*Comoros, Geography

Location:
  in the extreme northern Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way
  between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Map references:
  Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  2,170 km2
 land area:
  2,170 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
  0 km
Coastline:
  340 km
Maritime claims:
 exclusive economic zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  claims French-administered Mayotte
Climate:
  tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Terrain:
  volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
Natural resources:
  negligible
Land use:  arable land:
  35%
 permanent crops:
  8%
 meadows and pastures:
  7%
 forest and woodland:
  16%
 other:
  34%
Irrigated land:
  NA km2
Environment:
  soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; cyclones possible during rainy
  season
Note:
  important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

*Comoros, People

Population:
  511,651 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  3.54% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  46.75 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  11.31 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  81.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  57.35 years
 male:
  55.23 years
 female:
  59.55 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  6.86 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Comoran(s)
 adjective:
  Comoran
Ethnic divisions:
  Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14%
Languages:
  Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of Swahili and
  Arabic)
Literacy:   age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
 total population:
  48%
 male:
  56%
 female:
  40%
Labor force:
  140,000 (1982)
 by occupation:
  agriculture 80%, government 3%
 note:
  51% of population of working age (1985)

*Comoros, Government

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
 conventional short form:
  Comoros
 local long form:
  Republique Federale Islamique des Comores
 local short form:
  Comores
Digraph:
  CN
Type:
  independent republic
Capital:
  Moroni
Administrative divisions:
  three islands; Njazidja (Grand Comore), Nzwani (Anjouan), and Mwali (Moheli)
 note:
  there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and
  Mutsamudu
Independence:
  6 July 1975 (from France)
Constitution:
  7 June 1992
Legal system:
  French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code
National holiday:
  Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Political parties and leaders:
  over 20 political parties are currently active, the most important of which
  are; Comoran Union for Progress (UDZIMA), Omar TAMOU; Islands' Fraternity
  and Unity Party (CHUMA), Said Ali KEMAL; Comoran Party for Democracy and
  Progress (PCDP), Ali MROUDJAE; Realizing Freedom's Capability (UWEZO),
  Mouazair ABDALLAH; Democratic Front of the Comoros (FDR), Moustapha CHELKH;
  Dialogue Proposition Action (DPA/MWANGAZA), Said MCHAWGAMA; Rally for Change
  and Democracy (RACHADE), Hassan HACHIM; Union for Democracy and
  Decentralization (UNDC), Mohamed Taki Halidi IBRAHAM; Maecha Bora, leader
  NA; MDP/NGDC (expansion NA), leader NA; Comoran Popular Front (FPC), Mohamed
  HASSANALI, Mohamed El Arif OUKACHA, Abdou MOUSTAKIM (Secretary General)
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 Federal Assembly:
  last held November-December 1992 (next to be held NA March 1997); results -
  percent of vote by party NA; seats - (42 total) UNDC 7, CHUMA 3, ADP 2,
  MDP/NGDC 5, FDC 2, MAECHA BORA 2, FPC 2, RACHADE 1, UWEZO 1, MWANGAZA 1, 16
  other seats to smaller parties
 President:
  last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996); results - Said Mohamed
  DJOHAR (UDZIMA) 55%, Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (UNDC) 45%
Executive branch:
  president, Council of Ministers (cabinet), prime minister
Legislative branch:
  unicameral Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale)
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

*Comoros, Government

Leaders:
 Chief of State and Head of Government:
  President Said Mohamed DJOHAR (since 11 March 1990); Prime Minister Ibrahim
  HALIDI (since 1 January 1992)
Member of:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO,
  IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Amini Ali MOUMIN
 chancery:
  (temporary) at the Comoran Permanent Mission to the UN, 336 East 45th
  Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017
 telephone:
  (212) 972-8010
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Kenneth N. PELTIER
 embassy:
  address NA, Moroni
 mailing address:
  B. P. 1318, Moroni
 telephone:
  [269] 73-22-03, 73-29-22
 FAX:
  no service available at this time
Flag:
  green with a white crescent placed diagonally (closed side of the crescent
  points to the upper hoist-side corner of the flag); there are four white
  five-pointed stars placed in a line between the points of the crescent; the
  crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; the four
  stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, Njazidja,
  Nzwani, and Mayotte (which is a territorial collectivity of France, but
  claimed by the Comoros)

*Comoros, Economy

Overview:
  One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of several islands
  that have poor transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing
  population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the
  labor force contributes to a low level of economic activity, high
  unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical
  assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, is the
  leading sector of the economy. It 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, and rice, the main staple, accounts for
  90% of imports. During the period 1982-86 the industrial sector grew at an
  annual average rate of 5.3%, but its contribution to GDP was only 5% in
  1988. Despite major investment in the tourist industry, which accounts for
  about 25% of GDP, growth has stagnated since 1983. A sluggish growth rate of
  1.5% during 1985-90 has led to large budget deficits, declining incomes, and
  balance-of-payments difficulties. Preliminary estimates for FY92 show a
  moderate increase in the growth rate based on increased exports, tourism,
  and government investment outlays.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $260 million (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  2.7% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
  $540 (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
  over 16% (1988 est.)
Budget:
  revenues $96 million; expenditures $88 million, including capital
  expenditures of $33 million (1991 est.)
Exports:
  $16 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
 commodities:
  vanilla, cloves, perfume oil, copra, ylang-ylang
 partners:
  US 53%, France 41%, Africa 4%, FRG 2% (1988)
Imports:
  $41 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
 commodities:
  rice and other foodstuffs, cement, petroleum products, consumer goods
 partners:
  Europe 62% (France 22%), Africa 5%, Pakistan, China (1988)
External debt:
  $196 million (1991 est.)
Industrial production:
  growth rate -6.5% (1989 est.); accounts for 10% of GDP
Electricity:
  16,000 kW capacity; 25 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:   perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials,
  soft drinks
Agriculture:
  accounts for 40% of GDP; most of population works in subsistence agriculture
  and fishing; plantations produce cash crops for export - vanilla, cloves,
  perfume essences, copra; principal food crops - coconuts, bananas, cassava;
  world's leading producer of essence of ylang-ylang (for perfumes) and
  second-largest producer of vanilla; large net food importer

*Comoros, Economy

Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY80-89), $10 million; Western (non-US)
  countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $435 million; OPEC
  bilateral aid (1979-89), $22 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $18
  million
Currency:
  1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
  Comoran francs (CF) per US$1 - 274.06 (January 1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11
  (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988)); note - linked to the
  French franc at 50 to 1 French franc
Fiscal year:
  calendar year

*Comoros, Communications

Highways:
  750 km total; about 210 km bituminous, remainder crushed stone or gravel
Ports:
  Mutsamudu, Moroni
Airports:
 total:
  4
 usable:
  4
 with permanent-surface runways:
  4
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  1
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  3
Telecommunications:
  sparse system of radio relay and high-frequency radio communication stations
  for interisland and external communications to Madagascar and Reunion; over
  1,800 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 1 FM, no TV

*Comoros, Defense Forces

Branches:
  Comoran Defense Force (FDC)
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 108,867; fit for military service 65,106 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  $NA, NA% of GDP