Statistical information Comoros 2017

Comoros in the World

Comoros - Introduction 2017

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Background: The archipelago of the Comoros in the Indian Ocean composed of the islands of Mayotte Anjouan Moheli and Grand Comore declared independence from France on 6 July 1975. France did not recognize the independence of Mayotte which remains under French administration. Since independence Comoros has endured political instability through realized and attempted coups. In 1997 the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999 military chief Col. AZALI Assoumani seized power of the entire government in a bloodless coup; he initiated the 2000 Fomboni Accords a power-sharing agreement in which the federal presidency rotates among the three islands and each island maintains its local government. AZALI won the 2002 federal presidential election as president of the Union of the Comoros from Grand Comore Island which held the first five-year term. AZALI stepped down in 2006 and President Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed SAMBI was elected to office as president from Anjouan. In 2007 Mohamed BACAR effected Anjouan's de-facto secession from the Union of the Comoros refusing to step down 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 to Anjouan but in March 2008 the AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island. The island's inhabitants generally welcomed the move. In May 2011 Ikililou DHOININE won the presidency in peaceful elections widely deemed to be free and fair. In closely contested elections in 2016 former President AZALI Assoumani won a second term when the rotating presidency returned to Grande Comore.

Comoros - Geography 2017

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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

Geographic coordinates: 12 10 S 44 15 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 2,235 km²
Land: 2,235 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 180
Comparative: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 340 km

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

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

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

Elevation
Mean elevation: NA
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m: highest point: Karthala 2,360 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use

Land use
Agricultural land: 84.4%

arable land: 46.7%
permanent crops: 29.6%
permanent pasture: 8.1%

Forest: 1.4%
Other: 14.2%

Irrigated land: 1.3 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); volcanic activity on Grand Comore
Volcanism: Karthala on Grand Comore Island last erupted in 2007; a 2005 eruption forced thousands of people to be evacuated and produced a large ash cloud

Geography
Note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

Comoros - People 2017

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Population
Distribution: the capital city of Maroni located on the western side of the island of Grande Comore is the country's largest city; however of the three islands that comprise Comoros it is Anjouan that is the most densely populated: 808,080 (July 2017 est.)
Rank: 163
Growth rate: 1.64% (2017 est.)
Growth rate rank: 67
Below poverty line: 44.8% (2004 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Comoran
Adjective: Comoran

Ethnic groups: Antalote Cafre Makoa Oimatsaha Sakalava

Languages: Arabic (official) French (official) Shikomoro (official; a blend of Swahili and Arabic) (Comorian)

Religions: Sunni Muslim 98% other (including Shia Muslim Roman Catholic Jehovah's Witness Protestant) 2%
Note: Islam is the state religion

Demographic profile:

Comoros’ population is a melange of Arabs Persians Indonesians Africans and Indians and the much smaller number of Europeans that settled on the islands between the 8th and 19th centuries when they served as a regional trade hub. The Arab and Persian influence is most evident in the islands’ overwhelmingly Muslim majority – about 98% of Comorans are Sunni Muslims. The country is densely populated averaging nearly 350 people per square mile although this varies widely among the islands with Anjouan being the most densely populated.
Given the large share of land dedicated to agriculture and Comoros’ growing population habitable land is becoming increasingly crowded. The combination of increasing population pressure on limited land and resources widespread poverty and poor job prospects motivates thousands of Comorans each year to attempt to illegally migrate using small fishing boats to the neighboring island of Mayotte which is a French territory. The majority of legal Comoran migration to France came after Comoros’ independence from France in 1975 with the flow peaking in the mid-1980s.
At least 150,000 to 200,000 people of Comoran citizenship or descent live abroad mainly in France where they have gone seeking a better quality of life job opportunities higher education (Comoros has no universities) advanced health care and to finance elaborate traditional wedding ceremonies (aada). Remittances from the diaspora are an economic mainstay in 2013 representing approximately 25% of Comoros’ GDP and significantly more than the value of its exports of goods and services (only 15% of GDP). Grand Comore Comoros’ most populous island is both the primary source of emigrants and the main recipient of remittances. Most remittances are spent on private consumption but this often goes toward luxury goods and the aada and does not contribute to economic development or poverty reduction. Although the majority of the diaspora is now French-born with more distant ties to Comoros it is unclear whether they will sustain the current level of remittances.

Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years: 39.35%
15-24 years: 19.53%
25-54 years: 32.91%
55-64 years: 4.27%
65 years and over: 3.94% (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 75.5
Youth dependency ratio: 70.5
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.1
Potential support ratio: 19.7

Median age
Total: 19.9 years
Male: 19.2 years
Female: 20.5 years
Rank: 194

Population growth rate: 1.64% (2017 est.)
Rank: 67

Birth rate: 26.1 births/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 48

Death rate: 7.2 deaths/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 124

Net migration rate: -2.4 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 169

Population distribution: the capital city of Maroni located on the western side of the island of Grande Comore is the country's largest city; however of the three islands that comprise Comoros it is Anjouan that is the most densely populated

Urbanization
Urban population: 28.5% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.71% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: MORONI (capital) 56,000 (2014)

Environment
Current issues: soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
0-14 years: 0.99 male/female
15-24 years: 0.94 male/female
25-54 years: 0.9 male/female
55-64 years: 0.8 male/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male/female
Total population: 0.94 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth: 24.6 years
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 60 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 70.3 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 49.4 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 18

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 64.6 years
Male: 62.3 years
Female: 67 years
Rank: 182

Total fertility rate: 3.34 children born/woman (2017 est.)
Rank: 46

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 19.4% (2012)

Drinking water source:

urban: 92.6% of population
rural: 89.1% of population
total: 90.1% of population
urban: 7.4% of population
rural: 10.9% of population
total: 9.9% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 2.2 beds/1000 population (2006)

Sanitation facility access:

urban: 48.3% of population
rural: 30.9% of population
total: 35.8% of population
urban: 51.7% of population
rural: 69.1% of population
total: 64.2% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: .1% (2016 est.)
People living with hivaids: 200 (2016 est.)
Deaths: 100 (2016 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 7.8% (2016)
Rank: 157

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 16.9% (2012)
Rank: 39

Education expenditures: 5.1% of GDP (2014)
Rank: 15

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 77.8%
Male: 81.8%
Female: 73.7%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 11 years

Youth unemployment

Comoros - Government 2017

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Country name
Conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
Conventional short form: Comoros
Local long form: Udzima wa Komori ; Union des Comores (French); Jumhuriyat al Qamar al Muttahidah (Arabic)
Local short form: Komori ; Comores (French); Juzur al Qamar (Arabic)
Etymology: name derives from the Arabic designation 'Juzur al Qamar' meaning 'Islands of the Moon'

Government type: federal presidential republic

Capital
Name: Moroni
Geographic coordinates: 11 42 S 43 14 E
Time difference: UTC+3

Administrative divisions: 3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Anjouan (Ndzuwani) Domoni* Fomboni* Grande Comore (N'gazidja) Moheli (Mwali) Moroni* Moutsamoudou*

Dependent areas

Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day 6 July (1975)

Constitution
History: previous 1996; latest ratified 23 December 2001
Amendments: proposed by the president of the union or supported by at least one-third of the Assembly of the Union membership; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority of the total Assembly membership and approval by at least two-thirds of the membership of the Island Councils or approval in a referendum; amended 2009 2014

Legal system: mixed legal system of Islamic religious law the French civil code of 1975 and customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Comoros
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President AZALI Assoumani
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: the Union presidency rotates among the 3 islands; president directly elected by simple majority popular vote in 2 rounds for a single nonrenewable 5-year term ; note - in addition to the Union president each island elects its own president
Election results: AZALI Assoumani elected president in the second round of voting by a plurality; percent of vote in first round - Mohamed Ali SOILIHI 17.6% Mouigni BARAKA 15.1% AZALI Assoumani 15.0% Fahmi Said IBRAHIM 14.5%; percent of vote in second round - AZALI Assoumani 41.0% Mohamed Ali SOILIHI 39.9%; Mouigni BARAKA 19.1%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Assembly of the Union
Elections: last held on 25 January 2015 with a runoff on 22 February 2015
Election results: percent of vote by party - UPDC 29.1% PJ 20.5% RDC 21.3% other 29.1%; seats by party - UPDC 8 PJ 7 RDC 2 CRC 2 RADHI 1 PEC 1 independents 3; note - in addition 9 seats will be filled by nominations from the 3 island assemblies

