Comoros

Comoros

Introduction

Background

Comoros has endured more than 20 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power in a bloodless coup, and helped negotiate the 2000 Fomboni Accords power-sharing agreement in which the federal presidency rotates among the three islands, and each island maintains its own local government. AZALI won the 2002 presidential election, and each island in the archipelago elected its own president. AZALI stepped down in 2006 and President SAMBI was elected to office. In 2007, Mohamed BACAR effected Anjouan’s de-facto secession from the Union, refusing to step down in favor of fresh Anjouanais elections 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 on Anjouan, but in March 2008, AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island. The move was generally welcomed by the island’s inhabitants.

Geography

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

Geographic coordinates

12 10 S, 44 15 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 2,235 sq km
country comparison to the world: 180 land:2,235 sq km
water:0 sq km

Area – comparative

slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

340 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm

Climate

tropical marine

rainy season (November to May)

Terrain

volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point:Karthala 2,360 m

Natural resources

NEGL

Land use

arable land: 35.87%
permanent crops:23.32%
other:40.81% (2005)

Irrigated land

NA

Total renewable water resources

1.2 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.01cu km/yr (48%/5%/47%)
per capita:13cu m/yr (1999)

Natural hazards

cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April)

volcanic activity on Grand Comore
volcanism:Karthala (elev. 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

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:none of the selected agreements

Geography – note

important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

People and Society

Nationality

noun: Comoran(s)
adjective:Comoran

Ethnic groups

Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Languages

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

Religions

Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Population

794,683 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162

Age structure

0-14 years: 41.6% (male 166,141/female 164,788)
15-64 years:55.3% (male 217,046/female 222,093)
65 years and over:3.1% (male 11,053/female 13,562) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 19 years
male:18.7 years
female:19.3 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

2.696% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19

Birth rate

34.19 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33

Death rate

7.23 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81

Urbanization

urban population: 28% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:2.8% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

MORONI (capital) 49,000 (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.83 male(s)/female
total population:0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

340 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 43

Infant mortality rate

total: 62.63 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 28 male:70.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female:54.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 64.2 years
country comparison to the world: 171 male:61.76 years
female:66.72 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.72 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28

Health expenditures

3.4% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 173

Physicians density

0.15 physicians/1,000 population (2004)
country comparison to the world: 157

Hospital bed density

2.2 beds/1,000 population (2006)
country comparison to the world: 93

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 91% of population
rural: 97% of population
total: 95% of population
unimproved:
urban: 9% of population
rural: 3% of population
total: 5% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 50% of population
rural: 30% of population
total: 36% of population
unimproved:
urban: 50% of population
rural: 70% of population
total: 64% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152

HIV/AIDS – deaths

fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

25% (2000)
country comparison to the world: 26

Education expenditures

7.6% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 13

Literacy

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years
male:12 years
female:10 years (2005)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
conventional short form:Comoros
local long form:Udzima wa Komori (Comorian)

Union des Comores (French)

Jumhuriyat al Qamar al Muttahidah (Arabic)
local short form:Komori (Comorian)

Comores (French)

Juzur al Qamar (Arabic)

Government type

republic

Capital

name: Moroni
geographic coordinates:11 42 S, 43 14 E
time difference:UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

3 islands and 4 municipalities*

Grande Comore (N’gazidja), Anjouan (Ndzuwani), Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli (Mwali), Moroni*, Moutsamoudou*

Independence

6 July 1975 (from France)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Constitution

23 December 2001

Legal system

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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration

accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age

universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Ikililou DHOININE (since 26 May 2011)
head of government:President Ikililou DHOININE (since 26 May 2011)
cabinet:Council of Ministers appointed by the president
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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 on 7 November and 26 December 2010 (next to be held in 2014)
election results:Ikililou DHOININE elected president

percent of vote – Ikililou DHOININE 61.1%, Mohamed Said FAZUL 32.7%, Abdou DJABIR 6.2%

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats

15 deputies are selected by the individual islands’ local assemblies and 18 by universal suffrage to serve for five years);
elections:last held on 6 and 20 December 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
election results:percent of vote by party – NA

seats by party – pro-union coalition 19, autonomous coalition 4, independents 1

note – 9 additional seats are filled by deputies from local island assemblies

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)

Political parties and leaders

Camp of the Autonomous Islands or CdIA (a coalition of parties organized by the islands’ presidents in opposition to the Union President)

Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assowmani]

Front National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID] (Islamic party in opposition)

Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]

Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]

Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]

Political pressure groups and leaders

other: environmentalists

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed TOIHIRI

note – also serves Permanent Representative to the UN
chancery:Mission to the US, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 418, New York, NY 10017
telephone:[1] (212) 750-1637

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Comoros

the ambassador to Madagascar is accredited to 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, N’gazidja, Nzwani, and Mahore (Mayotte – territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros)
note:the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

National symbol(s)

four stars and crescent

National anthem

name: “Udzima wa ya Masiwa” (The Union of the Great Islands)
lyrics/music:Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE/Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE and Kamildine ABDALLAH
note:adopted 1978

Economy

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. Export income is heavily reliant on the three main crops of vanilla, cloves, and ylang-ylang and Comoros’ export earnings are easily disrupted by disasters such as fires. 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 – lacks a comprehensive strategy to attract foreign investment and is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports, promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate. Political problems have inhibited growth, which has averaged only about 1% in 2006-09. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP. In September 2009 the IMF approved Comoros for a three-year $21 million loan. The IMF gave generally positive reports of the country’s program performance as of October 2010. The African Development Bank approved a $34.6 million debt-relief package loan for Comoros in September 2010, and Comoros will attempt to qualify for debt relief in 2012 under the IMF and World Bank’s Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$800 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205 $783.4 million (2009 est.)
$769.2 million (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$534 million (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

2.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143 1.8% (2009 est.)
1% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$1,000 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210 $1,000 (2009 est.)
$1,100 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 41.8%
industry:8.6%
services:49.6% (2010 est.)

Labor force

268,500 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 80%
industry and services:20% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate

20% (1996 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163

Population below poverty line

60% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 0.9%
highest 10%:55.2% (2004)

Investment (gross fixed)

10.9% of GDP (2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183

Budget

revenues: $118.2 million
expenditures:$NA (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

22.1% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.6% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90 4.8% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

1.93% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105 2.21% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102 10.5% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$115.8 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181 $104.7 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$186.7 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185 $168.6 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$120.6 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183 $108.8 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Agriculture – products

vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)

Industries

fishing, tourism, perfume distillation

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Electricity – production

52 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202

Electricity – consumption

48.36 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161

Oil – consumption

1,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200

Oil – exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161

Oil – imports

967 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193

Oil – proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117

Natural gas – production

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168

Natural gas – consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103

Natural gas – proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123

Current account balance

-$45.1 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70 -$46.54 million (2009 est.)

Exports

$12.8 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211 $11.94 million (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra

Exports – partners

France 25.2%, Singapore 21.5%, Turkey 11.5%, Saudi Arabia 7.4%, US 7.2%, Netherlands 7%, Germany 4.6% (2010)

Imports

$188.8 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203 $169.6 million (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

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

Imports – partners

France 15.6%, Pakistan 15.5%, UAE 9.5%, China 6.9%, India 5.7%, Kenya 5.3%, Spain 4.5% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$146.1 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170 $150.9 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$279.3 million (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174 $279.3 million (2000 est.)

Exchange rates

Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar -
361.4 (2007)
391.8 (2006)
395.6 (2005)
396.21 (2004)
435.9 (2003)

Transportation

Airports

4 (2010)
country comparison to the world:186

Airports – with paved runways

total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m:1
914 to 1,523 m:3 (2010)

Roadways

total: 880 km
country comparison to the world: 184 paved:673 km
unpaved:207 km (2002)

Merchant marine

total: 177
country comparison to the world: 37 by type:bulk carrier 19, cargo 102, carrier 5, chemical tanker 6, container 2, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 12
foreign-owned:98 (Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 8, China 1, Cyprus 2, Greece 3, Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Latvia 1, Lebanon 3, Lithuania 3, Monaco 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 2, Pakistan 3, Russia 21, Syria 6, Turkey 16, UAE 11, UK 1, Ukraine 10, US 2) (2010)

Ports and terminals

Mayotte, Mutsamudu

Military

Military branches

Army of National Development (AND): Comoran Security Force (also called Comoran Defense Force (Force Comorieene de Defense FCD, includes Gendarmarie)), Comoran Coast Guard, Comoran Federal Police (2011)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for 2-year voluntary military service

no conscription

women first inducted into the Army in 2004 (2011)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 184,236
females age 16-49:183,363 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 134,562
females age 16-49:145,797 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 8,831
female:8,809 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

2.8% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 51

Transnational Issues

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 are called in to assist the Comoros military recapture Anjouan Island from rebels who seized it in 2001

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Comoros is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking

children are subjected to forced labor within the country in domestic service, roadside and market vending, baking, and agriculture
tier rating:Tier 2 Watch List – Comoros does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking

however, it is making significant efforts to do so

the government, in partnership with international organizations, began implementation of a National Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration Plan, through which 40 former child soldiers, some of whom were trafficking victims, received protective services

it also began implementation of a national action plan to address the worst forms of child labor

however, negligible efforts were made to prevent the use of forced child labor or to investigate suspected cases

the government made no discernible efforts to investigate, prosecute, or convict trafficking offenders, under existing legislation

care to victims of sex or labor trafficking and prevention efforts were minimal (2011)