| Comoros |
Flag:
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Map:
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| Background: Comoros has endured 19 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. He pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union president took office in May 2002. |
| Geography and Environmental |
Capital: name: Moroni
geographic coordinates: 11 41 S, 43 16 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Area Total: 2,170 sq km |
| Area Land: 2,170 sq km |
| Area Water: 0 sq km |
| Area Comparative: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Coastline: 340 km |
| Climate: tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) |
| Terrain: volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills |
| Elevation Extremes Lowest Point: Indian Ocean 0 m |
| Elevation Extremes Highest Point: Le Kartala 2,360 m |
| Natural Resources: NEGL |
| Land Use Arable Land: 35.87% |
| Land Use Permanent Crops: 23.32% |
| Land Use Other: 40.81% (2005) |
| Irrigated Land: NA |
| Natural Hazards: cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano |
| Environment Current Issues: soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation |
| Geography Note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel |
| Population |
| Population: 711,417 (July 2007 est.) |
| Age Structure 0 to 14 Years: 42.6% (male 151,920/female 150,851) |
| Age Structure 15 to 64 Years: 54.4% (male 191,096/female 196,120) |
| Age Structure 65 Years And Over: 3% (male 9,933/female 11,497) (2007 est.) |
| Median Age Total: 18.7 years |
| Median Age Male: 18.4 years |
| Median Age Female: 18.9 years (2007 est.) |
| Population Growth Rate: 2.84% (2007 est.) |
| Birth Rate: 36.35 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Death Rate: 7.95 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Sex Ratio At Birth: 1.03 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio Under 15 Years: 1.007 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio 15 to 64 Years: 0.974 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio 65 Years And Over: 0.864 male(s)/female |
| Sex Ratio Total Population: 0.985 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
| Infant Mortality Rate Total: 70.66 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Infant Mortality Rate Male: 78.86 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Infant Mortality Rate Female: 62.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
| Life Expectancy At BirthTotalPopulation: 62.73 years |
| Life Expectancy At Birth Male: 60.37 years |
| Life Expectancy At Birth Female: 65.15 years (2007 est.) |
| Total Fertility Rate: 4.97 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
| HIV AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate: 0.12% (2001 est.) |
| HIV AIDS People Living With HIV AIDS: NA |
| HIV AIDS Deaths: NA |
| Religions: Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% |
| Languages: Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) |
| Literacy Definition: age 15 and over can read and write |
| Literacy Total Population: 56.5% |
| Literacy Male: 63.6% |
| Literacy Female: 49.3% (2003 est.) |
| Administrative Divisions: 3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore, Anjouan, Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli, Moroni*, Moutsamoudou* |
| Legal System: French and Islamic law in a new consolidated code |
| Economy |
| Overview: 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 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 - which is hampered by internal political disputes - 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. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP. |
| GDP Purchasing Power Parity: $441 million (2002 est.) |
| GDP Real Growth Rate: 3% (2005 est.) |
| GDP Composition By Sector Agriculture: 40% |
| GDP Composition By Sector Industry: 4% |
| GDP Composition By Sector Services: 56% (2001 est.) |
| Labor Force: 144,500 (1996 est.) |
Labor Force By Occupation: agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20% |
| Unemployment Rate: 20% (1996 est.) |
Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation Rate Consumer Prices: 3% (2005 est.) |
| Industries: fishing, tourism, perfume distillation |
| Industrial Production Growth Rate: -2% (1999 est.) |
| Energy |
| Electricity Production: 19 million kWh (2004) |
| Electricity Production By Source Fossil Fuel: 90.6% |
| Electricity Production By Source Hydro: 9.4% |
| Electricity Production By Source Nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity Production By Source Other: 0% (2001) |
| Electricity Consumption: 17.67 million kWh (2004) |
| Electricity Exports: 0 kWh (2004) |
| Electricity Imports: 0 kWh (2004) |
| Oil Production: 0 bbl/day (2004) |
| Oil Consumption: 720 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
| Natural Gas Production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
| Natural Gas Consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
| Exports: $34 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
| Exports Commodities: vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra |
| Exports Partners: France 26.8%, Singapore 16.3%, Japan 14.6%, Germany 13.2%, US 5.6%, Netherlands 4.9% (2005) |
| Imports: $115 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
| Imports Commodities: rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment |
| Imports Partners: France 22.2%, UAE 9.8%, South Africa 7.2%, Pakistan 6.4%, Kenya 5.1%, Belgium 4.6%, India 4.4%, Italy 4.2% (2005) |
| Debt External: $232 million (2000 est.) |
| Economic Aid Recipient: $24 million (2003 est.) |
| Communications |
| Telephones Main Lines In Use: 16,900 (2005) |
| TelephonesMobileCellular: 16,100 (2005) |
| Telephone System General Assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations |
| Telephone System Domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay |
| Telephone System International: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion |
| Radio Broadcast Stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) |
| Radios: 90,000 (1997) |
| Television Broadcast Stations: NA |
| Televisions: 1,000 (1997) |
| Internet Service Providers-ISPs: 1 (2000) |
| Internet Users: 20,000 (2005) |
| Transportation |
| Airports: 4 (2006) |
| Military Expenditures Percent Of GDP: 3% (2005) |
| Disputes International: claims French-administered Mayotte |