Comoros

 

 

Bureau of African Affairs                                                     
June 2007                                                                     
                                                                       
  Background Note: Comoros                                                    
                                            
  Sunset at Moya beach on Anjouan                                             
  island, Comoros, December 29, 2001.                                         
  [© AP Images]                                                               
                                                                                                                                              
  Flag of Comoros is four equal horizontal bands of yellow at top, white, red,
  and blue with green isosceles triangle based on hoist; centered within      
  triangle is white crescent with convex side facing hoist and four white,    
  five-pointed stars placed vertically in line between points of crescent.    
                                                                       
  PROFILE                                                                     
                                                                       
  OFFICIAL NAME:                                                              
  Union of the Comoros                                                        
                                                                       
  Geography                                                                   
  Area: 2,171 sq. km. (838 sq. mi.); slightly less than half the size of      
  Delaware. Major islands--Grande Comore (1,025 sq. km.), Anjouan (424 sq.    
  km.), Mayotte (374 sq. km.), and Moheli (211 sq. km.).                      
  Cities: Capital--Moroni (pop. 30,000); Mutsamudu (pop. 20,000).             
  Terrain: Rugged.                                                            
  Climate: Tropical marine.                                                   
                                                                       
  People                                                                      
  Nationality: Noun and adjective--Comoran(s).                                
  Population (2006 est.): 690,948. Mayotte (1990 est.)--70,000.               
  Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 2.87%.                                      
  Ethnic groups: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava.                 
  Religions: Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%.                             
  Languages: Shikomoro (a Swahili-Arabic blend), Arabic (official), French    
  (official).                                                                 
  Education: Attendance--60% primary, 34% secondary. Literacy--56.5%.         
  Health: Life expectancy--62.33yrs. Infant mortality rate--72.85/1,000.      
  Work force (1996): 144,500. Agriculture--80%.                               
                                                                       
  Government                                                                  
  Type: Republic.                                                             
  Independence: July 6, 1975 (Mayotte remains under French administration).   
  Constitution: Adopted by referendum on December 23, 2001.                   
  Branches: Executive--national president; regional island presidents.        
  Legislative--National Assembly. Judicial--traditional Muslim and codified law
  from French sources.                                                        
  Political parties: 17 political parties.                                    
  Suffrage: Universal adult.                                                  
                                                                       
  Economy                                                                     
  GDP (purchasing power parity): $419 million.                                
  Annual growth rate: 0.5%.                                                   
  Per capita income: $720.                                                    
  Agriculture (40% of GDP): Products--vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra,
  banana, cassava, coconuts.                                                  
  Services (56% of GDP): Commerce, tourism.                                   
  Industry (4% of GDP): Types--perfume distillation.                          
  Trade: Exports (1999 est.)--$7.9 million: vanilla, cloves, perfume essences,
  copra. Major markets--France, Germany. Imports (1998 est.)--$35.84 million: 
  rice, petroleum, meat, wheat flour, cotton textiles, cement. Major          
  suppliers--France 38%, Pakistan 13%, Kenya 8%, South Africa 8%.             
                                                                       
  PEOPLE                                                                      
  The Comorans inhabiting Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Moheli (86% of the      
  population) share African-Arab origins. Islam is the dominant religion, and 
  Koranic schools for children reinforce its influence. Although Arab culture 
  is firmly established throughout the archipelago, a substantial minority of 
  the citizens of Mayotte (the Mahorais) are Catholic and have been strongly  
  influenced by French culture.                                               
                                                                       
  The most common language is Shikomoro, a Swahili dialect. French and Arabic 
  also are spoken. About 57% of the population is literate.                   
                                                                       
  HISTORY                                                                     
  Over the centuries, the islands were invaded by a succession of diverse     
  groups from the coast of Africa, the Persian Gulf, Indonesia, and Madagascar.
  Portuguese explorers visited the archipelago in 1505. "Shirazi" Arab migrants
  introduced Islam at about the same time. Between 1841 and 1912, France      
  established colonial rule over Grande Comore, Anjouan, Mayotte, and Moheli  
  and placed the islands under the administration of the governor general of  
  Madagascar. Later, French settlers, French-owned companies, and wealthy Arab
  merchants established a plantation-based economy that now uses about        
  one-third of the land for export crops. After World War II, the islands     
  became a French overseas territory and were represented in France's National
  Assembly. Internal political autonomy was granted in 1961. Agreement was    
  reached with France in 1973 for Comoros to become independent in 1978. On   
  July 6, 1975, however, the Comoranparliament passed a resolution declaring  
  unilateral independence. The deputies of Mayotte abstained. As a result, the
  Comoran Government has effective control over only Grande Comore, Anjouan,  
  and Moheli. Mayotte remains under French administration.                    
                                                                       
  GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS                                         
  The Union of Comoros is ruled by President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi. Comoros has
  been plagued by political instability and civil strife following numerous   
  coups and secession attempts since independence from France in 1975. Former 
  President Azali seized power in a bloodless coup in April 1999, overthrowing
  interim President Tadijiddine Ben Said Massounde, who himself had held the  
  office since the death of democratically elected President Mohamed Taki     
  Abdoulkarim in November 1998. In May 1999, Azali decreed a constitution that
  gave him both executive and legislative powers. When Azali took power he had
  pledged to step down in 2000 and relinquish control to a democratically     
  elected president. Instead, in 2001, Azali resigned from the military and ran
  as a civilian candidate for the national presidency. He was elected in 2002 
  in flawed but fair elections.                                               
                                                                       
