How large is Comoros?
Outline of Comoros
Comoros – sovereign island nation located in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of Africa on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel between northern Madagascar and northeastern Mozambique. The nearest countries to the Comoros are Mozambique, Tanzania, Madagascar, and the Seychelles. At 2,235 km² (863 sq mi) the Comoros is the third smallest African nation by area; and with a population estimated at 798,000 it is the sixth smallest African nation by population (though it has one of the highest population densities in Africa), and is the southern most member state of the Arab League. Its name derives from the Arabic word ("moon"). The country is notable for its diverse culture and history, as a nation formed at the crossroads of many civilizations. It has three official languages—Comorian ("Shikomor"), Arabic, and French, and it is the only state to be a member of each of the African Union, Francophonie, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Arab League, and Indian Ocean Commission, among other international organizations. However it has had a troubled history since independence in 1975, marked by an inordinate number of "coups d'état".Geography of Comoros
Regions of Comoros
Health in the Comoros
Although the Comoros lacks homegrown narcotics, the islands are used as a transit site for drugs coming mainly from Madagascar. In view of international concern about drug trafficking, in 1993 France began providing technical expertise in this field to the Comoros. In addition, the World Bank in a 1994 report pointed out the "high prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases and the low use of condoms" as a significant health threat with regard to the spread of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), which already affected the islands. However, in the period prior to 1990 and extending through 1992, the WHO reported that the Comoros had a very low incidence of AIDS—a total of three cases with no case reported in 1992, or an overall case rate of 0.1 per 100,000 population.
Comoros blue pigeon
As of 2017, the Comoros blue pigeon has been rated as a species of near threatened on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. This is because although it has a restricted distribution, its range size is considered to be more than 20,000 km (7,700 mi). Despite a decreasing or fluctuating range, the area of occurrence is above the criterion to warrant it a vulnerable rating. Although its population has not been determined, it is thought to be above 10,000. Also, even though its population is decreasing, the rate of decline is thought to be less than 30% over ten years or three generations and thus is below the vulnerable criteria. It is reportedly extinct in some areas, commonly found in others, and extinct on many small islands.
History of the Comoros
The history of the Comoros goes back some 1,500 years. The Comoros have been inhabited by various groups throughout this time. France colonised the islands in the 19th century, and they became independent in 1975.
Kouoro
Kouoro is a small town and rural commune in the Cercle of Sikasso in the Sikasso Region of southern Mali. The commune covers an area of 472 square kilometers and includes the town and five villages. In the 2009 census it had a population of 11,315. The town of Kouoro, the "chef-lieu" of the commune, is 75 km north of Sikasso, on the RN11, the main road linking Sikasso and Koutiala. It is also about 30 km west of the border with Burkina Faso.The French explorer René Caillié stopped at Kouoro in February 1828 on his journey to Timbuktu. He was travelling with a caravan transporting kola nuts to Djenné. In his book "Travels through Central Africa to Timbuctoo" published in 1830, he refers to what was then a village as Couara. Caillié wrote:
At nine o'clock in the morning we halted at Couara, a pretty village, where we found an abundance of all the necessities of life. The inhabitants grow a great deal of cotton and millet, and are supplied with water from a stream that runs E.N.E., half a mile from the village.
What Caillié referred to as a stream was actually the Banifing River, a tributary of the Bani but in February it would have had very little water.
Comores Air Services
Comores Air Services was a small airline which served to transport people and cargo between the three islands of the Comoros, as well as the nearby island of Mayotte.
List of cities in the Comoros
Grande Comore
Comoros
In November 1975, the Comoros became the 143rd member of the United Nations. The new nation was defined as comprising the entire archipelago, although the citizens of Mayotte chose to become French citizens and keep their island as a French territory.
Andros, Bahamas
Geographically, North Andros is the sixth largest island in the West Indies, at roughly in area and long and wide at its widest point, and the 153rd largest island on Earth. If all three main islands are included, Andros is the fifth-largest island in the West Indies, after Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. Although comparable in total area to the state of Rhode Island (3140 km, population 1.05 million) together with Long Island, New York (3600 km, population 7.5 million), Andros only has a population of approximately 8000, almost all of whom are settled in a thin strip near the Queen Elizabeth Highway running along the island's eastern coast.
