Comoros




                                 Geography


Location:
     Southeastern Africa, 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 sq km
land area:
     2,170 sq km
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 sq km
Environment:
current issues:
     soil degradation and erosion; deforestation
natural hazards:
     cyclones possible during rainy season
international agreements:
     signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the
     Sea




Note:
     important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel


                                  People


Population:
     530,136 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     3.55% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     46.48 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     10.95 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     79.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     57.81 years
male:
     55.63 years
female:
     60.06 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     6.79 children born/woman (1994 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)


                                Government




Names:
conventional long form:
     Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
conventional short form:
local long form:
     Republique Federale Islamique des Comores
local short form:
     Comores
Digraph:
     CN
Type:
     independent republic
Capital:
     Moroni
Administrative divisions:
     three islands; Grand Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli
     (Mwali)
note:
     there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and
     Mutsamudu
Independence:
     6 July 1975 (from France)
National holiday:
     Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Constitution:
     7 June 1992
Legal system:
     French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code
Suffrage:
     18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state::
     President Said Mohamed DJOHAR (since 11 March 1990); election last
     held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996); results - Said
     Mohamed DJOHAR (UDZIMA) 55%, Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (UNDC) 45%
head of government::
     Prime Minister Mohamed Abdou MADI (since 6 January 1994) appointed by
     President DJOHAR 6 January 1994 (DJOHAR has appointed 14 prime
     ministers in the last three years)
cabinet:
     Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
     unicameral
Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale):
     elections last held 12-20 December 1993 (next to be held by NA January
     1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (42 total)
     Ruling Coalition: RDR 15, UNDC 5, MWANGAZA 2; Opposition: UDZIMA 8,
     other smaller parties 10; 2 seats remained unfilled
note:
     opposition is boycotting the National Assembly until the government
     promises to investigate fraud in the last election
Judicial branch:
     Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)




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; Rally for Democracy and Renewal (RDR); Comoran Popular
     Front (FPC), Mohamed HASSANALI, Mohamed El Arif OUKACHA, Abdou
     MOUSTAKIM (Secretary General)
Member of:
     ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
     ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), 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
FAX:
     (212) 983-4712
US diplomatic representation:
     none; post closed in September 1993
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)


                                  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 1982-86 the
     industrial sector grew at an annual average rate of 5.3%, but its
     contribution to GDP is small. 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. Estimates for 1992 show a moderate increase in the
     growth rate based on increased exports, tourism, and government
     investment outlays.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $360 million (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
     5% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
     $700 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     4% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
     over 15.9% (1989)
Budget:
revenues:
     $96 million
expenditures:
     $88 million, including capital expenditures of $33 million (1991 est.)
Exports:
     $21 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
commodities:
     vanilla, cloves, perfume oil, copra, ylang-ylang
partners:
     US 53%, France 41%, Africa 4%, FRG 2% (1988)
Imports:
     $60 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
commodities:
     rice and other foodstuffs, cement, petroleum products, consumer goods
partners:
     Europe 62% (France 22%), Africa 5%, Pakistan, China (1988)
External debt:
     $160 million (1992 est.)
Industrial production:
     growth rate -6.5% (1989 est.); accounts for 10% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
     16,000 kW
production:
     25 million kWh




consumption per capita:
     50 kWh (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
Economic aid:
recipient:
     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 - 444.03 (January 1994), 254.57 (1993),
     264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989)
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
Fiscal year:
     calendar year


                              Communications


Highways:
total:
     750 km
paved:
     bituminous 210 km
unpaved:
     crushed stone, gravel 540 km
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


                              Defense Forces


Branches:
     Comoran Defense Force (FDC)
Manpower availability:
     males age 15-49 112,918; fit for military service 67,522
Defense expenditures:
     $NA, NA% of GDP