1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 2,170 sq km land area: 2,170 sq km comparative area: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Coastline
340 km
Environment
current issues: soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation natural hazards: cyclones and tsunamis possible during rainy season (December to April); Mount Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification
International disputes
claims French-administered Mayotte
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 35% permanent crops: 8% meadows and pastures: 7% forest and woodland: 16% other: 34%
Location
Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
negligible
Note
important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
Terrain
volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 48% (female 131,334; male 132,327) 15-64 years: 49% (female 137,083; male 133,629) 65 years and over: 3% (female 7,860; male 7,105) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
46.22 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
10.6 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Infant mortality rate
77.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
140,000 (1982) by occupation: agriculture 80%, government 3%
Languages
Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 58.27 years male: 56.04 years female: 60.57 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 48% male: 56% female: 40%
Nationality
noun: Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
549,338 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
3.56% (1995 est.)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14%
Total fertility rate
6.73 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
three islands; Grand Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali) note: there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Mutsamudu
Capital
Moroni
Constitution
7 June 1992
Digraph
CN
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Ahamadu DJIMBANAO (ambassador to the US and Canada) 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
Executive branch
chief of state: President Said Mohamed DJOHAR (since 11 March 1990); election last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996); results - Said Mohamed DJOHAR (UDZIMA) 55%, Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (UNDC) 45% head of government: Prime Minister Halifa HOUMADI (since 13 October 1994); note - HOUMADI is the fifteenth prime minister appointed by President DJOHAR in the last three years cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
FAX
[1] (212) 983-4712
Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale)
elections last held 12-20 December 1993 (next to be held by NA January 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (42 total) Ruling Coalition: RDR 15, UNDC 5, MWANGAZA 2; Opposition: UDZIMA 8, other smaller parties 10; 2 seats remained unfilled
Flag
green with a white crescent in the center of the field, its points facing upward; 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
Independence
6 July 1975 (from France)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Legal system
French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code
Legislative branch
unicameral
Member of
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AL, CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO
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
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; Rally for Democracy and Renewal (RDR); Comoran Popular Front (FPC), Mohamed HASSANALI, Mohamed El Arif OUKACHA, Abdou MOUSTAKIM (Secretary General)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
independent republic
US diplomatic representation
none; ambassador to Port Louis, Mauritius, is accredited to Comoros
Economy
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
Budget
revenues: $83 million expenditures: $92 million, including capital expenditures of $32 million (1992)
Currency
1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
recipient: 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
Electricity
capacity: 16,000 kW production: 17 million kWh consumption per capita: 27 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
Comoran francs (CF) per US$1 - 297.07 (January 1995), 416.40 (1994), 254.57 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990) 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
Exports
$13.7 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra partners: US 44%, France 40%, Germany 6%, Africa 5% (1992)
External debt
$160 million (1992 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$40.9 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: rice and other foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement, consumer goods partners: France 34%, South Africa 14%, Kenya 8%, Japan 4% (1992)
Industrial production
growth rate -6.5% (1989 est.); accounts for 6% of GDP
Industries
perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials, soft drinks
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
15% (1993 est.)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $370 million (1994 est.)
National product per capita
$700 (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate
0.9% (1994 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 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 90% 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, and to reduce the high population growth rate. Continued foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be reached in the late 1990s.
Unemployment rate
15.8% (1989)
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
over 1,800 telephones; sparse system of radio relay and high-frequency radio communication stations for interisland and external communications to Madagascar and Reunion local: NA intercity: high frequency radio and microwave radio relay international: high frequency radio
Television
broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 4 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3
Highways
total: 750 km paved: bituminous 210 km unpaved: crushed stone, gravel 540 km
Merchant marine
none
Ports
Fomboni, Moroni, Mutsamudo
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Branches
Comoran Security Force
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP ________________________________________________________________________ CONGO
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 117,349; males fit for military service 70,178 (1995 est.)