: |
Arabic (official), French
(official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) |
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Literacy: |
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: |
conventional long form:
Union of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local long form: Union des Comores
local short form:
Comores |
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Government type: |
republic |
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Capital: |
name: Moroni
geographic coordinates: 11 42 S, 43 14 E
time
difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time) |
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Administrative divisions: |
3 islands and 4
municipalities*; Grande Comore, Anjouan, Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli,
Moroni*, Mutsamudu* |
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Independence: |
6 July 1975 (from France)
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National holiday: |
Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
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Constitution: |
23 December 2001 |
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Legal system: |
French and Islamic law in a new
consolidated code |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
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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% |
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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 |
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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) |
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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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
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International organization participation: |
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU,
COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF,
OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
(observer) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Representative to the US and Ambassador to the UN Mohamed TOIHIRI
chancery: Mission to the US, 336 East 45th Street (2nd floor),
New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
the US does not have an embassy
in Comoros; the ambassador to Madagascar is accredited to Comoros |
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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 Mahore (Mayotte - territorial
collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros)
note: the
crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
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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. The political
problems caused the economy to contract in 2007. Remittances from 150,000
Comorans abroad help supplement GDP. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$1.262 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate): |
$436 million (2007 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate: |
-1% (2007 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$600 (2005 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 40%
industry: 4%
services: 56% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force: |
144,500 (1996 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20% (1996 est.) |
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Unemployment rate: |
20% (1996 est.) |
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Population below poverty line: |
60% (2002 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
3% (2005 est.) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $27.6 million
expenditures: (2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products: |
vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang,
perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca) |
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Industries: |
fishing, tourism, perfume
distillation |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
-2% (1999 est.) |
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Electricity - production: |
20 million kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 90.6%
hydro: 9.4%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
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Electricity - consumption: |
18.6 million kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - imports: |
0 kWh (2005) |
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Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day (2005) |
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Oil - consumption: |
700 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
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Oil - exports: |
0 bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil - imports: |
709.1 bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil - proved reserves: |
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
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Natural gas - production: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports: |
0 cu m (2005) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves: |
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
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Current account balance: |
-$17 million (2005 est.) |
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Exports: |
$32 million f.o.b. (2006)
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Exports - commodities: |
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume
essence), cloves, copra |
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Exports - partners: |
Netherlands 35.8%, France
18.3%, Italy 12.8%, Singapore 7.8%, Turkey 5%, US 4.6% (2006) |
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Imports: |
$143 million f.o.b. (2006)
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Imports - commodities: |
rice and other foodstuffs,
consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment |
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Imports - partners: |
France 24.8%, UAE 9.9%, South
Africa 6.4%, Pakistan 6.3%, Kenya 5%, China 4.8%, India 4.4%, Italy 4.2%
(2006) |
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Economic aid - recipient: |
$25.23 million (2005 est.)
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Debt - external: |
$232 million (2000 est.) |
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Currency (code): |
Comoran franc (KMF) |
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Currency code: |
KMF |
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Exchange rates: |
Comoran francs (KMF) per US
dollar - 361.4 (2007), 391.8 (2006), 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004), 435.9
(2003)
note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate
of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro |
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
16,900 (2005) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
16,100 (2005) |
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Telephone system: |
general assessment:
sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication
stations; fixed-line connections only about 2 per 100 persons; mobile
cellular usage about 2 per 100 persons
domestic: HF
radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone
communications to Madagascar and Reunion |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
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Radios: |
90,000 (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
NA |
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Televisions: |
1,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code: |
.km |
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Internet hosts: |
6 (2007) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
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Internet users: |
21,000 (2006) |
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Airports: |
4 (2007) |
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Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 4
2,438 to
3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007) |
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Roadways: |
total: 880 km
paved: 673 km
unpaved: 207 km (1999) |
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Merchant marine: |
total: 144 ships (1000
GRT or over) 657,755 GRT/954,498 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 11,
cargo 101, chemical tanker 3, container 1, livestock carrier 4, passenger
1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 6, roll
on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 70
(Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Greece 8, India 2, Kenya 1, Kuwait 1,
Lebanon 5, Norway 1, Pakistan 2, Philippines 1, Russia 9, Saudi Arabia 1,
Syria 8, Turkey 8, Ukraine 13, UAE 5, US 2) (2007) |
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Ports and terminals: |
Mayotte, Mutsamudu
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Military branches: |
National Development Army
(AND): Comoran Security Force; Comoran Federal Police (2008) |
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Manpower available for military service: |
males age 16-49: 167,850
females age 16-49: 167,362 (2008 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 16-49: 121,550
females age 16-49: 131,015 (2008 est.) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2.8% (2006) |
| Transnational Issues |
Comoros |
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Disputes - international: |
claims French-administered
Mayotte |
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