Comoros

independent republicIndependence 6 July 1975 (from France)

Comoros as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 67 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalMoroni

Area2,170 km2

Populationas each edition published it

460,188 people July 1990 · 911,707 in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 3.54% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.6 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 57.35 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

7 children per woman 1990 · 2.52 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

89 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 53.9 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $540 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.7% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Land useshare of 2,170 km2

arable land 35%permanent crops 8%meadows and pastures 7%forest and woodland 16%other 34%

Total area

2,170km2

land area: 2,170 km2Comparative area: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

340km

land boundaries: noneTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Terrain

volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Environment

soil degradation and erosion;
deforestation;
cyclones possible during rainy season

Note

important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

People

14 fields

Population

460,188

(July 1990), growth rate 3.5% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

48Death

12Net migration

Religion

Sunni Muslim 86%Roman Catholic 14%

Labor force

140,000

(1982); 80% agriculture, 3% government; 51% of population of working age (1985)

Literacy

15%

Ethnic divisions

Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Language

Shaafi Islam (a Swahili dialect), Malagasy, French

Government

Independent republic

16 fields

Federal Assembly, 42 seats, elected 22 March 1987one dot, one seat

Udzima 42

Administrative divisions

3 islands;
Anjouan, Grande Comore, Moheli;
note--there may also be 4 municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Mutsamudu

Constitution

1 October 1978, amended October 1982 and January 1985

Legal system

French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code

Executive branch

president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Chief of State and Head of Government--President Said Mohamed DJOHAR (since 11 March 1990)

Political parties

Comoran Union for Progress (Udzima), Said Mohamed Djohar, president; National Union for Democracy (UNDC), Mohamed Taki

Suffrage

universal at age 18 President--last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996);
results--Said Mohamed Djohar (Udzima) 55%;
Mohamed Taki Abdulkarim (UNDC) 45%;
Federal Assembly--last held 22 March 1987 (next to be held March 1992);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(42 total) Udzima 42

Member of

ACP, AfDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, ILO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Amini Ali MOUMIN;
Chancery (temporary) at the Comoran Permanent Mission to the UN, 336 East 45th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017;
telephone (212) 972-8010;
US--Ambassador Howard K. WALKER, resides in Antananarivo (Madagascar);
Embassy at address NA, Moroni (mailing address B. P. 1318, Moroni);
telephone 73-12-03

Flag

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)

Economy

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.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$207million

per capita $475; real growth rate 0.1% (1988 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

8.3%

(1986)

Unemployment rate

16%

over · (1988 est.)

External debt

$238million

(December 1988)

Budget

Revenues

$75.2 millionExpenditures

$77.9 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $4.8 million (1988 est.)

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 technical assistance.

Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the leading sector of the economy. It contributes about 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 the period 1982-86 the industrial sector grew at an annual average rate of 5.3%, but its contribution to GDP was less than 4% in 1986. Despite major investment in the tourist industry, which accounts for about 25% of GDP, growth has stagnated since 1983.

Exports

$12 million (f.o.b., 1987);
commodities--vanilla, cloves, perfume oil, copra;
partners--US 53%, France 41%, Africa 4%, FRG 2%

Imports

$52 million (c.i.f., 1987);
commodities--rice and other foodstuffs, cement, petroleum products, consumer goods;
partners--Europe 62% (France 22%, other 40%), Africa 5%, Pakistan, China

accounts for 40% of GDP;
most of population works in subsistence agriculture and fishing;
plantations produce cash crops for export--vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, and 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

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY80-88), $9 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $371 million;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $22 million;
Communist countries (1970-88), $18 million

Currency

Comoran franc (plural--francs); 1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Comoran francs (CF) per US$1--287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985);
note--linked to the French franc at 50 to 1 French franc

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

5 fields

Airports, 4 total, 4 usable

permanent-surface runways

4runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

1runways 1,220-2,439 m

sparse system of radio relay and high-frequency radio communication stations for interisland and external communications to Madagascar and Reunion;
over 1,800 telephones;
stations--2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV