Comoros

Comoros

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Jumhuriyyat al-Qumur al-Itthadiyah al-Islamiyah (Arabic), République fédérale islamique des Comores (French)/Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros Area 1,862 sq km/718 sq mi Capital Moroni Language Arabic, French (both official), Comorian (a Swahili and Arabic dialect), Makua Religion Muslim; Islam is the state religion Time difference GMT +3 Major holidays 6 July, 27 November; variable: Eid-ul-Adha, Arafa, Ashora, first day of Ramadan, end of Ramadan, New Year (Muslim), Prophet's Birthday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Mutsamudu, Domoni, Fomboni, Mitsamiouli Physical features comprises the volcanic islands of Njazídja, Nzwani, and Mwali (formerly Grande Comore, Anjouan, Moheli); at northern end of Mozambique Channel in Indian Ocean between Madagascar and coast of Africa Airports one international airport and three other small airfields; total passengers carried: 27,000 (1996) Railways none Roads total road network: 880 km/547 mi, of which 76.5% paved (1999 est); passenger cars: 13.3 per 1,000 people (1996 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state and government Ahmed Abdallah Sambi from 2006 Political system military Political executive military Administrative divisions three autonomous prefectures (each of the three main islands is a prefecture) Political parties National Union for Democracy in the Comoros (UNDC), Islamic, nationalist; Rally for Democracy and Renewal (RDR), left of centre Death penalty retained and used for ordinary crimes Armed forces 800 (2002 est) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 3 (2002 est) Education spend (% GDP) 3.9 (2003 est) Health spend (% GDP) 1.5 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency Comorian franc GDP (US$) 382 million (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 1.2 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 387 million (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 2,000 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 3.8% (2006 est) Unemployment 20% (2000) Labour force 72.3% agriculture, 8.7% industry, 20% services (2003) Foreign debt (US$) 275.2 million (2005 est) Major trading partners France, South Africa, Singapore, USA, Germany, Kenya, United Arab Emirates Industries sawmilling, processing of vanilla and copra, printing, soft drinks, plastics, perfume distillation, furniture, jewellery Exports vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang, essences, copra, coffee. Principal market: France 27.6% (2005) Imports petroleum products, rice, transport equipment, meat and dairy products, cement, iron and steel, clothing and footwear. Principal source: France 20.6% (2005) Arable land 35.9% (2006 est) Agricultural products vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, basil, cassava, sweet potatoes, rice, maize, pulses, coconuts, bananas


POPULATION

Population 819,100 (2006 est) Population growth rate 3.1% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 440 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 36 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 42%, 15–59 54%, 60+ 4% (2005 est) Ethnic groups population of mixed origin, with Africans, Arabs, and Malaysians predominating; the principal ethnic group is the Antalaotra; others are the Catre, the Makoa, the Oimatsaha, and the Sakalava Life expectancy 63 (men); 67 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 70 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 8 Literacy rate 64% (men); 49% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 0.7 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 2.8 (2002 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) <0.1 (2005 est) AIDS deaths <100 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 90 (urban); 96 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 2.1 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 2 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 141 (1997) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 27 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 0.6 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 2.5 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

5th century AD First settled by Malay-Polynesian immigrants. 7th century Converted to Islam by Arab seafarers and fell under the rule of local sultans. late 16th century First visited by European navigators. 1886 Moheli island in south became French protectorate. 1904 Slave trade abolished, ending influx of Africans. 1912 Grande Comore and Anjouan, the main islands, joined Moheli to become French colony, which was attached to Madagascar from 1914. 1947 Became French Overseas Territory separate from Madagascar. 1961 Internal self-government achieved. 1975 Independence achieved from France, but island of Mayotte to the southeast voted to remain part of France. Joined United Nations. 1976 President Ahmed Abdallah overthrown in coup by Ali Soilih; relations deteriorated with France as Maoist-Islamic socialist programme pursued. 1978 Soilih killed by French mercenaries. Federal Islamic republic proclaimed, with exiled Abdallah restored as president; diplomatic relations re-established with France. 1979 Became one-party state; powers of federal government increased. 1989 Abdallah killed by French mercenaries who, under French and South African pressure, turned authority over to French administration; Said Muhammad Djohar became president in multiparty democracy. 1995 Djohar temporarily ousted in coup before mercenaries forced to withdraw by French troops. 1997 Anjouan and Moheli attempted to secede from federation. 1999 Government overthrown by army coup; Colonel Azali Assoumani became president. 2001 Organization of African Unity (OAU; later African Union) brokered deal between government and secessionists in Anjouan and Moheli; new constitution approved in referendum keeping islands as one country but with greater autonomy. 2004 New federal parliament set up following legislative elections. 2006 Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi, from Anjouan, won elections for federal presidency. 2007 President of Anjouan refused to stand down before regional presidential election prompting African Union to send peacekeepers.


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