Comoros

independent republicIndependence 31 December 1975 (from France)

Comoros as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 68 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
1992

Every edition of Comoros

Populationas each edition published it
493,853 people July 1992 · 460,188 in 1990
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
6.9 children per woman 1992 · 7 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
84 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 89 in 1990
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
Total area
2,170km2
Comparative area: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
340km
land boundaries: noneExclusive economic zone: 200 nmTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Land area

2,170 km2

Disputes

claims French-administered Mayotte

Climate

tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Terrain

volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Land use

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

Environment

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

Note

important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

People

14 fields
Population
493,853
(July 1992), growth rate 3.5% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth
47Death
12Net migration
0
Labor force
140,000
(1982); agriculture 80%, government 3%; 51% of population of working age (1985)
Literacy
48%
(male 56%, female 40%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980)

Infant mortality rate

84 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth

55 years male, 59 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate

6.9 children born/woman (1992)

Nationality

noun - Comoran(s); adjective - Comoran

Ethnic divisions

Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Religions

Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14%

Languages

official languages are Arabic and French but majority of population speak Comoran, a blend of Swahili and Arabic

Government

Independent republic

17 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

55%
Said Mohamed DJOHAR (Udzima) 55%Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (UNDC) 45%

Long-form name

Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros

Type

independent republic

Capital

Moroni

Administrative divisions

  • three islands;
  • Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mwali, formerly Grand Comore, Anjouan, and Moheli respectively;
  • note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Mutsamudu

Independence

31 December 1975 (from France)

Constitution

1 October 1978, amended October 1982 and January 1985

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Executive branch

president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government:
  • President Said Mohamed DJOHAR (since 11 March 1990);
  • coordinator of National Unity Government (de facto prime minister) - Mohamed Taki ABDULKARIM (1 January 1992)

Suffrage

universal at age 18

Elections

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
President:
last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996); results - Said Mohamed DJOHAR (Udzima) 55%, Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (UNDC) 45%

Member of

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, 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 Kenneth N. PELTIER;
  • Embassy at address NA, Moroni (mailing address B. P. 1318, Moroni);
  • telephone 73-22-03, 73-29-22

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
Unemployment rate
16%
over · (1988 est.)
External debt
$196million
(1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$88 millionExpenditures
$92 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $13 million (1990 est.)

Overview

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 grants and technical assistance.

Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, is the leading sector of the economy. It contributes about 34% 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 only 5% in 1988. Despite major investment in the tourist industry, which accounts for about 25% of GDP, growth has stagnated since 1983. A sluggish growth rate of 1.5% during 1985-90 has led to large budget deficits, declining incomes, and balance-of-payments difficulties.

Preliminary estimates for 1991 show a moderate increase in the growth rate based on increased exports, tourism, and government investment outlays.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $260 million, per capita $540; real growth rate 2.7% (1991 est.)

Exports

$16 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)

commodities:
vanilla, cloves, perfume oil, copra, ylang-ylang
partners:
US 53%, France 41%, Africa 4%, FRG 2% (1988)

Imports

$41 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)

commodities:
rice and other foodstuffs, cement, petroleum products, consumer goods
partners:
Europe 62% (France 22%), Africa 5%, Pakistan, China (1988)

Industrial production

growth rate 3.4% (1988 est.); accounts for 5% of GDP

Electricity

16,000 kW capacity; 25 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials, soft drinks

Agriculture

  • accounts for 34% 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

Economic aid

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY80-89), $10 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $435 million;
  • OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $22 million;
  • Communist countries (1970-89), $18 million

Currency

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

Exchange rates

  • Comoran francs (CF) per US$1 - 269.01 (January 1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987);
  • 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
3

Highways

750 km total; about 210 km bituminous, remainder crushed stone or gravel

Ports

Mutsamudu, Moroni

Civil air

1 major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

  • sparse system of radio relay and high-frequency radio communication stations for interisland and external communications to Madagascar and Reunion;
  • over 1,800 telephones;
  • broadcast stations - 2 AM, 1 FM, no TV

Defense Forces

Comoran Security Forces (FCS), Federal Gendarmerie (GFC)

3 fields

Branches

Comoran Security Forces (FCS), Federal Gendarmerie (GFC)

Manpower availability

males 15-49, 105,022; 62,808 fit for military service

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA of GDP

Central Intelligence Agency. “Comoros.” The World Factbook 1992. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/comoros/1992.

How to cite ← 1991 edition 1993 edition →