2020 Edition

Background

For centuries prior to colonization in the 19th century, the Comoros archipelago in the Indian Ocean served as a key node in maritime trade networks that connected the Middle East, India, and eastern African regions. Composed of the islands of Anjouan, Mayotte, Moheli, and Grande Comore, Comoros spent most of the 20th century as a colonial outpost until it declared independence from France on 6 July 1975. Residents of Mayotte, however, voted to remain in France, and the French Government has since classified it as a French Overseas Department. Since independence, Comoros has weathered approximately 20 successful and attempted coups, mostly between 1975 and 2000, resulting in prolonged political instability and stunted economic development. In 2002, President AZALI Assoumani became the first elected president following the completion of the Fomboni Accords, in which the islands of Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Moheli agreed to rotate the presidency among the islands every five years. This power-sharing agreement also included provisions allowing each island to maintain its local government. In 2007, Mohamed BACAR effected Anjouan's de-facto secession from the Union of the Comoros, refusing to step down when Comoros' other islands held legitimate elections. The African Union (AU) initially attempted to resolve the political crisis with sanctions and a naval blockade of Anjouan, but in 2008, the AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island. The island's inhabitants generally welcomed the move. In 2011, Ikililou DHOININE won the presidency in peaceful elections widely deemed to be free and fair. In closely contested elections in 2016, AZALI won a second term, when the rotating presidency returned to Grande Comore. In 2018, a referendum -- which the opposition parties boycotted -- approved a new constitution that extended presidential term limits and abolished the requirement for the presidency to rotate between the three main islands. AZALI formed a new government later that year, and he subsequently ran and was reelected in 2019. AZALI was reelected again in January 2024 in an election that the opposition disputed but the Supreme Court validated.

Area

land

2,235 sq km

total

2,235 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Coastline

340 km

Elevation

highest point

Karthala 2,360 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Geographic coordinates

12 10 S, 44 15 E

Geography - note

important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel; the only Arab League country that lies entirely in the Southern Hemisphere

Irrigated land

1.3 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

71.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 34.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 28.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 8.1% (2023 est.)

forest

17.8% (2023 est.)

other

10.7% (2023 est.)

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

Natural hazards

cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); volcanic activity on Grand Comore volcanism: Karthala (2,361 m) on Grand Comore Island last erupted in 2007; a 2005 eruption forced thousands of people to be evacuated and produced a large ash cloud

Natural resources

fish

Population distribution

the capital city of Maroni, on the western side of the island of Grande Comore, is the country's largest city; however, Anjouan is the most densely populated of the three islands that comprise Comoros, as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Age structure

0-14 years

32.6% (male 146,480/female 146,626)

15-64 years

62.8% (male 271,139/female 294,231)

65 years and over

4.6% (2024 est.) (male 18,139/female 23,526)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

21.12 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

6.9% (2022)

women married by age 15

4.9% (2022)

women married by age 18

20.7% (2022)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

9.1% (2022 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

63.1% (2022 est.)

Death rate

6.38 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7.4 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

13.5 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

57.3 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

49.9 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 88.5% of population

improved: total

total: 91% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.4% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 11.5% of population

unimproved: total

total: 8.9% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.6% of population

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

2.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

11.5% national budget (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Gross reproduction rate

1.24 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

6.3% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

4.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

44.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

64.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

53.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (official; similar to Swahili), Comorian

Life expectancy at birth

female

70.2 years

male

65.5 years

total population

67.8 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

72.2% (2021 est.)

male

79.9% (2021 est.)

total population

75.8% (2021 est.)

Major urban areas - population

62,000 MORONI (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

179 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

23.3 years

male

22.1 years

total

23.1 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

23 years (2012 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Comoran

noun

Comoran(s)

Net migration rate

-2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

7.8% (2016)

Physician density

0.42 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

female

470,492

male

441,215

total

911,707 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

1.26% (2025 est.)

Religions

Muslim 98.1% (overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, small Shia Muslim and Ahmadiyya Muslim populations), ethnic religionist 1.1%, Christian 0.6%, other 0.3% (2020 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.77 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

4.7% (2025 est.)

male

24.8% (2025 est.)

total

14.7% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.52 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

30.1% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

3 islands; Anjouan (Ndzuwani), Grande Comore (N'gazidja), Moheli (Mwali)

Capital

etymology

the name means "at the place of fire," referring to the capital's location below the active volcano Mt. Karthala

geographic coordinates

11 42 S, 43 14 E

name

Moroni

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of the Comoros

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

10 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by the president of the union or supported by at least one third of the Assembly of the Union membership; adoption requires approval by at least three-quarters majority of the total Assembly membership or approval in a referendum

history

previous 1996, 2001; newest adopted 30 July 2018

Country name

conventional long form

Union of the Comoros

conventional short form

Comoros

etymology

name derives from the Arabic al qamar, meaning "the moon"

former

Comorian State, Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros

local long form

Udzima wa Komori (Comorian)/Union des Comores (French)/Al Ittihad al Qumuri (Arabic)

local short form

Komori (Comorian)/Les Comores (French)/Juzur al Qamar (Arabic)

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the US Ambassador to Madagascar is accredited to Comoros

