Comoros
Federal Islamic Republic of the ComorosRepublique Federale Islamique des Comores
independent republicIndependence 6 July 1975 (from France)
Comoros as the 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 91 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, | about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern | Mozambique
18 fieldsLocation
Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Land use
- arable land:
- 35%
- permanent crops:
- 10%
- permanent pastures:
- 7%
- forests and woodland:
- 18%
- other:
- 30% (1993 est.)
Natural hazards
cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Mount 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
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1998 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 43% (male 116,345; female 115,886)
- 15-64 years:
- 54% (male 146,655; female 150,612)
- 65 years and over:
- 3% (male 7,644; female 8,386) (July 1998 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.97 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.91 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Government
Independent republic; President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (since 16 March 1996); Prime Minister Nourdine BOURHANE (since 6 December 1997)
18 fieldsLegislature, 43 seats, elected 1 and 8 December 1996one dot, one seat
Country name
- 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
Administrative divisions
three islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali) note: there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Mutsamudu
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (since 16 March 1996)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Nourdine BOURHANE (since 6 December 1997)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the president
- elections:
- president elected by popular vote to a five-year term;
- election last held 16 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2001);
- prime minister appointed by the president
- election results:
- Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim elected president; share of vote-64%
Legislative branch
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (15 seats; members selected by regional councils for six-year terms) and a Federal Assembly or Assemblee Federale (43 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 1 and 8 December 1996 (next to be held NA December 2000)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-RND 39, RND candidate running as independent 1, FNJ 3
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Cour Supremes, two members are appointed by the president, two members are elected by the Federal Assembly, one by the Council of each island, and former presidents of the republic
Political parties and leaders
- Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND [Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim], party of the government;
- Front National pour la Justice or FNJ, Islamic party in opposition
note: under a new constitution ratified in October 1996, a two party system was established; President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim called for all parties to dissolve and join him in creating the RND;
the constitution stipulates that only parties that win six seats in the Federal Assembly (two from each island) are permitted to be in opposition, but if no party accomplishes that the second most successful party will be in opposition; in the elections of December 1996 the FNJ appeared to qualify as opposition
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, InOC, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Ahmed DJABIR (ambassador to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)
- chancery:
- (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Federal and Islamic Republic of the Comoros to the United Nations, 336 East 45th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017
- telephone:
- [1] (212) 972-8010
Diplomatic representation from the US
the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros
Flag description
- green with a white crescent in the center of the field, its points facing downward;
- 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 (a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros);
- the design, the most recent of several, is described in the constitution approved by referendum on 7 June 1992
Economy
28 fieldsGDP-composition by sector(1996 est.)
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, 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; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports.
The government is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population growth rate. Continued foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be maintained in the late 1990s.
Industries
tourism, perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials, soft drinks
Exports
- total value:
- $11.4 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
- commodities:
- vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra
- partners:
- France 54%, Germany 18%, US 18%
Imports
- total value:
- $70 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
- commodities:
- rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment
- partners:
- France 60%, South Africa 10%, Kenya 5%, Singapore 4%
Exchange rates
Comoran francs (CF) per US$1-456.27 (January 1998), 437.75 (1997), 383.66 (1996), 374.36 (1995), 416.40 (1994), 283.16 (1993) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the Comoran franc was devalued to 75 per French franc from 50 per French franc at which it had been fixed since 1948
Telephone system
sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations
- domestic:
- HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
- international:
- HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
Transportation
6 fieldsNetworkskm
Military
Comoran Security Force
5 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Comoros.” The World Factbook 1998. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/comoros/1998.