Comoros

• the capital city of Maroni, on the western side of the island of Grande Comore, is the country's largest city;
• however, Anjouan is the most densely populated of the three islands that comprise Comoros, as shown in this population distribution map

noun:

Comoran(s)

adjective:

Comoran

total:

23.1 years (2025 est.)

male:

22.1 years

female:

23.3 years

• the capital city of Maroni, on the western side of the island of Grande Comore, is the country's largest city;
• however, Anjouan is the most densely populated of the three islands that comprise Comoros, as shown in this population distribution map

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.77 male(s)/female

total population:

0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

53.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

64.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

44.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

67.8 years (2024 est.)

male:

65.5 years

female:

70.2 years

total:

0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

14.7% (2025 est.)

male:

24.8% (2025 est.)

female:

4.7% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

4.9% (2022)

women married by age 18:

20.7% (2022)

men married by age 18:

6.9% (2022)

• deforestation;
• soil degradation and erosion from forest loss and crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing;
• silting of coral reefs

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

urban population:

30.1% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

2.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

91,000 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

10.1% (2022 est.)

municipal:

4.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

500,000 cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

4.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Union of the Comoros

conventional short form:

Comoros

local long form:

Udzima wa Komori (Comorian)/Union des Comores (French)/Al Ittihad al Qumuri (Arabic)

local short form:

Komori (Comorian)/Les Comores (French)/Juzur al Qamar (Arabic)

former:

Comorian State, Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros

etymology:

name derives from the Arabic al qamar , meaning "the moon"

name:

Moroni

geographic coordinates:

11 42 S, 43 14 E

time difference:

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

the name means "at the place of fire," referring to the capital's location below the active volcano Mt. Karthala

history:

previous 1996, 2001; newest adopted 30 July 2018

amendment process:

• proposed by the president of the union or supported by at least one third of the Assembly of the Union membership;
• adoption requires approval by at least three-quarters majority of the total Assembly membership or approval in a referendum

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

highest court(s):

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 7 judges)

judge selection and term of office:

Supreme Court judges - selection and term of office NA

subordinate courts:

• Court of Appeals (in Moroni);
• Tribunal de première instance;
• island village (community) courts;
• religious courts

chief of mission:

Ambassador Issimail CHANFI (since 23 December 2020); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN

chancery:

Permanent Mission to the UN, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 495, New York, NY 10017

telephone:

[1] (212) 750-1637

FAX:

[1] (212) 750-1657

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://www.un.int/comoros/

description:

• four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue, with a green isosceles triangle based on the left;
• a vertical white crescent moon is centered in the triangle, with four five-pointed white stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent

meaning:

the horizontal bands and the stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -- Mwali, N'gazidja, Ndzuwani, and Mahore (Mayotte is a department of France, but claimed by Comoros)

note: the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

• the coat of arms is in the national colors of green and white;
• was adopted in 1978;
• the crescent and stars represent Islam, with the four stars also symbolizing the archipelago’s four main islands: Grande Comore, Mohéli, Anjouan, and Mayotte (the last of which is a French department claimed by Comoros);
• above and below the sun’s rays is the name of the nation written in French and Arabic;
• two olive branches, representing peace, are connected by a banner with the national motto in French, which translates as "Unity, Solidarity, Development"

title:

"Udzima wa ya Masiwa" (The Union of the Great Islands)

lyrics/music:

Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE/Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE and Kamildine ABDALLAH

history:

adopted 1978

• small trade-based island economy;
• declining remittances;
• new structural and fiscal reforms;
• adverse cyclone and COVID-19 impacts;
• manageable debts;
• fragile liquidity environment;
• large foreign direct investment;
• state-owned enterprises suffering

total:

8.9% (2024 est.)

male:

8.3% (2024 est.)

female:

9.6% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

• 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

total:

3,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:

(2023 est.) less than 1

total ports:

4 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

0

very small:

4

ports with oil terminals:

3

key ports:

Dzaoudzi, Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudu

• National Army for Development (l'Armee Nationale de Developpement, AND): Comoran Defense Force (Force Comorienne de Defense or FCD; includes Comoran National Gendarmerie);
• Ministry of Interior: Coast Guard, Federal Police, National Directorate of Territorial Safety (customs and immigration) (2024)

note 1: when the Gendarmerie serves as the judicial police, it reports to the Minister of Justice; the Gendarmerie also has an intervention platoon that may act under the authority of the Interior Minister

note 2: the FCD is also known as the Comoran Security Force

• the focus for the security forces is search and rescue operations and maintaining internal security;
• a defense treaty with France provides naval resources for the protection of territorial waters, training of Comoran military personnel, and air surveillance;
• France maintains a small maritime base and a Foreign Legion contingent on neighboring Mayotte (2024)

refugees:

18 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

38 (2024 est.)