Edition 2003 — Comoros — World Factbook

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.9% (male 136,060; female 135,277) 15-64 years: 54.2% (male 169,121; female 173,822) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 8,863; female 9,805) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)

Airports

4 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002) Military Comoros

Area

land: 2,170 sq km
total: 2,170 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

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 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. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union president was sworn in on May 26, 2002. Geography Comoros

Birth rate

38.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $27.6 million

Capital

Moroni

Climate

tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Coastline

340 km

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: Union of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local long form: Union des Comores
local short form: Comores

Currency

Comoran franc (KMF)

Currency code

KMF

Death rate

8.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$232 million (2000 est.)

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

chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Union of the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York, NY 10022
chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)
telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 and 223-2711

Disputes - international

claims French-administered Mayotte This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Economic aid - recipient

$10 million (2001 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, 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 - which is hampered by internal political disputes - 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. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP.

Electricity - consumption

19.78 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

21.27 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 90.6%
hydro: 9.4%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 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

Ethnic groups

Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Exchange rates

Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 522.74 (2002), 549.78 (2001), 533.98 (2000), 461.78 (1999), 442.46 (1998)
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

Executive branch

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government
election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with 75% of the vote
elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three main islands in the Union; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; note - AZALI has not appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn into office in May 2002
head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government

Exports

$16.3 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities

vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra

Exports - partners

France 32.4%, Germany 19.4%, US 17.6%, Singapore 11.5%, Netherlands 6.5% (2002)

FAX

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

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Comoros

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 Economy Comoros

GDP

purchasing power parity - $441 million (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 40%
industry: 4%
services: 56% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

12 10 S, 44 15 E

Geography - note

important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel People Comoros

Government type

independent republic

Highways

paved: 673 km
total: 880 km
unpaved: 207 km (1999 est)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.12% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA%

Imports

$39.8 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities

rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment

Imports - partners

France 34.3%, South Africa 12%, Japan 6.1%, Kenya 5.9%, UAE 5.8%, Mauritius 4.9%, Thailand 4.6% (2002)

Independence

6 July 1975 (from France)

Industrial production growth rate

-2% (1999 est.)

Industries

tourism, perfume distillation

Infant mortality rate

female: 70.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 88.32 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 79.51 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.5% (2001 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Internet country code

.km

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

2,500 (2002) Transportation Comoros

Irrigated land

NA sq km

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)

Labor force

144,500 (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 80%

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 34.98%
other: 47.08% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 17.94%

Languages

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

Legal system

French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly of the Union (30 seats; half the deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the other half by universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years) note - elections for the former legislature, the Federal Assembly, dissolved in 1999, where held on 1 and 8 December 1996; the next elections for the Assembly of the Union were scheduled to be held in April 2003 but have yet to occur

Life expectancy at birth

female: 63.5 years (2003 est.)
male: 58.92 years
total population: 61.18 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 49.3% (2003 est.) Government Comoros
male: 63.6%
total population: 56.5%

Location

Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of 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

Median age

female: 18.9 years (2002)
male: 18.3 years
total: 18.6 years

Merchant marine

convenience: Malta 1, Pakistan 1, Turkey 1 (2002 est.)
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 15, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 2
total: 28 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 432,132 GRT/796,734 DWT

Military branches

Comoran Security Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$6 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3% (FY02) Transnational Issues Comoros

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 150,079 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 89,090 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Nationality

adjective: Comoran
noun: Comoran(s)

Natural hazards

cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Natural resources

NEGL

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Forces pour l'Action Republicaine or FAR [Col. Abdourazak ABDULHAMID]; Forum pour la Redressement National or FRN (alliance of 12 parties); Front Democratique or FD [Moustoifa Said CHEIKH]; Front National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed RACHID]; Movement des Citoyens pour la Republique or MCR [Mahamoud MRADABI]; Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais or MPA (Anjouan separatist movement) [leader NA]; Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Movement pour le Socialisme et la Democratie or MSD (splinter group of FD) [Abdou SOEFOU]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the government) [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

632,948 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

60% (2002 est.)

Population growth rate

2.96% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios

90,000 (1997)

Railways