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

Comoros’ population is a m�lange 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.

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.)

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.)

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]

One of the world's poorest countries 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; and 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.
Authorities are negotiating with the IMF for triennial program assistance. The government - which is racked by internal political disputes - is struggling 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. Remittances from about 200,000 Comorans contribute about 25% of the country’s GDP. In December 2012 IMF and the World Bank's International Development Association supported $176 million in debt relief for Comoros resulting in a 59% reduction of its future external debt service over a period of 40 years. In late 2013 a US-based investment company invested $200 million in a project to explore for hydrocarbons in Comoran territorial waters the largest financial investment in the country’s history.

$1.214 billion (2015 est.)
$1.202 billion (2014 est.)
$1.179 billion (2013 est.)

1% (2015 est.)
2% (2014 est.)
3.5% (2013 est.)

$1500 (2015 est.)
$1500 (2014 est.)
$1600 (2013 est.)

14.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
12.4% of GDP (2014 est.)
12.2% of GDP (2013 est.)

1.3% (2015 est.)
1.5% (2014 est.)

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

10.5% (31 December 2015 est.)
10.5% (31 December 2014 est.)

$169 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$153.6 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$269.6 million (31 December 2014 est.)
$251.9 million (31 December 2013 est.)

$142.4 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$166.6 million (31 December 2014 est.)

-$60 million (2015 est.)
-$74 million (2014 est.)

$18.9 million (2015 est.)
$19.8 million (2014 est.)

$195.9 million (2015 est.)
$212.6 million (2014 est.)

$132.8 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$145 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar -
443.6 (2015 est.)
370.81 (2014 est.)
370.81 (2013 est.)
382.9 (2012 est.)
353.9 (2011 est.)