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

Permanent Mission to the UN, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 495, New York, NY 10017

chief of mission

Ambassador Issimail CHANFI (since 23 December 2020); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN

email address and website

comoros@un.int https://www.un.int/comoros/

FAX

[1] (212) 750-1657

telephone

[1] (212) 750-1637

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2016)

election results

2024: AZALI Assoumani reelected president in first round - AZALI Assoumani (CRC) 63%, SALIM ISSA Abdallah (PJ) 20.3%, DAOUDOU Abdallah Mohamed (Orange Party) 5.9%, Bourhane HAMIDOU (independent) 5.1%

election/appointment process

president directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term

expected date of next election

2029

head of government

President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2016)

most recent election date

14 January 2024

Flag

description: four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue, with a green isosceles triangle based on the left; a vertical white crescent moon is centered in the triangle, with four five-pointed white stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent meaning: the horizontal bands and the stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -- Mwali, N'gazidja, Ndzuwani, and Mahore (Mayotte is a department of France, but claimed by Comoros)

Government type

federal presidential republic

Independence

6 July 1975 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AMF, AOSIS, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 7 judges)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges - selection and term of office NA

subordinate courts

Court of Appeals (in Moroni); Tribunal de première instance; island village (community) courts; religious courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of Islamic religious law, the French civil code of 1975, and customary law

Legislative branch

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

January 2030

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Assembly of the Union (Assemblée de l'Union)

most recent election date

1/12/2025 to 2/16/2025

number of seats

33 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros (CRC) (31); Other (2)

percentage of women in chamber

18.2%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1978

lyrics/music

Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE/Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE and Kamildine ABDALLAH

title

"Udzima wa ya Masiwa" (The Union of the Great Islands)

National coat of arms

the coat of arms is in the national colors of green and white; was adopted in 1978; the crescent and stars represent Islam, with the four stars also symbolizing the archipelago’s four main islands: Grande Comore, Mohéli, Anjouan, and Mayotte (the last of which is a French department claimed by Comoros); above and below the sun’s rays is the name of the nation written in French and Arabic; two olive branches, representing peace, are connected by a banner with the national motto in French, which translates as "Unity, Solidarity, Development"

National color(s)

green, white

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

National symbol(s)

four five-pointed stars and crescent moon

Political parties

Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC Juwa Party (Parti Juwa) or PJ Orange Party (2020)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

bananas, coconuts, cassava, yams, maize, taro, milk, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, pulses (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$230.338 million (2023 est.)

revenues

$212.551 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

-$4.076 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$5.248 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$24.621 million (2023 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$267.652 million (2023 est.)

Economic overview

small trade-based island economy; declining remittances; new structural and fiscal reforms; adverse cyclone and COVID-19 impacts; manageable debts; fragile liquidity environment; large foreign direct investment; state-owned enterprises suffering

Exchange rates

Currency

Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

430.721 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

415.956 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

467.184 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

454.991 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

454.524 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$128.331 million (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$166.032 million (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$148.455 million (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

cloves, ships, essential oils, vanilla, scrap iron (2023)

Exports - partners

Indonesia 25%, India 23%, Turkey 16%, UAE 11%, USA 3% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

9.9% (2024 est.)

government consumption

9.2% (2024 est.)

household consumption

103.6% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-34.5% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

11.7% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

36.6% (2024 est.)

industry

9.6% (2024 est.)

services

50.1% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.546 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$415.965 million (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$480.268 million (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$504.036 million (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, poultry, rice, flavored water, additive manufacturing machines (2023)

Imports - partners

China 24%, UAE 21%, Tanzania 12%, France 7%, India 6% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

3.8% (2024 est.)

Industries

fishing, tourism, perfume distillation

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

1.8% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

1% (2017 est.)

Labor force

276,400 (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

44.8% (2020 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

27.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$2.901 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$2.99 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$3.092 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.1% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

3.4% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$3,500 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$3,500 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$3,600 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

22.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

22% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

21.4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$283.746 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$324.561 million (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$323.946 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

3.9% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.8% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

3.9% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

9.6% (2024 est.)

male

8.3% (2024 est.)

total

8.9% (2024 est.)

Coal

imports

2,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

113.052 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

32,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

22.1 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

82.9%

electrification - total population

89.9% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

100%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

7.139 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2023 est.) less than 1

total

3,000 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

national state-owned TV station and a TV station run by Anjouan regional government; national state-owned radio; regional governments on the islands of Grande Comore and Anjouan each operate a radio station; a few independent and small community radio stations operate on the islands of Grande Comore and Moheli, and these two islands have access to Mayotte Radio and French TV

Internet country code

.km

Internet users

percent of population

36% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2023 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

8,200 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

110 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

934,000 (2023 est.)

Airports

3 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

D6

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 17, container ship 7, general cargo 125, oil tanker 36, other 88

total

273 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Dzaoudzi, Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudu

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

3

small

0

total ports

4 (2024)

very small

4

Military - note

the focus for the security forces is search and rescue operations and maintaining internal security; a defense treaty with France provides naval resources for the protection of territorial waters, training of Comoran military personnel, and air surveillance; France maintains a small maritime base and a Foreign Legion contingent on neighboring Mayotte (2024)

Military and security forces

National Army for Development (l'Armee Nationale de Developpement, AND): Comoran Defense Force (Force Comorienne de Defense or FCD; includes Comoran National Gendarmerie); Ministry of Interior: Coast Guard, Federal Police, National Directorate of Territorial Safety (customs and immigration) (2024)

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 600 Defense Force; estimated 500 Federal Police (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the AND is lightly armed and equipped with small arms, a few light aircraft, and utility vehicles (2024)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2023)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

38 (2024 est.)

refugees

18 (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

436,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

436,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

deforestation; soil degradation and erosion from forest loss and crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; silting of coral reefs

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Particulate matter emissions

14.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

1.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

4.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

500,000 cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

4.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

91,000 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

10.1% (2022 est.)