Access to THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1994 provided courtesy of
the libraries of the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
======================================================
National Trade Data Bank
ITEM ID     : CI WOFACT WO0056
DATE        : Oct 28, 1994
 
AGENCY      : CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
PROGRAM     : WORLD FACTBOOK
TITLE       : World Factbook: Comoros
 
Source key      : CI 
Program key     : CI WOFACT 
Update sched.   : Annually         
Data type       : TEXT 
End year        : 1994
Date of record  : 19941020
Keywords 3      :  
Keywords 3      : | Comoros 
 
 
                                  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
 
 
 
===========================================================================
This section of THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1994 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 (NTDB) CD-ROM,
November, 1994, SuDoc No. C 1.88:994/11/v.1-2 / Presented by Raleigh Muns,
(srcmuns@umslvma.umsl.edu) University of Missouri-St. Louis Libraries.