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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

national state-owned TV station and a TV station run by Anjouan regional government; national state-owned radio; regional governments on the islands of Grande Comore and Anjouan each operate a radio station; a few independent and small community radio stations operate on the islands of Grande Comore and Moheli, and these two islands have access to Mayotte Radio and French TV (2007)

Internet country code [time series]

.km

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

14 (2012) country comparison to the world: 225

Internet users [time series]

24,300 (2009) country comparison to the world: 187

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations domestic: fixed-line connections only about 3 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage about 30 per 100 persons international: country code - 269; landing point for the EASSy fiber-optic submarine cable system connecting East Africa with Europe and North America; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion (2010)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

24,000 (2012) country comparison to the world: 181

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

250,000 (2012) country comparison to the world: 177

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (manioc)

Budget [time series]

revenues: $164.8 million expenditures: $155.9 million (2012 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

1.5% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 29

Central bank discount rate [time series]

1.93% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 2.21% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

10.5% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 7.29% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance [time series]

$-40.9 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 64 $-60.38 million (2011 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$136.1 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 $277.9 million (31 December 2011 est.)

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, contributes 50% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. Export income is heavily reliant on the three main crops of vanilla, cloves, and ylang-ylang; and Comoros' export earnings are easily disrupted by disasters such as fires. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government - which is hampered by internal political disputes - lacks a comprehensive strategy to attract foreign investment and is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports, promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate. Political problems have inhibited growth, which averaged only about 1% in 2006-09 but more than 2% per year in 2010-12. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP. In September 2009 the IMF approved Comoros for a three-year $21 million loan, but the government has struggled to meet program targets, such as restricting spending on wages, strengthening domestic revenue collection, and moving forward on structural reforms. In December 2012, IMF and the World Bank's International Development Association supported $176 million in debt relief for Comoros, resulting in a 59% reduction of its future external debt service over a period of 40 years.

Exchange rates [time series]

Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 382.9 (2012 est.) 353.9 (2011 est.) 371.46 (2010 est.)

Exports [time series]

$19.6 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 205 $25.18 million (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra

Exports - partners [time series]

Netherlands 58.6%, Singapore 10.6%, Turkey 9.3%, France 5.6%, India 5% (2012)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$587.9 million (2012 est.)

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

$868 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 207 $843.5 million (2011 est.) $824.8 million (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

household consumption: 99.6% government consumption: 17.4% investment in fixed capital: 19.5% investment in inventories: 3.2% exports of goods and services: 15.8% imports of goods and services: -55.5% (2012 est.)

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

agriculture: 51% industry: 10% services: 39% (2012 est.)

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

$1,300 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 208 $1,200 (2011 est.) $1,200 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

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

3% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 2.2% (2011 est.) 2.1% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 55.2% (2004)

Imports [time series]

$208 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 204 $206.6 million (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment

Imports - partners [time series]

Pakistan 15.7%, France 14.2%, UAE 11.5%, India 8.5%, China 6.7%, Kenya 5.3%, Singapore 5.2% (2012)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

4.5% country comparison to the world: 62

Industries [time series]

fishing, tourism, perfume distillation

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

6.3% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 167 6.8% (2011 est.)

Labor force [time series]

233,500 (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

60% (2002 est.)

Stock of broad money [time series]

$212.1 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 186 $198.2 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$132.4 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 175 $120.6 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$151.6 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 180 $128.4 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

28% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Unemployment rate [time series]

20% (1996 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

148,400 Mt (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Crude oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2013 es) country comparison to the world: 116

Electricity - consumption [time series]

37.2 million kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

83.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

16.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 169

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

6,000 kW (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Electricity - production [time series]

40 million kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 208

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2013 es) country comparison to the world: 124

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

1,025 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

877.1 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 2,235 sq km country comparison to the world: 180 land: 2,235 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: Karthala 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 0.01 cu km/yr (48%/5%/47%) per capita: 16.86 cu m/yr (1999)

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]

1.3 sq km NA (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 44.06% permanent crops: 31.17% other: 24.77% (2011)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); volcanic activity on Grand Comore volcanism: Karthala (elev. 2,361 m) on Grand Comore Island last erupted in 2007; a 2005 eruption forced thousands of people to be evacuated and produced a large ash cloud

Natural resources [time series]

NEGL

Terrain [time series]

volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Total renewable water resources [time series]

1.2 cu km (2011)

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Anjouan (Ndzuwani), Domoni*, Fomboni*, Grande Comore (N'gazidja), Moheli (Mwali), Moroni*, Moutsamoudou*

Capital [time series]

name: Moroni geographic coordinates: 11 42 S, 43 14 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

previous 1996; latest ratified 23 December 2001; amended 2009 (2009)

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Union of the Comoros conventional short form: Comoros local long form: Udzima wa Komori (Comorian); Union des Comores (French); Jumhuriyat al Qamar al Muttahidah (Arabic) local short form: Komori (Comorian); Comores (French); Juzur al Qamar (Arabic)

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Madagascar, currently Charge d'Affaires Eric WONG, is accredited to Comoros

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Roubani KAAMBI (since 6 September 2012); note - also serves as Permanent Representative to the UN chancery: Mission to the US, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 418, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637 FAX: [1] (212) 750-1657

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Ikililou DHOININE (since 26 May 2011) head of government: President Ikililou DHOININE (since 26 May 2011) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three main islands in the Union; election last held on 7 November and 26 December 2010 (next to be held in 2014) election results: Ikililou DHOININE elected president; percent of vote - Ikililou DHOININE 61.1%, Mohamed Said FAZUL 32.7%, Abdou DJABIR 6.2%

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue, with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, N'gazidja, Ndzuwani, and Mahore (Mayotte - territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros) note: the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

6 July 1975 (from France)

International law organization participation [time series]

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AfDB, AMF, AOSIS, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch [time series]

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 7 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 8 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges selected - 2 by the president of the Union, 2 by the Assembly of the Union, and 1 each by the 3 island councils; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court members appointed - 1 by the president, 1 each by the 3 vice presidents, 1 by the Assembly, and 1 each by the island executives; all members serve 6-year renewable terms subordinate courts: Court of Appeals (in Moroni); Tribunal de premiere; island village (community) courts; religious courts

Legal system [time series]

mixed legal system of Islamic religious law, the French civil code of 1975, and customary law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and 18 by universal suffrage to serve for five years); elections: last held on 6 and 20 December 2009 (next to be held in 2014) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - pro-union coalition 19, autonomous coalition 4, independents 1; note - 9 additional seats are filled by deputies from local island assemblies

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "Udzima wa ya Masiwa" (The Union of the Great Islands)

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

National symbol(s) [time series]

four stars and crescent

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

Camp of the Autonomous Islands or CdIA (a coalition of parties organized by the islands' presidents in opposition to the Union President) Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assowmani] Front National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID] (Islamic party in opposition) Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF] Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE] Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]

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

other: environmentalists

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Comoros has endured more than 20 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power of the entire government in a bloodless coup, and helped negotiate the 2000 Fomboni Accords power-sharing agreement in which the federal presidency rotates among the three islands, and each island maintains its local government. AZALI won the 2002 federal presidential election, and each island in the archipelago elected its president. AZALI stepped down in 2006 and President SAMBI was elected to office. In 2007, Mohamed BACAR effected Anjouan's de-facto secession from the Union of Comoros, refusing to step down when Comoros' other islands held legitimate elections in July. The African Union (AU) initially attempted to resolve the political crisis by applying sanctions and a naval blockade to Anjouan, but in March 2008 the AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island. The island's inhabitants generally welcomed the move. In May 2011, Ikililou DHOININE won the presidency in peaceful elections widely deemed to be free and fair.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 184,236 females age 16-49: 183,363 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 134,562 females age 16-49: 145,797 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 8,831 female: 8,809 (2010 est.)

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

Army of National Development (l'Armee du Developpement Nationale, AND): Comoran Security Force (also called Comoran Defense Force (Force Comorienne de Defense, FCD), includes Gendarmerie), Comoran Coast Guard, Comoran Federal Police (2013)

Military expenditures [time series]

2.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 45

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age for 2-year voluntary military service; no conscription; women first inducted into the Army in 2004 (2012)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 41.8% (male 156,812/female 157,917) 15-24 years: 18.7% (male 67,934/female 72,589) 25-54 years: 31.6% (male 112,825/female 124,991) 55-64 years: 4.1% (male 13,827/female 17,290) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 13,370/female 14,733) (2013 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

30.26 births/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Child labor - children ages 5-14 [time series]

total number: 39,550 percentage: 27 % (2000 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

25% (2000) country comparison to the world: 25

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

25.7% (2000)

Death rate [time series]

7.97 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 81.6 % youth dependency ratio: 76.4 % elderly dependency ratio: 5.2 % potential support ratio: 19.3 (2013)

Drinking water source [time series]

improved: urban: 91% of population rural: 97% of population total: 95% of population unimproved: urban: 9% of population rural: 3% of population total: 5% of population (2010 est.)

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

7.6% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 17

Ethnic groups [time series]

Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.1% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

fewer than 100 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

fewer than 500 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

5.3% of GDP (2011) country comparison to the world: 130

Hospital bed density [time series]

2.2 beds/1,000 population (2006)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 67.12 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 21 male: 78.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 55.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 63.12 years country comparison to the world: 183 male: 60.89 years female: 65.41 years (2013 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 75.5% male: 80.5% female: 70.6% (2011 est.)

Major urban areas - population [time series]

MORONI (capital) 54,000 (2011)

Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]

280 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 43

Median age [time series]

total: 19 years male: 18.3 years female: 19.6 years (2013 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran

Net migration rate [time series]

-2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

4.4% (2008) country comparison to the world: 164

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

0.15 physicians/1,000 population (2004)

Population [time series]

752,288 (July 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Population growth rate [time series]

1.97% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Religions [time series]

Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Sanitation facility access [time series]

improved: urban: 50% of population rural: 30% of population total: 36% of population unimproved: urban: 50% of population rural: 70% of population total: 64% of population (2010 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 9 years (2005)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.81 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.93 children born/woman (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 28% of total population (2011) rate of urbanization: 2.84% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

claims French-administered Mayotte and challenges France's and Madagascar's claims to Banc du Geyser, a drying reef in the Mozambique Channel; in May 2008, African Union forces were called in to assist the Comoros military recapture Anjouan Island from rebels who seized it in 2001

Trafficking in persons [time series]

current situation: Comoros is a source country for children subjected to forced labor and reportedly sex trafficking; Comoran children are forced to labor within the country in domestic service, roadside and street vending, baking, agriculture, and sometimes criminal activities; some Comoran students at Koranic schools are exploited for forced agricultural or domestic labor, sometimes being subjected to physical and sexual abuse; Comoros may be particularly vulnerable to transnational trafficking because of inadequate border controls, government corruption, and the presence of criminal networks tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Comoros does not comply fully with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; although the government provided some funding to UNICEF-supported, NGO-run centers, victim protection provisions remained very modest; the government relies on donor funding and international organization partners for the majority of its anti-trafficking efforts; a new law was passed prohibiting child trafficking and the penal code was revised to include prohibitions against and penalties for human trafficking, but these modifications await parliamentary adoption (2013)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

4 (2013) country comparison to the world: 185

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2013)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 149 country comparison to the world: 39 by type: bulk carrier 16, cargo 83, carrier 5, chemical tanker 5, container 2, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 8 foreign-owned: 73 (Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 4, China 1, Cyprus 2, Greece 4, Kenya 2, Kuwait 1, Latvia 2, Lebanon 2, Lithuania 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 1, Pakistan 5, Russia 12, Syria 5, Turkey 8, UAE 8, UK 1, Ukraine 10, US 2) (2010)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

major seaport(s): Moroni, Mutsamudu

Roadways [time series]

total: 880 km country comparison to the world: 186 paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (2002)