Comoros - Tips
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
The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program advises
Americans
traveling and residing abroad through Consular Information
Sheets, Public
Announcements, and Travel Warnings.
Consular Information Sheets exist for all
countries and include
information on entry and exit requirements, currency
regulations, health conditions, safety and security, crime,
political
disturbances, and
the addresses of the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.
Public
Announcements are issued to disseminate information quickly
about
terrorist threats and other relatively
short-term conditions overseas that
pose significant
risks to the security of American travelers. Travel Warnings
are
issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel
to a certain country because the situation is dangerous or
unstable.
For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling
abroad
should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau
of Consular Affairs Internet
web site at
http://www.travel.state.gov, where the
current Worldwide Caution,
Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings
can be found. Consular Affairs
Publications,
which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a
safe
trip abroad, are also available at
http://www.travel.state.gov.
For
additional information on international
travel, see
http://www.usa.gov/
Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.
The Department of State encourages all U.S citizens who traveling or
residing
abroad to register via the State Department's travel
registration website or
at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate
abroad. Registration will make your
presence and whereabouts known in
case it is necessary to contact you in an
emergency and will
enable you to receive up-to-date information on security
conditions.
Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be
obtained
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.
The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S.
Department of
State's single, centralized public
contact center for U.S.
passport
information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778). Customer
service
representatives and operators for TDD/TTY
are available Monday-Friday, 7:00
a.m. to 12:00 midnight,
Eastern Time, excluding federal
holidays.
Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S.
Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia.
A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP
(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,
and advice on food and drinking water safety for
regions and countries. A
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://
www.state.gov, the Department of State web
site provides timely, global
access to
official U.S. foreign policy information, including
Background
Notes and daily press briefings
along with the directory of key officers of
Foreign Service
posts and more. The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
provides
security information and regional news that impact U.S. companies
working abroad through its website
http://www.osac.gov
Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and
market
information offered by the federal
government and provides trade leads, free
export counseling, help
with the export process, and
more.
STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce,
provides
authoritative economic, business, and
international trade information from
the Federal
government. The site includes current and
historical
trade-related releases, international market research, trade
opportunities,
and country analysis and provides access to the
National Trade Data Bank.
***********************************************************
See http://www.state.gov/r/pa/bgn/ for all
Background
notes
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change your subscription, go to
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Comoros
Comoros - Tips
