Map of Comoros | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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: Southeastern Africa, in the extreme northern Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 2,170 km²
Land: 2,170 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

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: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: cyclones possible during rainy season

Geography
Note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel


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Population: 530,136 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 3.55% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Comoran(s)

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

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

Religions: Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.55% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 46.48 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 10.95 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: soil degradation and erosion; deforestation
International agreements: signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 79.6 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 57.81 years
Male: 55.63 years
Female: 60.06 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.79 children born/woman (1994 est.)

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: age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
Total population: 48%
Male: 56%
Female: 40%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
Conventional short form:

Government 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

Dependent areas

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: :President Said Mohamed DJOHAR (since 11 March 1990); election last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996); results - Said Mohamed DJOHAR (UDZIMA) 55%, Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (UNDC) 45%
Head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Abdou MADI (since 6 January 1994) appointed by President DJOHAR 6 January 1994 (DJOHAR has appointed 14 prime ministers in the last three years)

Legislative branch: Comoran Defense Force (FDC)
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; 2 seats remained unfilled
Note: opposition is boycotting the National Assembly until the government promises to investigate fraud in the last election

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, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Amini Ali MOUMIN
From the us chancery: (temporary) at the Comoran Permanent Mission to the UN, 336 East 45th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10,017
From the us telephone: (212) 972-8,010
From the us fax: (212) 983-4,712
From the us: none; post closed in September 1993

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)

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, 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, and rice, the main staple, accounts for 90% of imports. During 1982-86 the industrial sector grew at an annual average rate of 5.3%, but its contribution to GDP is small. 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. Estimates for 1992 show a moderate increase in the growth rate based on increased exports, tourism, and government investment outlays.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 5% (1992 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $700 (1993 est.)

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, 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, soft drinks

Industrial production growth rate: -6.5% (1989 est.), accounts for 10% of GDP

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

Unemployment rate: over 15.9% (1989)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$96 million

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: $21 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodities: vanilla, cloves, perfume oil, copra, ylang-ylang
Partners: US 53%, France 41%, Africa 4%, FRG 2% (1988)

Imports: $60 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodities: rice and other foodstuffs, cement, petroleum products, consumer goods
Partners: Europe 62% (France 22%), Africa 5%, Pakistan, China (1988)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $160 million (1992 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Comoran francs (CF) per US$1 - 444.03 (January 1994), 254.57 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989)
Note: beginning 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


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Electricity
Capacity: 16,000 kW
Production: 25 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 50 kWh (1991)

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
Dollar figure: $NA, NA% of GDP

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
Usable: 4
With permanentsurface runways: 4
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 3

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