  On May 26, 2006, following a two-stage electoral process that was generally 
  free and fair, Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi was installed as the new        
  President of the Union of the Comoros. Sambi's inaugural address included a 
  promise to bring justice and development to the Comoros.                    
                                                                       
  Principal Government Officials                                              
  President--Ahmed Abdallah Sambi                                             
  Minister of Foreign Affairs--Ahmed Ben Said Jaffar                          
  Representative to the United States and Ambassador to the United            
  Nations--Mahmoud M. Aboud                                                   
                                                                       
  Comoros maintains a mission to the United States at 336 E. 45th St., 2d     
  floor, New York, NY 10017 (tel. 212-750-1637).                              
                                                                       
  ECONOMY                                                                     
  Comoros, with an estimated gross domestic product (GDP) per capita income of
  about $700, is among the world's poorest and least developed nations.       
  Although the quality of the land differs from island to island, most of the 
  widespread lava-encrusted soil formations are unsuited to agriculture. As a 
  result, most of the inhabitants make their living from subsistence          
  agriculture and fishing.                                                    
                                                                       
  Agriculture, involving more than 80% of the population and 40% of the gross 
  domestic product, provides virtually all foreign exchange earnings. Services
  including tourism, construction, and commercial activities constitute the   
  remainder of the GDP. Plantations engage a large proportion of the population
  in producing the islands' major cash crops for export: vanilla, cloves,     
  perfume essences, and copra. Comoros is the world's leading producer of     
  essence of ylang-ylang, used in manufacturing perfume. It also is the world's
  second-largest producer of vanilla. Principal food crops are coconuts,      
  bananas, and cassava. Foodstuffs constitute 32% of total imports.           
                                                                       
  The country lacks the infrastructure necessary for development. Some villages
  are not linked to the main road system or at best are connected by tracks   
  usable only by four-wheel-drive vehicles. The islands' ports are rudimentary,
  although a deepwater facility functions in Anjouan. Only small vessels can  
  approach the existing quays in Moroni on Grande Comore, despite improvements.
  Long-distance, ocean-going ships must lie offshore and be unloaded by smaller
  boats; during the cyclone season, this procedure is dangerous, and ships are
  reluctant to call at the island. Most freight is sent first to Mombasa, Kenya
  or the island of Reunion and transshipped from there.                       
                                                                       
  France, Comoros' major trading partner, finances small projects only. The   
  United States receives a growing percentage of Comoros' exports but supplies
  only a negligible fraction of its imports (less than 1%).                   
                                                                       
  Comoros has an international airport at Hahaya on Grande Comore. Comoros has
  its own currency, the Comorian Franc, which is currently valued at 557 CF = 
  U.S. $1.                                                                    
                                                                       
  NATIONAL SECURITY                                                           
  The military resources of the Comoros consist of a small standing army and a
  500-member police force, as well as a 500-member defense force. A defense   
  treaty with France provides naval resources for protection of territorial   
  waters, training of Comorian military personnel, and air surveillance. France
  maintains a small maritime base and a Foreign Legion contingent on Mayotte. 
                                                                       
  FOREIGN RELATIONS                                                           
  In November 1975, Comoros became the 143rd member of the United Nations. The
  new nation was defined as consisting of the entire archipelago, despite the 
  fact that France maintains control over Mayotte.                            
                                                                       
  Comoros also is a member of the African Union, the European Development Fund,
  the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Indian Ocean Commission,
  and the African Development Bank.                                           
                                                                       
  U.S.-COMORIAN RELATIONS                                                     
  The United States recognized the Comorian Government in 1977. The two       
  countries enjoy friendly relations. The U.S. closed its Embassy in Moroni in
  1993 and is now represented by a nonresident Ambassador in neighboring      
  Madagascar.                                                                 
                                                                       
  Principal U.S. Embassy Officials (all officers resident in Antananarivo,    
  Madagascar)                                                                 
  Ambassador--James McGee                                                     
  Deputy Chief of Mission--George Sibley                                      
  Management Officer--Keith Heffern                                           
  Public Affairs Officer--Ellen Irvine                                        
  Political Officer--Silvana Rodriguez                                        
  Economic-Commercial Officer--Brian Neubert                                  
  Regional Security Officer--Christopher Gillis                               
  Consular Officer--Jay Epping                                                
                                                                       
  The address of the U.S. Embassy in Madagascar is 14-16 Rue Rainitovo,       
  Antsahavola, Antananarivo. The mailing address is B.P. 620, Antsahavola,    
  Antananarivo, Madagascar (tel: 261-20-22-212-57; fax: 261-20-22-345-39;     
  E-mail: uswebmaster@wanadoo.mg).                                            
                                                                       
  TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION                                             
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  For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad  
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  by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada or the regular   
  toll line 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.           
                                                                       
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  State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport         
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  representatives and operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 7:00 
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  Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for 
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  (877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm give the
  most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements,
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  booklet entitled "Health Information for International Travel" (HHS         
  publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government       
  Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.                 
                                                                       
  Further Electronic Information                                              
  Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://          
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  working abroad through its website http://www.osac.gov                      
                                                                       
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