Comoros - History, Geography, Government, Media and Culture, Further reading

Official nameFederal and Islamic Republic of the Comoros, République Fédérale Islamique des Comores

Local name Comores Timezone GMT +3 Area 1 862 km²/719 sq mi population total (2002e) 583 000 Status Federal republic Date of independence 1975 Capital Moroni (on Njazidja Island) Languages Arabic, French (official), Kiswahili Ethnic groups Comorian (97%), Makua (2%) Religions Sunni Muslim (86%), Roman Catholic (14%) Physical features Located in the Mozambique Channel between mainland Africa and Madagascar; a group of three volcanic islands: Njazidja (Grande Comore), Nzwani (Anjouan), and Mwali (Mohéli); largest island, Njazidja, with an active volcano, Mt Kartala, 2361 m/7746 ft. Climate Tropical; dry season (May–Oct), hot, humid season (Nov–Apr); average temperatures, 20°C (Jul), 28°C (Nov). Currency 1 Comorian Franc (KMF) = 100 centimes Economy Largely agricultural economy: vanilla, copra, cacao, sisal, coffee, cloves, vegetable oils; perfume. GDP (2002e) $441 mn, per capita $700 Human Development Index (2002) 0·511 History Under French control, 1843–1912; French overseas territory, 1947; internal political autonomy, 1961; unilateral independence declared, 1975; Mayotte, island in the archipelago, has remained under French rule; established as a Federal Islamic Republic, 1978; a one-party state, governed by a President, Council of Ministers, and unicameral Federal Assembly; a new constitution, 2001, provided for the creation of a new federation, the Comoros Union, with greater autonomy for each of the three islands; presidency of the union rotates between the three islands; president is elected for a 4-year term, heads a central government, and 33-member legislature.

Union des Comores Udzima wa Komori اتحاد القمر‎ Union of the Comoros
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Unité - Justice - Progrès  (French) "Unity - Justice - Progress"
Anthem: Udzima wa ya Masiwa  (Comorian) "The Union of the Great Islands"
Capital	Moroni 11°41′S 43°16′E
Largest city	Moroni
Official language	Comorian, Arabic, French
Government	Federal Republic
- President	Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi
Independence	from France
- Date	July 6, 1975
Area
- Total	2,170 km² (178th) 838 sq mi
- Water (%)	negligible
Population
- 2005 estimate	798,000 (159th)
- Density	275/km² (25th) 712/sq mi
GDP (PPP)	2004 estimate
- Total	$1.049 million (171st)
- Per capita	$1,660 (156th)
HDI  (2003)	0.547 (medium) (132nd)
Currency	Comorian franc (KMF)
Time zone	EAT (UTC+3)
- Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+3)
Internet TLD	.km
Calling code	+269

This article is about the country.

The country consists of three of the four main islands in the volcanic Comoros archipelago: Grande Comore, Mohéli and Anjouan.

History

Over the centuries, the islands of Comoros were populated by a succession of diverse groups from the coast of Africa, the Persian Gulf, Indonesia, and Madagascar.

The islands of Anjouan and Mohéli declared their independence from Comoros in 1997.

Geography

Comoros is formed by three of the four main islands in the Comoros Archipelago;

The Vailheu Bank, located near Grande Comore, may one day become an island in the Comoros Archipelago.

Islands of Comoros

Government

Politics of the Union of the Comoros takes place in a framework of a federal presidential republic, whereby the President of the Comoros is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system.

Comoros also is a member of the Organization of African Unity, the Arab League, the European Development Fund, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Indian Ocean Commission, and the African Development Bank.

Media and Culture

Comorian (Shikomori) is the most widely used language on the Comoros (independent islands in the Indian Ocean, off Mozambique and Madagascar).

See also:

Holidays in Comoros Islam in Comoros Music of Comoros

Further reading

The Comoros Islands: Struggle Against Dependency in the Indian Ocean Malyn Newitt Historical Dictionary of the Comoro Islands Martin and Harriet Ottenheimer Shinzwani-English/English-Shinzwani Dictionary Harriet Ottenheimer Lonely Planet World Guide: Madagascar and Comoros Gemma Pitcher and Patricia C. Martin and Harriet Ottenheimer - Comoro Islands BBC News - Country Profile: Comores CIA World Factbook - Comoros US State Department - Comoros includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports

Directories

al-Bab - Comoros directory category Columbia University Libraries - Angola directory category of the WWW-VL MweziNet directory and encyclopedia Open Directory Project - Comoros Stanford University - Africa South of the Sahara: Comoros directory category The Index on Africa - Comoros directory category Yahoo! - Comoros directory category

Tourism

Comoros travel guide from Wikitravel Travel Overview of Comoros

Other

Comores Online portal Republican party of Comoros Report from IRIN (UN office for the coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) The islands of Comoros www.comoros-online.com - First information website on Comoros - Association MWEZINET "La passion des Comores" Travel in Comoros v • d • e Organization of the Islamic Conference

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Observer countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina • Central African Republic • Russia • Thailand • Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Observer Muslim organizations and communities: Moro National Liberation Front

Observer international organizations: Economic Cooperation Organization • Organization of African Unity • League of Arab States • Non-Aligned Movement • United Nations

v • d • e Member states of the African Union

Algeria • Angola • Benin • Botswana • Burkina Faso • Burundi • Cameroon • Cape Verde • Central African Republic • Chad • Comoros • Democratic Republic of the Congo • Republic of the Congo • Côte d'Ivoire • Djibouti • Egypt • Eritrea • Ethiopia • Equatorial Guinea • Gabon • The Gambia • Ghana • Guinea • Guinea-Bissau • Kenya • Lesotho • Liberia • Libya • Madagascar • Malawi • Mali • Mauritania • Mauritius • Mozambique • Namibia • Niger • Nigeria • Rwanda • São Tomé and Príncipe • Senegal • Seychelles • Sierra Leone • Somalia • South Africa • Sudan • Swaziland • Tanzania • Togo • Tunisia • Uganda • Western Sahara (SADR) • Zambia • Zimbabwe

v • d • e   Arab League (جامعة الدول العربية‎)

Algeria • Bahrain • Comoros • Djibouti • Egypt • Iraq • Jordan • Kuwait • Lebanon • Libya • Mauritania • Morocco • Oman • Palestine • Qatar • Saudi Arabia • Somalia • Sudan • Syria • Tunisia • United Arab Emirates • Yemen

v • d • e Countries of Africa

Sovereign states: Algeria • Angola • Benin • Botswana • Burkina Faso • Burundi • Cameroon • Cape Verde • Central African Republic • Chad • Democratic Republic of the Congo • Republic of the Congo • Comoros • Côte d'Ivoire • Djibouti • Egypt • Equatorial Guinea • Eritrea • Ethiopia • France • Gabon • The Gambia • Ghana • Guinea-Bissau • Guinea • Kenya • Lesotho • Liberia • Libya • Madagascar • Malawi • Mali • Mauritania • Mauritius • Morocco • Mozambique • Namibia • Niger • Nigeria • Portugal • Rwanda • Senegal • Seychelles • Sierra Leone • Somalia • South Africa • Spain • Sudan • Swaziland • São Tomé and Príncipe • Tanzania • Togo • Tunisia • Uganda • Yemen • Zambia • Zimbabwe

Dependencies: British Indian Ocean Territory (UK) • French Southern Territories (France)  • Mayotte (France)  • Réunion (France)  • Saint Helena (UK)

 Mostly in Europe. 

v • d • e Francophonie Members: Belgium • Benin • Bulgaria • Burkina Faso • Burundi • Cambodia • Cameroon • Canada • New Brunswick • Quebec • Ontario • Cape Verde • Central African Republic • Chad • Comoros • Côte d'Ivoire • Cyprus • Democratic Republic of the Congo • Djibouti • Dominica • Egypt • Equatorial Guinea • France • French Guiana • Gabon • Ghana • Guadeloupe • Guinea • Guinea-Bissau • Haiti • Laos • Lebanon • Madagascar • Mali • Martinique • Mauritania • Mauritius • Morocco • Niger • Republic of the Congo • Romania • Rwanda • Saint Lucia • São Tomé and Príncipe • Senegal • Seychelles • Saint-Pierre and Miquelon • Switzerland • Togo • Tunisia • Ukraine • Vanuatu • Vietnam

Observers: Armenia • Austria • Croatia • Czech Republic • Georgia • Hungary • Lithuania • Mozambique • Poland • Serbia • Slovakia • Slovenia • Ukraine

v • d • e Countries and territories on the Indian Ocean

Eurasia: Bahrain • Bangladesh • Christmas Island • Cocos (Keeling) Islands • India • Indonesia • Iran • Iraq • Israel • Kuwait • Malaysia • Maldives • Myanmar • Oman • Pakistan • Qatar • Saudi Arabia • Sri Lanka • Thailand • United Arab Emirates • Yemen

Africa: Comoros • Djibouti • Eritrea • Kenya • Madagascar • Mauritius • Mayotte • Mozambique • Seychelles • Somalia • Somaliland • South Africa • Sudan • Tanzania

Oceania: Australia • Christmas Island • Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Islands: Bahrain • Christmas Island • Cocos (Keeling) Islands • Madagascar • Maldives • Mauritius • Mayotte • Seychelles • Sri Lanka