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme ; Constitutional Court (consists of 8 members)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges - 2 selected by the president of the Union 2 by the Assembly of the Union and 1 each by the 3 island councils; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court members appointed - 1 by the president 1 each by the 3 vice presidents 1 by the Assembly and 1 each by the island executives; all members serve 6-year renewable terms
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeals ; Tribunal de premiere instance; island village (community) courts; religious courts

Political parties and leaders:

Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assoumani]
Democratic Rally of the Comoros or RDC [Mouigni BARAKA]
Juwa Party or PJ [Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI]
Party for the Comorian Agreement (Partie Pour l'Entente Commorienne) or PEC [Fahmi Said IBRAHIM]
Rally for an Alternative of Harmonious and Integrated Development or RADHI [Abdou SOEFO]
Rally with a Development Intiiative for Enlightened Youth or RIDJA [Said LARIFOU]
Union for the Development of the Comoros or UPDC [Mohamed HALIFA]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AMF AOSIS AU CAEU (candidates) COMESA FAO FZ G-77 IBRD ICAO ICCt ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO IMSO InOC Interpol IOC IOM ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) LAS MIGA NAM OIC OIF OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Soilihi Mohamed SOILIHI
In the us chancery: Mission to the US 866 United Nations Plaza Suite 418 New York NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] 750-1637
In the us FAX: [1] 750-1657
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the US Ambassador to Madagascar is accredited to Comoros

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 N'gazidja Ndzuwani and Mahore (Mayotte - department of France but claimed by Comoros)
Note: the crescent stars and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

National symbols: four stars and crescent; national colors: green white

National anthem
Name: 'Udzima wa ya Masiwa'
Lyrics and music: Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE/Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE and Kamildine ABDALLAH
Note: adopted 1978

National heritage

Comoros - Economy 2017

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Economy overview:

One of the world's poorest countries the Comoros is made up of three islands that are hampered by 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 and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture including fishing hunting and forestry accounts for 50% of GDP employs 80% of the labor force and provides most of the exports. Export income is heavily reliant on the three main crops of vanilla cloves and ylang ylang (perfume essence); and the Comoros' export earnings are easily disrupted by disasters such as fires and extreme weather. Despite agriculture’s importance to the economy the country imports roughly 70% of its food; rice the main staple accounts for the bulk of imports. Remittances from about 300,000 Comorans contribute about 25% of the country’s GDP.
The new government elected in mid-2016 will be challenged to provide basic services upgrade education and technical training privatize commercial and industrial enterprises improve health services diversify exports promote tourism and reduce the high population growth rate. Recurring political instability sometimes initiated from outside the country has inhibited growth. In late 2015 Saudi Arabia provided a large budget grant to the Comorian Government allowing arrears to be cleared and resulting in an overall fiscal surplus for 2016. The government has moved to improve revenue mobilization reduce expenditures and improve electricity access.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:

$1.259 billion (2016 est.)
$1.217 billion (2015 est.)
$1.191 billion (2014 est.)

Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 200

Real gdp growth rate:

2.2% (2016 est.)
1% (2015 est.)
2% (2014 est.)

Rank: 128

Real gdp per capita:

$1500 (2016 est.)
$1500 (2015 est.)
$1600 (2014 est.)

Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 218

Gross national saving:

10.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
18.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
10.6% of GDP (2014 est.)

Rank: 147

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 102%
Government consumption: 19.2%
Investment in fixed capital: 6.6%
Investment in inventories: 5.2%
Exports of goods and services: 18%
Imports of goods and services: -51%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 49.7%
Industry: 11.9%
Services: 38.4%

Agriculture products: vanilla cloves ylang-ylang (perfume essence) coconuts bananas cassava (manioc)

Industries: fishing tourism perfume distillation

Industrial production growth rate: -0.4% (2016 est.)
Rank: 161

Labor force: 278,500 (2016 est.)
Rank: 166
By occupation agriculture: 80%
By occupation industry and services: 20%

Labor force

Unemployment rate: 6.5% (2014 est.)
Rank: 85

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 44.8% (2004 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 0.9%
Highest 10: 55.2%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $142.8 million
Expenditures: $179.2 million
Surplus or deficit: -5.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 168

Taxes and other revenues: 23% of GDP (2016 est.)
Rank: 130

Public debt:

26.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
25.2% of GDP (2015 est.)

