Map of Comoros | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Comoros has had difficulty in achieving political stability, having endured 18 coups or attempted coups since receiving independence from France in 1975.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 340 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Terrain: volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Elevation

Natural resources: negligible

Land use: arable land: 35%; permanent crops: 8%; meadows and pastures 7%; forest and woodland 16%; other 34%

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel


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Population: 476,678 (July 1991), growth rate 3.5% (1991)

Nationality: noun--Comoran(s; adjective--Comoran

Ethnic groups: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Languages: Shaafi Islam (a Swahili dialect), Malagasy, French

Religions: Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 47 births/1000 population (1991)

Death rate: 12 deaths/1000 population (1991)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1991)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; cyclones possible during rainy season

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 87 deaths/1000 live births (1991)

Life expectancy at birth: 54 years male, 59 years female (1991)

Total fertility rate: 7.0 children born/woman (1991)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 48% (male 56%, female 40%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros

Government type: independent republic

Capital: Moroni

Administrative divisions: 3 islands; Anjouan, Grande Comore, Moheli; note--there may also be 4 municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Mutsamudu

Dependent areas

Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Constitution: 1 October 1978, amended October 1982 and January 1985

Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government--President Said Mohamed DJOHAR (since 11 March 1990)

Legislative branch: Comoran Defense Force (FCD), Federal Gendarmerie (GFC)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Amini Ali MOUMIN; Chancery (temporary) at the Comoran Permanent Mission to the UN, 336 East 45th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10,017; telephone (212) 972-8,010; US--Ambassador Kenneth N. PELTIER; Embassy at address NA, Moroni (mailing address B. P. 1318, Moroni; telephone 73-22-03, 73-29-22

Flag description: green with a white crescent placed diagonally (closed side of the crescent points to the upper hoist-side corner of the flag; 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 (which is a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by the Comoros) Comoros ComorosComoros

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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 low level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the leading sector of the economy. It contributes about 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food production, and rice, the main staple, accounts for 90% of imports. During the period 1982-86 the industrial sector grew at an annual average rate of 5.3%, but its contribution to GDP was only 5% in 1988. Despite major investment in the tourist industry, which accounts for about 25% of GDP, growth has stagnated since 1983. A sluggish growth rate of 1.5% during 1985-90 has led to large budget deficits, declining incomes, and balance-of-payments difficulties.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 40% of GDP; most of population works in subsistence agriculture and fishing; plantations produce cash crops for export--vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, and 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

Industries: perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate: 3.4% (1988 est.), accounts for 5% of GDP

Labor force: 140,000 (1982; agriculture 80%, government 3%; 51% of population of working age (1985)

Unemployment rate: over 16% (1988 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $88 million; expenditures $92 million, including capital expenditures of $13 million (1990 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $16 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodities: vanilla, cloves, perfume oil, copra
Partners: US 53%, France 41%, Africa 4%, FRG 2% (1988)

Imports: $41 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodities: rice and other foodstuffs, cement, petroleum products, consumer goods
Partners: Europe 62% (France 22%, other 40%), Africa 5%, Pakistan, China (1988)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $242 million (December 1990)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Comoran francs (CF) per US$1--256.54 (January 1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985; note--linked to the French franc at 50 to 1 French franc


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Electricity
Capacity: 16,000 kW capacity; 24 million kWh produced, 55 kWh per capita (1989)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: $NA, 3% of GDP (1981)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 4 total, 4 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: claims French-administered Mayotte

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs