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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay international: HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

3,770 (1991 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

200 (1991 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)

Budget [time series]

revenues : $83 million expenditures: $92 million, including capital expenditures of $32 million (1992)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100 centimes

Debt - external [time series]

$189 million (1995 est.)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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, is the leading sector of the economy. It contributes nearly 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population growth rate. Continued foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be reached in the late 1990s.

Electricity - capacity [time series]

16,000 kW (1991)

Electricity - consumption per capita [time series]

52 kWh (1991 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

25 million kWh (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

Comoran francs (CF) per US$1 - 406.27 (January 1997), 383.66 (1996), 374.36 (1995), 416.40 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the Comoran franc was devalued to 75 per French franc from 50 per French franc at which it had been fixed since 1948

Exports [time series]

total value: $11.2 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) commodities: vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra partners: France 54%, Germany 18%, US 18%

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $370 million (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 39% industry: 13% services : 48% (1995 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $650 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

-2.3% (1995 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $40.9 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment partners: France 60%, South Africa 10%, Kenya 5%, Singapore 4%

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

-6.5% (1989 est.)

Industries [time series]

tourism, perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials, soft drinks

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate - consumer price index) [time series]

7.1% (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

total : 140,000 (1982) by occupation: agriculture 80%, government 3%

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total : 2,170 sq km land: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Coastline [time series]

340 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Kartala 2,360 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Desertification

Geographic coordinates [time series]

12 10 S, 44 15 E

Geography - note [time series]

important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 35% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland : 18% other: 30% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

cyclones and tsunamis possible during rainy season (December to April); Mount Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Natural resources [time series]

negligible

Terrain [time series]

volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

three islands; Grand Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali) note: there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Mutsamudu

Constitution [time series]

7 June 1992

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) Charge d'Affaires ad interim Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to the US and Canada) chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Federal and Islamic Republic of the Comoros to the United Nations, 336 East 45th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (since 16 March 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed ABDOU (since 27 December 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; election last held 16 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2001); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim elected president; share of vote - 64%

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (212) 983-4712

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

green with a white crescent in the center of the field, its points facing downward; 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 (a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros); the design, the most recent of several, is described in the constitution approved by referendum on 7 June 1992

Government type [time series]

independent republic

Independence [time series]

6 July 1975 (from France)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AL, CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme), two members are appointed by the president, two members are elected by the Federal Assembly, one by the Council of each island, and former presidents of the republic

Legal system [time series]

French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (15 seats; members selected by regional councils for six-year terms) and a Federal Assembly or Assemblee Federale (43 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections : last held 1 and 8 December 1996 (next to be held NA December 2000) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RND 39, RND candidate running as independent 1, FNJ 3

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Moroni

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND [Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim], party of the government; Front National pour la Justice or FNJ, Islamic party in opposition note: under a new constitution ratified in October 1996, a two party system was established; President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim called for all parties to dissolve and join him in creating the RND; the Constitution stipulates that only parties that win six seats in the Federal Assembly (two from each island) are permitted to be in opposition, but if no party accomplishes that the second most successful party will be in opposition; in the elections of December 1996 the FNJ appeared to qualify as opposition

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Comoran Security Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$NA

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 125,378 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males: 74,836 (1997 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 42% (male 112,404; female 111,936) 15-64 years: 55% (male 142,604; female 146,382) 65 years and over : 3% (male 7,432; female 8,135) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

40.75 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate [time series]

9.82 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Infant mortality rate [time series]

87.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 59.88 years male : 57.52 years female: 62.32 years (1997 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.3% male: 64.2% female: 50.4% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population [time series]

528,893 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.09% (1997 est.)

Religions [time series]

Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.54 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

claims French-administered Mayotte CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE Republic of the]

Transportation

Airports [time series]

4 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1996 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 875 km paved: 669 km unpaved : 206 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

none

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Fomboni, Moroni, Mutsamudu

Railways [time series]

0 km