Access to THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1993 provided courtesy of 
The Libraries of the University of Missouri-St. Louis
 
 Match 57   DB Rec# - 55,804  Dataset-WOFACT
 
Source        :CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 
Source key    :CI 
Program       :WORLD FACTBOOK 
ID number     :CI WOFACT 056              
Title         :COMOROS 
Data type     :TEXT 
End year      :1994
Date of record:02/16/1994
Keywords 3    : 
| COMOROS 
Text          : 
COMOROS 
GEOGRAPHY 
Location: 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 km2 
 
land area: 2,170 km2 
 
comparative area: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC 
 
Land boundaries: 0 km 
 
Coastline: 340 km 
 
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 km2 
 
Environment: soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; cyclones 
possible during rainy season 
 
Note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel 
 
 
Population growth rate: 3.54% (1993 est.) 
 
Birth rate: 46.75 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) 
 
Death rate: 11.31 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) 
 
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) 
 
Infant mortality rate: 81.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) 
 
Life expectancy at birth: 
 
total population: 57.35 years 
 
male: 55.23 years 
 
female: 59.55 years (1993 est.) 
 
Total fertility rate: 6.86 children born/woman (1993 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: Comoros 
 
local long form: Republique Federale Islamique des Comores 
 
local short form: Comores 
 
Type: independent republic 
 
Capital: Moroni 
 
Administrative divisions: three islands; Njazidja (Grand Comore), Nzwani 
(Anjouan), and Mwali (Moheli) 
 
note: there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and 
Mutsamudu 
 
Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France) 
 
Constitution: 7 June 1992 
 
Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code 
 
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975) 
 
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; Maecha 
Bora, leader NA; MDP/NGDC (expansion NA), leader NA; Comoran Popular Front 
(FPC), Mohamed HASSANALI, Mohamed El Arif OUKACHA, Abdou MOUSTAKIM (Secretary 
General) 
 
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal 
 
Elections: 
 
Federal Assembly: last held November-December 1992 (next to be held NA 
March 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (42 total) UNDC 7, 
CHUMA 3, ADP 2, MDP/NGDC 5, FDC 2, MAECHA BORA 2, FPC 2, RACHADE 1, UWEZO 1, 
MWANGAZA 1, 16 other seats to smaller parties 
 
President: last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996); results - 
Said Mohamed DJOHAR (UDZIMA) 55%, Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (UNDC) 45% 
 
Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet), prime minister 
 
Legislative branch: unicameral Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale) 
 
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) 
 
Leaders: 
 
Chief of State and Head of Government: President Said Mohamed DJOHAR 
(since 11 March 1990); Prime Minister Ibrahim HALIDI (since 1 January 1992) 
 
Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, 
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, 
WMO 
 
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 
 
US diplomatic representation: 
 
chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth N. PELTIER 
 
embassy: address NA, Moroni 
 
mailing address: B. P. 1318, Moroni 
 
telephone:  269  73-22-03, 73-29-22 
 
FAX: no service available at this time 
 
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 the period 1982-86 the industrial sector grew at an 
annual average rate of 5.3%, but its contribution to GDP was only 5% in 1988. 
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. Preliminary estimates for FY92 show a 
moderate increase in the growth rate based on increased exports, tourism, and 
government investment outlays. 
 
National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $260 million (1991 est.) 
 
National product real growth rate: 2.7% (1991 est.) 
 
National product per capita: $540 (1991 est.) 
 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (1991 est.) 
 
Unemployment rate: over 16% (1988 est.) 
 
Budget: revenues $96 million; expenditures $88 million, including capital 
expenditures of $33 million (1991 est.) 
 
commodities: vanilla, cloves, perfume oil, copra, ylang-ylang 
 
partners: US 53%, France 41%, Africa 4%, FRG 2% (1988) 
 
Imports: $41 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) 
 
commodities: rice and other foodstuffs, cement, petroleum products, 
consumer goods 
 
partners: Europe 62% (France 22%), Africa 5%, Pakistan, China (1988) 
 
External debt: $196 million (1991 est.) 
 
Industrial production: growth rate -6.5% (1989 est.); accounts for 10% of 
GDP 
 
Electricity: 16,000 kW capacity; 25 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per 
capita (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: 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 - 274.06 (January 1993), 
264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988)); 
note - linked to the French franc at 50 to 1 French franc 
 
Fiscal year: calendar year 
 
COMMUNICATIONS 
Highways: 750 km total; about 210 km bituminous, remainder crushed stone 
or gravel 
 
Ports: Mutsamudu, Moroni 
 
Airports: 
 
total: 4 
 
usable: 4 
 
with permanent-surface runways: 4 
 
with runways over 3,659 m: 0 
 
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 15-49 108,867; fit for military service 
65,106 (1993 est.) 
 
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP 
 
 
 
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This section of THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1993 produced by the United States
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was derived from the US Dept. of Commerce
Economics and Statistics Division's NATIONAL TRADE DATA BANK CD-ROM,
July, 1994, SuDoc No. C 1.88:994/7/v.1-2 / R. Muns, UM-St. Louis Libraries 
Local Filename: WF940055.TXT