2022 Edition

Background

The archipelago of the Comoros in the Indian Ocean, composed of the islands of Anjouan, Mayotte, Moheli, and Grande Comore, declared independence from France on 6 July 1975. Residents of Mayotte, however, voted to remain in France, and the French Government now has classified it as a department of France. Since independence, Comoros has endured political instability through realized and attempted coups. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI Assoumani seized power of the entire government in a bloodless coup; he initiated the 2000 Fomboni Accords, a power-sharing agreement in which the federal presidency rotates among the three islands, and each island maintains its local government. AZALI won the 2002 federal presidential election as president of the Union of the Comoros from Grande Comore Island, which held the first four-year term. AZALI stepped down in 2006 and President Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed SAMBI was elected as president from Anjouan. 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 in July. The African Union (AU) initially attempted to resolve the political crisis by applying sanctions and a naval blockade to Anjouan, but in March 2008 the AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island. The island's inhabitants generally welcomed the move. In 2009, the Comorian population approved a constitutional referendum extending the term of the president from four years to five years. In May 2011, Ikililou DHOININE won the presidency in peaceful elections widely deemed to be free and fair. In closely contested elections in 2016, former President AZALI Assoumani won a second term, when the rotating presidency returned to Grande Comore. A referendum held in July 2018 - boycotted by the opposition parties - overwhelmingly approved a new constitution removing presidential term limits and the requirement for the presidency to rotate between the three main islands. In August 2018, President AZALI formed a new government and subsequently ran and was elected president in March 2019.

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, DC

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

84.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 46.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 29.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 8.1% (2018 est.)

forest

1.4% (2018 est.)

other

14.2% (2018 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 Comorevolcanism: 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, located on the western side of the island of Grande Comore, is the country's largest city; however, of the three islands that comprise Comoros, it is Anjouan that is the most densely populated as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Age structure

0-14 years

36.68% (male 154,853/female 155,602)

15-24 years

20.75% (male 85,208/female 90,422)

25-54 years

33.99% (male 136,484/female 151,178)

55-64 years

4.49% (male 17,237/female 20,781)

65 years and over

4.08% (male 15,437/female 19,079) (2020 est.)

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

22.52 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

16.9% (2012)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

19.4% (2012)

Current health expenditure

5.2% of GDP (2019)

Death rate

6.55 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Demographic profile

Comoros’ population is a melange of Arabs, Persians, Indonesians, Africans, and Indians, and the much smaller number of Europeans that settled on the islands between the 8th and 19th centuries, when they served as a regional trade hub. The Arab and Persian influence is most evident in the islands’ overwhelmingly Muslim majority – about 98% of Comorans are Sunni Muslims. The country is densely populated, averaging nearly 350 people per square mile, although this varies widely among the islands, with Anjouan being the most densely populated.Given the large share of land dedicated to agriculture and Comoros’ growing population, habitable land is becoming increasingly crowded. The combination of increasing population pressure on limited land and resources, widespread poverty, and poor job prospects motivates thousands of Comorans each year to attempt to illegally migrate using small fishing boats to the neighboring island of Mayotte, which is a French territory. The majority of legal Comoran migration to France came after Comoros’ independence from France in 1975, with the flow peaking in the mid-1980s.At least 150,000 to 200,000 people of Comoran citizenship or descent live abroad, mainly in France, where they have gone seeking a better quality of life, job opportunities, higher education (Comoros has no universities), advanced health care, and to finance elaborate traditional wedding ceremonies (aada). Remittances from the diaspora are an economic mainstay, in 2013 representing approximately 25% of Comoros’ GDP and significantly more than the value of its exports of goods and services (only 15% of GDP). Grand Comore, Comoros’ most populous island, is both the primary source of emigrants and the main recipient of remittances. Most remittances are spent on private consumption, but this often goes toward luxury goods and the aada and does not contribute to economic development or poverty reduction. Although the majority of the diaspora is now French-born with more distant ties to Comoros, it is unclear whether they will sustain the current level of remittances.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7.5

potential support ratio

13.3 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

74.1

youth dependency ratio

66.6

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 expenditures

2.6% of GDP (2015 est.)