History of the Comoros
Independence came gradually for the Comoros. During the middle of the 20th century the French reluctantly began to accede to requests for constitutional changes and in 1946 the Comoros had become a separately administered colony from Madagascar.
Politics of the Comoros
The Union of the Comoros, known as the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros until 2003, is ruled by Ahmed Abdallah Sambi. The political situation in Comoros has been extremely fluid since the country's independence in 1975, subject to the volatility of coups and political insurrection. Colonel Azali Assoumani seized power in a bloodless coup in April 1999, overthrowing Interim President Tadjidine Ben Said Massounde, who himself had held the office since the death of democratically elected President Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim in November, 1998.
Elections in the Comoros
The President of the Comoros is elected for a five-year term using a version of the two-round system. The presidency rotates between the Comoros' three main islands; Anjouan, Grande Comore and Mohéli. When it is an island's turn to hold the presidency, the first round of the presidential election is held on that island, with the top three candidates progressing to the second round, which is held on a nationwide level.
Comoros
With fewer than a million people, the Comoros is one of the least populous countries in the world, but is also one of the most densely populated, with an average of . In 2001, 34% of the population was considered urban, but that is expected to grow, since rural population growth is negative, while overall population growth is still relatively high.
Postage stamps and postal history of the Comoros
From 1950, the four Comorian islands were given stamps labelled ""Archipel des Comores"". After the independence of three of the Comoros islands in 1975, two services existed : the Comorian and the French post in Mayotte, whose inhabitants refused independence by referendum.
Geography of the Comoros
Natural hazards:
cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); volcanic activity on Grand Comore
Demographics of the Comoros
The Comorians inhabiting Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli (86% of the population) share African-Arab origins. Islam is the dominant religion, and Quranic schools for children reinforce its influence. Although Islamic culture is firmly established throughout, a small minority are Christian.
The Comoros Red Crescent
The Comoros Red Crescent Society was founded in 1982, and it is the part of the recognition by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in 2005. The national headquarters of The Comoros Red Crescent is in Moroni and the other three regional branches are each located are Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Moheli islands. The warehouse which it was built in 2013 with the help from The French Development Agency of France. But they can store 80 tonnes of relief supplies. There are 6,600 Members, 3,600 Volunteers, and 11 Salaried employees of The Comoros Red Crescent Authority.
Irredentism
Article 1 of the Constitution of the Union of the Comoros begins: "The Union of the Comoros is a republic, composed of the autonomous islands of Mohéli, Mayotte, Anjouan, and Grande Comore." Mayotte, geographically a part of the Comoro Islands, was the only island of the four to vote against independence from France (independence losing 37%–63%) in the referendum held December 22, 1974. Mayotte is currently a department of the French Republic.
List of butterflies of the Comoros
This is a list of butterflies of the Comoros. About 88 species are known from the Comoros, 19 of which are endemic.
Komoró
It covers an area of and has a population of 1,253 people (2015).
Outline of Comoros
Foreign relations of Comoros
Comoros
The Comoros is a member of the African Union, the Arab League, the European Development Fund, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Indian Ocean Commission and the African Development Bank. On 10 April 2008, the Comoros became the 179th nation to accept the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Media of the Comoros
In 1984 France agreed to provide Radio Comoros with funding for an FM (frequency modulation) transmitter strong enough to broadcast to all three islands, and in 1985 made a commitment to fund a national newspaper after a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) study revealed that the Comoros was the only UN member lacking print and electronic media. A state-owned newspaper, Al-Watwan, began operations in July 1985, first as a monthly and soon afterward as a weekly. There are now a number of publications, either daily, such as La Gazette des Comores, or weekly, such as L'Archipel, an independent weekly which began publishing in 1988 and now appears intermittently. Al Balad, a daily published by CGH, is now defunct.
Comoros Football Federation
The Fédération de Football des Comores (FFC) is the governing body of football in the Comoros. It was founded in 1979, affiliated to FIFA in 2005 and to CAF in 2003. It organizes the national football league and the national team. 
The first official international played in Comoros was played on the 17.11.2007 against Madagascar for the qualification of 2010 FIFA World Cup and the African Cup of Nation 2010.
Mutsamudu
Mutsamudu is the second largest city in the Comoros, founded in 1482. It is also the capital and largest city on the island of Anjouan as well the former home of former Comorian president Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi. It now houses a deep water port, an ancient citadel, and narrow streets with many shops and small crafts. The population in 2010 stood at 25,471.
Comoros at the 2000 Summer Olympics
The Comité Olympique et Sportif des Iles Comores (the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the Comoros Islands) was recognized by the International Olympic Committee on 1 January 1993. Comoros joined Olympic competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics and have participated at every Summer Olympic Games since, though the nation has yet to debut at the Winter Olympic Games. Sydney was the second appearance by the nation in a Summer Olympiad. The 2000 Summer Olympics were held from 15 September to 1 October 2000; a total of 10,651 athletes represented 199 NOCs. The Comoros delegation to Sydney consisted of two track and field athletes: Hadhari Djaffar and Sandjema Batouli.
Tourism in the Arab world
Comoros is a sovereign archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel off the eastern coast of Africa, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar. Other countries near the Comoros are Tanzania to the northwest and the Seychelles to the northeast. Its capital city is Moroni, situated on Grande Comore the largest island in the archipelago. As a nation formed at a crossroads of many civilizations, the archipelago is noted for its diverse culture and history. The Union of the Comoros has three official languages – Comorian, Arabic and French. Officially, in addition to many smaller islands, the country consists of the four major islands in the volcanic Comoros archipelago: northwesternmost Grande Comore (Ngazidja); Mohéli (Mwali); Anjouan (Nzwani); and southeasternmost Mayotte (Maore). Although the Comoros has many natural resources for tourism, such as its beaches and marine environment, it does not have as strong a tourist industry as its regional competitors Réunion, Mauritius, and Seychelles. Its weak tourist industry is mainly because of its insecure political climate, with many political upheavals over the past three decades. Tourists in the Comoros are mainly wealthy Americans and Europeans, while much of the investment in hotels has come from South Africa. The main tourist attractions in the Comoros are its beaches, underwater fishing, and mountain scenery. Mohéli is a picturesque tourist attraction. Grand Comore has an international airport and most of the Comoros' few hotels.
History of the Comoros
In 1961 the Comoros was granted autonomous rule and, seven years after the general unrest and left-wing riots of 1968, it broke all ties with France and established itself as an independent republic. From the very beginning Mayotte refused to join the new republic and aligned itself even more firmly to the French Republic, but the other islands remained committed to independence. The first president of the Comoros, Ahmed Abdallah Abderemane, did not last long before being ousted in a coup d'état by Ali Soilih, an atheist with an Islamic background.
Economy of the Comoros
Comoros has an international airport (Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport) at Hahaya on Grande Comore. It is a member of the franc zone with an exchange rate of 491.9677 Comorian francs (KMF) = 1 [Euro].
Outline of Comoros
Economy of Comoros
Economy of the Comoros
The GDP per capita of the Comoros grew 55% in the 1980s. But this proved unsustainable and it consequently shrank by 42% in the Nineties.
Comores Aviation International
Comores Aviation International (Compagnie Aérienne de l'Union des iles Comores) is the flag carrier of the Comoros. It is privately owned and operates domestic scheduled services, as well as charters mainly to tourist destinations in southern and eastern Africa. Its main base is Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport, Moroni, with a hub at Ouani Airport.
Comoros
Almost half the population of the Comoros is under the age of 15. Major urban centres include Moroni, Mutsamudu, Domoni, Fomboni, and Tsémbéhou. There are between 200,000 and 350,000 Comorians in France.
Health in the Comoros
Per capita daily caloric intake in 1988 was 2,046, about average for sub-Saharan Africa but only a little better than 90 percent of daily requirements. Children were most often the victims of malnutrition. Their generally poor diets were deficient in protein in part because local custom discouraged the feeding of fish to children. The scarcity of safe drinking water—available to about one in three Comorans—made intestinal parasites a problem and compounded malnutrition, with children again being the main victims.
Geography of the Comoros
Comorian waters are the habitat of the coelacanth, a rare fish with limblike fins and a cartilaginous skeleton, the fossil remains of which date as far back as 400 million years and which was once thought to have become extinct about 70 million years ago. A live specimen was caught in 1938 off southern Africa; other coelacanths have since been found in the vicinity of the Comoro Islands.
Geography of the Comoros
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
"total:"
0.01 km/yr (48%/5%/47%)
"per capital:"
16.86 m/yr (1999)
History of the Comoros
In May 2006, Ahmed Abdallah Sambi was elected from the island of Anjouan to be the president of the Union of the Comoros. He is a well-respected Sunni cleric who studied in the Sudan, Iran and Saudi Arabia. He is respectfully called "Ayatollah" by his supporters but is considered, and is, a moderate Islamist. He has been quoted as stating that the Comoros is not ready to become an Islamic state, nor shall the veil be forced upon any women in the Comoros.
List of birds of the Comoros
The white-eyes are small and mostly undistinguished, their plumage above being generally some dull colour like greenish-olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast or lower parts, and several have buff flanks. As their name suggests, many species have a white ring around each eye. There are 96 species worldwide and 2 species which occur in the Comoros.Order: PasseriformesFamily: Oriolidae
Economy of the Comoros
Agriculture supported about 80 percent of the population and supplied about 95 percent of exports in the early 1990s. Two agricultural zones are generally defined: the coastal area, which ranges in elevation from sea level to 400 meters and which supports cash crops such as vanilla, ylang-ylang, and cloves; and the highlands, which support cultivation of crops for domestic consumption, such as cassava, bananas, rain rice, and sweet potatoes. As the population increased, food grown for domestic use met fewer and fewer of Comorans' needs. Data collected by the World Bank showed that food production per capita fell about 12 percent from 1980 to 1987. The republic imported virtually all its meat and vegetables; rice imports alone often accounted for up to 30 percent of the value of all imports.
Comoros
The islands of the Comoros Archipelago were formed by volcanic activity. Mount Karthala, an active shield volcano located on Ngazidja, is the country's highest point, at . It contains the Comoros' largest patch of disappearing rainforest. Karthala is currently one of the most active volcanoes in the world, with a minor eruption in May 2006, and prior eruptions as recently as April 2005 and 1991. In the 2005 eruption, which lasted from 17 to 19 April, 40,000 citizens were evacuated, and the crater lake in the volcano's caldera was destroyed.
Grande Comore
In 1997, the Comoros nation began to fall apart as Anjouan and Moheli seceded. Grande Comore became the only island under federal control. By 2002, however, Grande Comore was reunited with the other islands under the new constitution. Abdou Soule Elbak was elected President of Grande Comore in May 2002. He received only 17% of the vote in the first round, coming in first place, and received 60% of the vote in the runoff. He remained in his post until the July 2007 elections, at which point Mohamed Abdoulwahab won the island's presidency.
2010 Comorian presidential election
In Comoros, the presidency rotates every four years between the federation's three constituent islands: Anjouan, Mohéli and Grande Comore. This rotation was Mohéli's turn to supply the president. Incumbent president Ahmed Abdallah Sambi was from Anjouan, and was thus not able to stand as a candidate.
History of the Comoros (1978–89)
The Comoros is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa. France first established colonial rule in the Comoros in 1841. Agreement was reached with France in 1973 for the Comoros to become independent in 1978. On July 6, 1975, but the Comorian parliament passed a unilateral resolution declaring independence. The deputies of Mayotte, which remained under French control, abstained. Referendums on all four of the islands excluding Mayotte showed strong support for independence. Ahmed Abdallah proclaimed the Comoros' independence on September 5, 1975 and became its first president.
