Comoros

Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He has pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002.

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

0-14 years:

42.9% (male 132,013; female 131,282)

15-64 years:

54.2% (male 164,245; female 168,793)

65 years and over:

2.9% (male 8,588; female 9,461) (2002 est.)

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.91 male(s)/female

total population:

0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

noun:

Comoran(s)

adjective:

Comoran

conventional long form:

Union of the Comoros

conventional short form:

Comoros

local short form:

Comores

local long form:

Union des Comores

• 3 islands;
• Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali);
• note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou

chief of state:

• President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002);
• note - AZALI Assoumani became president on 6 May 1999 after a bloodless coup on 30 April 1999;
• on 16 January 2002, President AZALI resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections;
• during that time, Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO served as interim president;
• AZALI Assoumani sworn in as president on 26 May 2002

election results:

President AZALI Assoumani elected president with 75% of the vote

elections:

• president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
• election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007);
• prime minister appointed by the president

head of government:

• Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO (since NA November 2000);
• note - on 16 January 2002, President AZALI resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections;
• Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president and Djaffar SALIM interim deputy prime minister

cabinet:

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

• Front National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed Abdallah MOHAMED, Ahmed ABOUBACAR, Soidiki M'BAPANOZA];
• Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the government) [Ali Bazi SELIM]

chief of mission:

Ambassador-designate Ahmed DJABIR (ambassador to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)

telephone:

[1] (212) 972-8010 and 223-2711

FAX:

[1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699

chancery:

(temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Federal and Islamic Republic of the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York, NY 10022

• four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist;
• centered within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent;
• the horizontal bands and 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 crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

revenues:

$27.6 million

expenditures:

$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

general assessment:

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

total:

880 km

paved:

673 km

unpaved:

207 km (1996)

total:

6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 139,779 GRT/205,369 DWT

ships by type:

cargo 6

note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Malta 1, Pakistan 1, Turkey 1 (2002 est.)