Rank: 171

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:

1.8% (2016 est.)
1.3% (2015 est.)

Rank: 119

Central bank discount rate:

1.93% (31 December 2010)
2.21% (31 December 2009)

Rank: 117

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

10.5% (31 December 2016 est.)
10.5% (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 76

Stock of narrow money:

$180.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$169 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 185

Stock of broad money:

$268.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$251.7 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 190

Stock of domestic credit:

$183.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$142.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 185

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance:

$-62 million (2016 est.)
$3.51 million (2015 est.)

Rank: 67

Exports:

$17.9 million (2016 est.)
$16.95 million (2015 est.)

Rank: 215
Commodities: vanilla ylang-ylang (perfume essence) cloves
Partners: France 25.6% South Korea 15% Germany 11.8% India 10.4% Singapore 4.4% Russia 4.2% Mauritius 4.1% (2016)

Imports:

$189 million (2016 est.)
$184.9 million (2015 est.)

Rank: 207
Commodities: rice and other foodstuffs consumer goods petroleum products cement and construction materials transport equipment
Partners: UAE 29.5% France 21.2% China 11.3% Pakistan 7.3% Madagascar 6.2% India 4.7% (2016)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external:

$132 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$133.5 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 192

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:

Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar -
444.76 (2016 est.)
444.76 (2015 est.)
443.6 (2014 est.)
370.81 (2013 est.)
382.9 (2012 est.)

Comoros - Energy 2017

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Electricity
Access population without electricity: 200,000
Access electrification total population: 69%
Access electrification urban areas: 89%
Access electrification rural areas: 62%
Production: 54 million kWh (2015 est.)
Production rank: 206
Consumption: 50.22 million kWh (2015 est.)
Consumption rank: 204
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 122
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 135
Installed generating capacity: 26,000 kW (2015 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 204
Generation sources fossil fuels: 96.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 49
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 69
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 131
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 176

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 120
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 107
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 111
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 120

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products production rank: 129
Products consumption: 1300 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption rank: 202
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products exports rank: 143
Products imports: 1350 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products imports rank: 197

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 121
Consumption: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 169
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 86
Imports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 109
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 es)
Proven reserves rank: 127

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 200,000 Mt (2013 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 201

Energy consumption per capita

Comoros - Communication 2017

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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 13,049
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2
Fixed lines rank: 178
Mobile cellular total: 454,213
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 57
Mobile cellular rank: 173

Telephone system
General assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations
Domestic: fixed-line connections only about 2 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage over 55 per 100 persons; two companies Comoros Telecom and Telma provide domestic and international mobile service and wireless data.
International: country code - 269; landing point for the EASSy fiber-optic submarine cable system connecting East Africa with Europe and North America; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion

Broadcast media: national state-owned TV station and a TV station run by Anjouan regional government; national state-owned radio; regional governments on the islands of Grande Comore and Anjouan each operate a radio station; a few independent and small community radio stations operate on the islands of Grande Comore and Moheli and these two islands have access to Mayotte Radio and French TV (2007)

Internet
Country code: .km
Users total: 63,084
Users percent of population: 7.9%
Users rank: 182

Broadband fixed subscriptions

Comoros - Military 2017

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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for 2-year voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (2015)

Space program

Terrorist groups

Comoros - Transportation 2017

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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 9

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: D6 (2016)

Airports: 4 (2013)
Rank: 186
With paved runways total: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 880 km
Paved: 673 km
Unpaved: 207 km
Rank: 188

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 149
By type: bulk carrier 16 cargo 83 carrier 5 chemical tanker 5 container 2 passenger 2 passenger/cargo 1 petroleum tanker 17 refrigerated cargo 10 roll on/roll off 8
Foreign owned: 73 (2010)
Rank: 40

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Moroni Mutsamudu

Comoros - Transnational issues 2017

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Disputes international: claims French-administered Mayotte and challenges France's and Madagascar's claims to Banc du Geyser a drying reef in the Mozambique Channel; in May 2008 African Union forces assisted the Comoros military recapture Anjouan Island from rebels who seized it in 2001

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Rank: li>a href='../rankorder/rankorderguide.html'>Guide to Country Comparisons

Illicit drugs