Ethnic groups

Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

(2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

46.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)

male

67.17 deaths/1,000 live births

total

57.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

69.54 years (2022 est.)

male

64.93 years

total population

67.2 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

53% (2018)

male

64.6%

total population

58.8%

Major urban areas - population

62,000 MORONI (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

273 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

21.5 years (2020 est.)

male

20.2 years

total

20.9 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

23 years (2012 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Comoran

noun

Comoran(s)

Net migration rate

-2.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

7.8% (2016)

Physicians density

0.26 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

876,437 (2022 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

1.37% (2022 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim 98%, other (including Shia Muslim, Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant) 2%

note

note: Sunni Islam is the state religion

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 43.6% of population

improved: total

total: 49% of population

improved: urban

urban: 62.4% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 56.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 51% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 37.6% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

11 years (2014)

male

11 years

total

11 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1 male(s)/female

15-24 years

0.95 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.91 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.85 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.76 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

Tobacco use

female

11.1% (2020 est.)

male

29.5% (2020 est.)

total

20.3% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.78 children born/woman (2022 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

30.1% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

18.8% (2014)

male

20%

total

19.5%

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

Moroni derives from "mroni," which means "at the river" in Shingazidja, the Comorian language spoken on Grande Comore (N'gazidja)

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

amendments

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

note

note: a referendum held on 30 July 2018 - boycotted by the opposition - overwhelmingly approved a new constitution that allows for 2 consecutive 5-year presidential terms and revises the rotating presidency within the islands

Country name

conventional long form

Union of the Comoros

conventional short form

Comoros

etymology

name derives from the Arabic designation "Juzur al Qamar" meaning "Islands of 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

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Issimail CHANFI (since 23 December 2020)

email address and website

comoros@un.inthttps://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); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

2019: AZALI Assoumani (CRC) elected president in first round - AZALI Assoumani (CRC) 60.8%, Ahamada MAHAMOUDOU (PJ) 14.6%, Mouigni Baraka Said SOILIHI (Independent) 5.6%, other 19%2016: AZALI Assoumani (CRC) elected president in the second round; percent of vote in first round - Mohamed Ali SOILIHI (UPDC) 17.6%, Mouigni BARAKA (RDC) 15.1%, AZALI Assoumani (CRC) 15%, Fahmi Said IBRAHIM (PEC) 14.5%, other 37.8%; percent of vote in second round - AZALI Assoumani (CRC) 41.4%, Mohamed Ali SOILIHI (UPDC) 39.7%; Mouigni BARAKA (RDC) 19%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority popular vote in 2 rounds for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 March 2019 (next to be held in 2024)

head of government

President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2016)

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 vertical white crescent moon 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, N'gazidja, Ndzuwani, and Mahore (Mayotte - department of France, but claimed by Comoros)

note

note: the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

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

note

   

subordinate courts

Court of Appeals (in Moroni); Tribunal de premiere 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

description

unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 24 members directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed and 9 members indirectly elected by the 3 island assemblies; members serve 5-year terms) (2017)

election results

percent of vote by party - 1st round - CRC 60.9%, Orange Party 4.3%, Independents 30.8%, other 4%; 2nd round - CRC 54.1%, Orange Party 18.9%, Independents 26.1%, other 1%; seats by party - 1st round -  CRC 16, Orange Party 1, Independents 2; 2nd round - CRC 4, Orange Party 1; note - 9 additional seats filled by the 3 island assemblies; composition for elected members as of 2022 - men 20, women 4, percent of women 16.7%   (2022)

elections

last held on 19 January 2020 with a runoff on 23 February 2020 (next to be held in 2025) (2020)

National anthem

lyrics/music

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

name

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

note

note: adopted 1978

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

National symbol(s)

four five-pointed stars and crescent moon; national colors: green, white

Political parties and leaders

Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assoumani]Orange Party [Mohamed DAOUDOU]IndependentsNote: only parties with seats in the Assembly of the Union included (2020)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

coconuts, cassava, rice, bananas, pulses nes, milk, taro, sweet potatoes, maize, cloves

Budget

expenditures

207.3 million (2017 est.)

revenues

165.2 million (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-6.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$45 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$27 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$132 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$199.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

One of the world's poorest and smallest economies, the Comoros is made up of three islands that are hampered by 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 and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, accounts for about 50% of GDP, employs a majority of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. Export income is heavily reliant on the three main crops of vanilla, cloves, and ylang ylang (perfume essence); and the Comoros' export earnings are easily disrupted by disasters such as fires and extreme weather. Despite agriculture’s importance to the economy, the country imports roughly 70% of its food; rice, the main staple, and other dried vegetables account for more than 25% of imports. Remittances from about 300,000 Comorans contribute about 25% of the country’s GDP. France, Comoros’s colonial power, remains a key trading partner and bilateral donor.   Comoros faces an education system in need of upgrades, limited opportunities for private commercial and industrial enterprises, poor health services, limited exports, and a high population growth rate. Recurring political instability, sometimes initiated from outside the country, and an ongoing electricity crisis have inhibited growth. The government, elected in mid-2016, has moved to improve revenue mobilization, reduce expenditures, and improve electricity access, although the public sector wage bill remains one of the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. In mid-2017, Comoros joined the Southern African Development Community with 15 other regional member states.

