Comoros

§1. Comoros Introduction

Background:
  Comoros has endured 19 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.
  He pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal
  arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters
  approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the
  spring of 2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president
  and a new union president took office in May 2002.

§2. Comoros Geography

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 references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 2,170 km²
  land: 2,170 km²
  water: 0 km²

Area - 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 extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 35.87%
  permanent crops: 23.32%
  other: 40.81% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  NA km²

Natural hazards:
  cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on
  Grand Comore is an active volcano

Environment - current issues:
  soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes
  without proper terracing; deforestation

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

Geography - note:
  important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

§3. Comoros People

Population:
  690,948 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.7% (male 148,009/female 147,038)
  15-64 years: 54.3% (male 185,107/female 190,139)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 9,672/female 10,983) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.6 years
  male: 18.4 years
  female: 18.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.87% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  36.93 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 72.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 81.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 64.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 62.33 years
  male: 60 years
  female: 64.72 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.03 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.12% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Comoran(s)
  adjective: Comoran

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

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

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

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 56.5%
  male: 63.6%
  female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

§4. Comoros Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
  conventional short form: Comoros
  local long form: Union des Comores
  local short form: Comores

Government type:
  independent republic

Capital:
  Moroni

Administrative divisions:
  3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan
  (Nzwani), Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli (Mwali), Moroni*, Moutsamoudou*

Independence:
  6 July 1975 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Constitution:
  23 December 2001

Legal system:
  French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note -
    following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he
    resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections;
    Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until
    replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of
    External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the
    chief of state and the head of government
  head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note -
    following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he
    resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections;
    Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until
    replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of
    External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the
    chief of state and the head of government
  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 April 2002 (next to be held 14 May
    2006); prime minister appointed by the president; note - AZALI has not
    appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn into office in May 2002
  election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with 75% of
    the vote

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are selected by the
  individual islands' local assemblies and the 18 by universal suffrage;
  deputies 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

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)

Political parties and leaders:
  Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros [AZALI Assowmani]; Camp of the
  Autonomous Islands (a coalition of parties organized by the island
  Presidents in opposition to the Union President) [leader NA]; Front
  National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed
  RACHID]; 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]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO,
  InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Representative to the US and Ambassador to the UN Mahmoud
    M. ABOUD
  chancery: Mission to the US, 336 East 45th Street (2nd floor), New York, NY
    10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius 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, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a
  territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent,
  stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

§5. Comoros Economy

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. Increased foreign support is
  essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances
  from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $441 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $402 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $600 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 40%
  industry: 4%
  services: 56% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  144,500 (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 80%

Unemployment rate:
  20% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  60% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $27.6 million
  expenditures: $NA (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava
  (tapioca)

Industries:
  tourism, perfume distillation

Industrial production growth rate:
  -2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
  18 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  16.74 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:
  700 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-17 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $34 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra

Exports - partners:
  US 43.8%, France 18.6%, Singapore 16.5%, Turkey 4.8%, Germany 4.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $115 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement,
  transport equipment

Imports - partners:
  France 23.5%, South Africa 11%, Kenya 7.5%, UAE 7.2%, Italy 4.9%, Pakistan
  4.7%, Mauritius 4.2%, Singapore 4.1% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $232 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $24 million (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
  Comoran franc (KMF)

Exchange rates:
  Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004), 435.9
  (2003), 522.74 (2002), 549.78 (2001)
  note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran
    francs per euro

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Comoros Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  13,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF
    radiotelephone communication stations
  domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to
    Madagascar and Reunion

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .km

Internet hosts:
  6 (2005)

Internet users:
  8,000 (2005)

§7. Comoros Transportation

Airports:
  4 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2005)

Roadways:
  total: 880 km
  paved: 673 km
  unpaved: 207 km (1999)

Merchant marine:
  total: 117 ships (1000 GRT or over) 522,157 GRT/738,339 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 85, container 1, livestock carrier 1,
    passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 7, refrigerated cargo 5,
    roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 59 (Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 1, Canada 1, Greece 8, India 1,
    Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Lebanon 3, Nigeria 2, Norway 1, Pakistan 2,
    Philippines 1, Russia 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Saudi Arabia
    3, Syria 3, Turkey 10, Ukraine 12, US 2) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Mayotte, Moutsamoudou

§8. Comoros Military

Military branches:
  Comoran Security Force

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 138,940 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 98,792 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $12.87 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3% (2005 est.)

§9. Comoros Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  claims French-administered Mayotte


<Factbook 2006>