Demographics of the Comoros
The Comorian population has become increasingly urbanized in recent years. In 1991 the percentage of Comorians residing in cities and towns of more than 5,000 persons was about 30 percent, up from 25 percent in 1985 and 23 percent in 1980. The Comoros' largest cities were the capital, Moroni, with about 30,000 people, and the port city of Mutsamudu, on the island of Nzwani, with about 20,000 people.
Agriculture in the Comoros
The economy of the Comoros is primarily agricultural, with arable land comprising 45 percent of the total land area. Among the chief crops in 2004, in tons, were manioc, 58,000; coconuts, 77,000; bananas, 65,000; sweet potatoes, 5,500; rice, 17,000; corn, 4,000; and cloves, 3,000. Other crops include sugarcane, sisal, peppers, spices, coffee, and various perfume plants such as ylang-ylang, abelmosk, lemon grass, jasmine, and citronella.
Geography of the Comoros
Irrigated land:
1.3 km (2003)
Media of the Comoros
In 1989 the Comoros had an estimated 61,000 radios and 200 television sets.
.km
.km is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Comoros.
Comoros
The Comoros constitute an ecoregion in their own right, Comoros forests.
La Grille
La Grille is located on the island of Grande Comore, a northern island of the Comoros archipelago in the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. The volcano is abutted on the south by Karthala, another volcano rising to 2361 meters. A road around the coast of Grande Comore runs along the east, north and west sides of La Grille, connecting Prince Said Ibrahim Airport to the west of the island. Many villages are located near the coast and on the volcano, where there are also electricity pylons.
Economy of the Comoros
Forested areas amounted to about in 2000. Numerous fruit trees and tropical hardwoods are found. Some timber is produced, notably on the island of Grande Comore, which has about half the remaining forest. Roundwood production in 2003 amounted to 9,000 cu m (300,000 cu ft).
Geography of the Comoros
Natural resources:
fish
Comoros national football team
Comoros played their first matches in the 1979 Indian Ocean Island Games. Those were the only games they played until qualification for the 2009 Arab Nations Cup in 2006. Those two matches were their first two matches with full FIFA recognition, and included a 4–2 victory over Djibouti, which is considered the largest win in the Comorian team's history. In 2007, Comoros first entered qualification for the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations for the 2010 tournaments, but lost in the preliminary round 2–10 on aggregate to Madagascar.
Comoros
Sunni Islam is the dominant religion, representing as much as 99% of the population. A minority of the population of the Comoros, mostly immigrants from metropolitan France, are Roman Catholic.
Economy of the Comoros
The Comoros is one of the world's poorest countries; its per capita gross national product (GNP—see Glossary) was estimated at US$400 in 1994, following the January devaluation of the Comorian franc. Although GNP increased in real terms at an average annual rate of 3.1 percent during the 1980s, rapid population growth effaced these gains and caused an average annual decrease in per capita GNP of 0.6 percent. Gross domestic product (GDP—see Glossary) grew in real terms by 4.2 percent per year from 1980 to 1985, 1.8 percent from 1985 to 1988, and 1.5 percent in 1990. In 1991, because of its balance of payments difficulties, the Comoros became eligible for the IDA's Special Program of Assistance for debt-distressed countries of sub-Saharan Africa.
Comoros
After the arrival of the Portuguese in the early 15th century and subsequent collapse of the East African sultanates, the powerful Omani Sultan Saif bin Sultan began to defeat the Dutch and the Portuguese. His successor Said bin Sultan increased Omani Arab influence in the region, moving his administration to nearby Zanzibar, which came under Omani rule. Nevertheless, the Comoros remained independent, and although the three smaller islands were usually politically unified, the largest island, Ngazidja, was divided into a number of autonomous kingdoms ("ntsi").
Politics of the Comoros
The Comoros are member of the ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, African Union, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), United Nations, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO.
Léon Humblot
He worked as a gardener for the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris, then in 1878 embarked on a research trip to Madagascar, where he set up an experimental garden and collected orchid species. In 1884 he entered the Comoros Islands as part of a geographical survey conducted by the natural history museum. In 1885 he procured the signature of a treaty with the Sultan of Bambao, thus establishing a basis for a "Grande Comore protectorate". During the following year, the French had overall rule of the Comoros (Grande Comore, Anjouan, Mayotte and Moheli islands).