Exchange rates

Currency

Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

370.81 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

443.6 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

444.76 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

444.76 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

458.2 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$150 million (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$140 million (2019 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

cloves, essential oils, vacuum flask, vanilla, scrap vessels (2019)

Exports - partners

France 32%, India 23%, Germany 10%, Turkey 9%, Madagascar 7% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

17.2% (2017 est.)

government consumption

20.4% (2017 est.)

household consumption

92.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-47.1% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-3.1% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

47.7% (2017 est.)

industry

11.8% (2017 est.)

services

40.5% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.186 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2014

45.3 (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

55.2% (2004)

lowest 10%

0.9%

Imports

Imports 2018

$360 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2019

$350 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

rice, chicken products, refined petroleum, cement, cars (2019)

Imports - partners

China 22%, United Arab Emirates 16%, France 11%, Pakistan 9%, India 6% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

1% (2017 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

278,500 (2016 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

80%

industry

20% (1996 est.)

industry and services

20% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line

42.4% (2013 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

27.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

32.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$2.55 billion (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$2.6 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$2.73 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

1% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

2.2% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

2.7% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$3,100 (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$3,100 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$3,100 (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$159.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$208 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

25.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2014

6.5% (2014 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

18.8% (2014)

male

20%

total

19.5%

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

326,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

326,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

96.248 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

35,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

6.048 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

62% (2019)

electrification - total population

70% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

89% (2019)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

5.346 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

2,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,241 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

0.1 (2020 est.)

total

1,066 (2020 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

8% (2020 est.)

total

69,568 (2020 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line connections less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage about 90 per 100 persons; 2 companies provide domestic and international mobile service and wireless data (2020)

general assessment

Comoros launched a special program for the construction of a wireless network to inter connect the 3 islands of the archipelago; telephone service limited to the islands' few towns (2020)

international

country code - 269; landing point for the EASSy, Comoros Domestic Cable System, Avassa, and FLY-LION3 fiber-optic submarine cable system connecting East Africa with Europe; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

7,573 (2020 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

90 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

781,579 (2020 est.)

Airports

total

4 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

3 (2021)

total

4

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

D6

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 8, container ship 7, general cargo 112, oil tanker 31, other 78 (2021)

total

236

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

9

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Moroni, Moutsamoudou

Roadways

paved

673 km (2002)

total

880 km (2002)

unpaved

207 km (2002)

Military - note

the security forces are limited in capabilities to performing search and rescue operations and maintaining internal security; a defense treaty with France provides naval resources for 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 (2022)

Military and security forces

National Army for Development (l'Armee Nationale de Developpement, AND): Comoran Security Force (also called Comoran Defense Force (Force Comorienne de Defense, FCD), includes Gendarmerie); Ministry of Interior: Coast Guard, Federal Police, National Directorate of Territorial Safety (2022)

note

note: when the Gendarmerie serves as the judicial police, it reports to the Minister of Justice

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 600 Defense Force personnel; estimated 500 Federal Police (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the defense forces are lightly armed with a mix of mostly older equipment from a variety of countries, including France, Italy, Russia, and the US (2021)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for 2-year voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2021)

Disputes - international

claims French-administered Mayotte and challenges France's and Madagascar's claims to Banc du Geyser, a drying reef in the Mozambique Channel; in May 2008, African Union forces assisted the Comoros military in recapturing Anjouan Island from rebels who seized it in 2001

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 3 — Comoros does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the Anti-Trafficking Task Force met for the first time since 2017 and began drafting a national action plan for combatting trafficking; the government took steps to ratify the 2000 UN TIP Protocol and supported centers that would identify and provide care to victims of crime and would include trafficking victims; however, authorities continued to lack an understanding of trafficking and did not make any anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts; the government did not investigate, prosecute, or convict any alleged traffickers or officials suspected of complicity in trafficking; the government did not develop any standard operating procedures for identifying trafficking victims and referring them to limited care providers; no public awareness campaigns were conducted (2020)

trafficking profile

human traffickers may exploit domestic and foreign victims in Comoros and Comorians abroad; some Comorian and Malagasy women are subject to forced labor in the Middle East; adults and children may be forced to work in agriculture, construction, or as domestics in Mayotte; children abandoned by parents who left to seek jobs abroad are vulnerable to exploitation in domestic service, vending, baking, fishing, and agriculture; children from poor families whose parents place them with a relative or acquaintance for educational opportunities are vulnerable to domestic servitude and physical and sexual abuse; some children in Koranic schools may experience forced labor in agriculture or domestic servitude; inadequate border controls; government corruption, and international crime networks leave Comorians vulnerable to international trafficking

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.2 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.19 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

18.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil degradation and erosion results from forest loss and from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; marine biodiversity affected as soil erosion leads to the silting of coral reefs

Environment - international 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

Land use

agricultural land

84.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 46.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 29.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 8.1% (2018 est.)

forest

1.4% (2018 est.)

other

14.2% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

1.39% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

1.2 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

4.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

500,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

4.8 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

30.1% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

91,013 tons (2015 est.)