2002 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2002 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Background
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.
Geography
Area
total: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 2,170 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Coastline
340 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m
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, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
12 10 S, 44 15 E
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 35% permanent crops: 18% other: 47% (1998 est.)
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 hazards
cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano
Natural resources
NEGL
Terrain
volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
People and Society
Age structure
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.)
Birth rate
39.01 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate
9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Ethnic groups
Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.12% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Infant mortality rate
81.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Languages
Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)
Life expectancy at birth
63.09 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 5.26 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.3% male: 64.2% female: 50.4% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran
Net migration rate
NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Population
614,382 (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate
2.99% (2002 est.)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%
Sex ratio
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.)
Government
Administrative divisions
3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou
Capital
Moroni
Constitution
23 December 2001 note: a Transitional National Unity Government (GUNT) was formed on 20 January 2002 following the passing of the new constitution; the GUNT governed until the presidential elections on 14 April 2002
Country name
conventional long form: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros conventional short form: Comoros local short form: Comores local long form: Republique Federale Islamique des Comores
Diplomatic representation from the US
the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Ahmed DJABIR (ambassador to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN) telephone: [1] (212) [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699 chancery: Republic of the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York, NY 10022
Executive branch
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 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: Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (15 seats - five from each island); members selected by regional councils for six-year terms) and a Federal Assembly or Assemblee Federale (42 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - the Federal Assembly was dissolved following the coup of 30 April 1999 elections: Federal Assembly - last held 1 and 8 December 1996 (next to be held NA) note: the Federal Assembly (two from each island) are permitted to be in the opposition, but if no party accomplishes that, the second most successful party will be in the opposition; in the elections of December 1996 the FNJ appeared to qualify as opposition election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RND 39, FNJ 3, independent 1
Flag description
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
Government type
independent republic
Independence
6 July 1975 (from France)
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of the republic)
Legal system
French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code
National holiday
Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Political parties and leaders
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]
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)
Budget
revenues: $27.6 million expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Currency
Comoran franc (KMF)
Currency code
KMF
Debt - external
$225 million (yearend 2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$10 million (2001 est.)
Electricity - consumption
17.67 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production
19 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 89.47% hydro: 10.53% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Exchange rates
Comoran francs per US dollar - 557.09 (January 2002), 549.78 (2001), 533.98 (2000), 461.77 (1999), 442.46 (1998), 437.75 (1997) note: prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged to the French franc at 75 Comoran francs per French franc; since 1 January 1999, the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro
Exports
$35.3 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities
vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra
Exports - partners
France 46%, US 18%, Singapore 18%, Germany 9% (1999)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity - $424 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $710 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
1% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$44.9 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities
rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment
Imports - partners
France 34%, South Africa 14%, Kenya 7%, Pakistan 4% (1999)
Industrial production growth rate
-2% (1999 est.)
Industries
tourism, perfume distillation
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force
144,500 (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture 80%
Population below poverty line
60% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate
20% (1996 est.)
Communications
Internet country code
.km
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
1 (2000)
Internet users
1,500 (2001)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios
90,000 (1997)
Telephone system
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
Telephones - main lines in use
7,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular
NA
Television broadcast stations
NA
Televisions
1,000 (1997)
Transportation
Airports
4 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2001)
Highways
total: 880 km paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (1996)
Merchant marine
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.)
Ports and harbors
Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou
Railways
0 km
Waterways
none
Military and Security
Military branches
Comoran Security Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure
$6 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
3% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability
males age 15-49: 145,509 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service
males age 15-49: 86,455 (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
claims French-administered Mayotte; the island of Anjouan (Nzwani) has moved to secede from Comoros again after recent military coup This page was last updated on 1 January 2002 Colombia