Comoros

Federal Islamic Republic of the ComorosRepublique Federale Islamique des Comores

independent republicIndependence 6 July 1975 (from France)

Comoros as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 73 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
Locationin the extreme northern Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way
1993

Every edition of Comoros

Populationas each edition published it
511,651 people July 1993 est. · 460,188 in 1990
Population growth% a year
3.54% 1993 est. · 1.26% in 2025
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 18.6 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
57.35 years 1993 est. · 67.8 yrs in 2025
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.86 children per woman 1993 est. · 7 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
81.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 89 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$540 1991 est. · $3,600 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
2.7% 1991 est. · 3.4% in 2025

Geography

In the extreme northern Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way | between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique

14 fields

Land useshare of 2,170 km2

arable land 35%permanent crops 8%meadows and pastures 7%forest and woodland 16%other 34%
Area
2,170km2
land area: 2,170 km2comparative area: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
340km
land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

in the extreme northern Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

claims French-administered Mayotte

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
511,651
(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 3.54% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth
46.75Death
11.31Net migration
0

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years57.35
55.23 · 59.55
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy48%
56% · 40%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
Labor force
140,000
(1982)by occupation: agriculture 80%, government 3%note: 51% of population of working age (1985)

Infant mortality rate

81.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.86 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Comoran(s)
adjective:
Comoran

Ethnic divisions

Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Religions

Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14%

Languages

Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)

Government

Independent republic

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

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

Names

conventional long form:
Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
conventional short form:
Comoros
local long form:
Republique Federale Islamique des Comores
local short form:
Comores

Type

independent republic

Capital

Moroni

Administrative divisions

three islands; Njazidja (Grand Comore), Nzwani (Anjouan), and Mwali (Moheli) note: there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Mutsamudu

Independence

6 July 1975 (from France)

Constitution

7 June 1992

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Political parties and leaders

  • over 20 political parties are currently active, the most important of which are;
  • Comoran Union for Progress (UDZIMA), Omar TAMOU;
  • Islands' Fraternity and Unity Party (CHUMA), Said Ali KEMAL;
  • Comoran Party for Democracy and Progress (PCDP), Ali MROUDJAE;
  • Realizing Freedom's Capability (UWEZO), Mouazair ABDALLAH;
  • Democratic Front of the Comoros (FDR), Moustapha CHELKH;
  • Dialogue Proposition Action (DPA/MWANGAZA), Said MCHAWGAMA;
  • Rally for Change and Democracy (RACHADE), Hassan HACHIM;
  • Union for Democracy and Decentralization (UNDC), Mohamed Taki Halidi IBRAHAM;
  • Maecha Bora, leader NA;
  • MDP/NGDC (expansion NA), leader NA;
  • Comoran Popular Front (FPC), Mohamed HASSANALI, Mohamed El Arif OUKACHA, Abdou MOUSTAKIM (Secretary General)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Elections

Federal Assembly:
  • last held November-December 1992 (next to be held NA March 1997);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (42 total) UNDC 7, CHUMA 3, ADP 2, MDP/NGDC 5, FDC 2, MAECHA BORA 2, FPC 2, RACHADE 1, UWEZO 1, MWANGAZA 1, 16 other seats to smaller parties
President:
last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996); results - Said Mohamed DJOHAR (UDZIMA) 55%, Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (UNDC) 45%

Executive branch

president, Council of Ministers (cabinet), prime minister

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); Prime Minister Ibrahim HALIDI (since 1 January 1992)

Member of

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
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 diplomatic representation

chief of mission:
Ambassador Kenneth N. PELTIER
embassy:
address NA, Moroni
mailing address:
B. P. 1318, Moroni
telephone:
[269] 73-22-03, 73-29-22
FAX:
no service available at this time

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.

18 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$540
(1991 est.)
Real growth rate
2.7%
(1991 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -6.5% (1989 est.); accounts for 10% of GDP
Unemployment rate
16%
over · (1988 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$96 millionExpenditures
$88 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $33 million (1991 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 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 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 FY92 show a moderate increase in the growth rate based on increased exports, tourism, and government investment outlays.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $260 million (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)

External debt

$196 million (1991 est.)

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

1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

  • Comoran francs (CF) per US$1 - 274.06 (January 1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988));
  • note - linked to the French franc at 50 to 1 French franc

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

4 fields

Highways

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

Ports

Mutsamudu, Moroni

Airports

total:
4
usable:
4
with permanent-surface runways:
4
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
3

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 Defense Force (FDC)

3 fields

Branches

Comoran Defense Force (FDC)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 108,867; fit for military service 65,106 (1993 est.)

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Central Intelligence Agency. “Comoros.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/comoros/1993.

How to cite ← 1992 edition 1994 edition →