Yemenia Flight 626
According to the Comoran police, the nation possesses no sea rescue capabilities. Two French military aircraft and a vessel began the formal search for Flight 626. They were sent from Réunion and Mayotte. The Comoros consists of three volcanic islands, Grande Comore, the main island; Anjouan; and Moheli. It is located in the Mozambique Channel, northwest of Madagascar and a similar distance east of the African mainland. The wreckage was spotted off the coast of the town of Mitsamiouli, including a few bodies and large amounts of floating debris in the ocean.
Comoros
The islands of the Comoros share mostly African-Arab origins. One of the largest ethnic groups on the various islands of Comoros remain the Shirazi people. Minorities include Malagasy (Christian) and Indian (mostly Ismaili), as well as other minorities mostly descended from early French settlers. Chinese people are also present in parts of Grande Comore (especially Moroni). A small white minority of French with other European (i.e. Dutch, British and Portuguese) ancestry lives in the Comoros. Most French left after independence in 1975.
Moroni, Comoros
Moroni (Arabic: موروني "Mūrūnī") is the largest city, federal capital and seat of the government of the Union of the Comoros, a sovereign archipelago nation in the Indian Ocean. In Comorian, Moroni translates as "in the heart of the fire", perhaps alluding to the city's location at the foot of Mount Karthala, an active volcano. Moroni is the capital of the semi-autonomous island Grande Comore, the largest of the three main islands of the republic. The city's estimated population in 2003 was 41,557 residents. Moroni, which lies along the Route Nationale 1, has a port and several mosques such as the Badjanani Mosque.
Tourism in the Comoros
The main tourist attractions in the Comoros are its beaches, underwater fishing, and mountain scenery. Mohéli is a picturesque tourist attraction. Grand Comore has an international airport and most of the Comoros' few hotels.
Transport in the Comoros
The isolation of the Comoros had made air traffic a major means of transportation. One of President Abdallah's accomplishments was to make the Comoros more accessible by air. During his administration, he negotiated agreements to initiate or enhance commercial air links with Tanzania and Madagascar. The Djohar regime reached an agreement in 1990 to link Moroni and Brussels by air. By the early 1990s, commercial flights connected the Comoros with France, Mauritius, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Madagascar. The national airline was Air Comores. Daily flights linked the three main islands, and air service was also available to Mahoré; each island had airstrips. In 1986 the republic received a grant from the French government's CCCE to renovate and expand Hahaya airport, near Moroni. Because of the absence of scheduled sea transport between the islands, nearly all interisland passenger traffic is by air.
Geography of the Comoros
Mohéli is thirty kilometers long and twelve kilometers wide, with an area of 290 square kilometers. It is the smallest of the four islands and has a central mountain chain reaching 860 meters at its highest. Like Grande Comore, it retains stands of rain forest. Mohéli's capital is Fomboni.
Comoros–Qatar relations
On 7 June 2017, Comoros cut ties with Qatar, following the lead of several other countries led by a quartet composed of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Shortly after, there were some demonstrations held in the Comoros capital of Moroni which protested against this decision. Five members of the Comoros-Qatar Friendship Association were arrested by Comoran authorities on 19 June, but were released after 24 hours.
Geography of the Comoros
This is a list of the extreme points of the Comoros, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location. This list excludes the French-administered island of Mayotte which is claimed by the Comorian government.Area:
2,235 km
Economy of the Comoros
Since the latter part of the 1980s, the Comoros has made headway in developing fisheries as a source of export earnings. In 1988 the government concluded a three-year agreement with the EC by which forty French and Spanish vessels would be permitted to fish in Comoran waters, primarily for tuna. In return, the Comoros would receive ECU300,000, and ECU50,000 would be invested in fisheries research. In addition, fishing vessel operators would pay ECU20 per ton of tuna netted. Although the deep waters outside the islands' reefs do not abound in fish, it has been estimated that up to 30,000 tons of fish could be taken per year from Comoran waters (which extend 320 kilometers offshore). The total catch in 1990 was 5,500 tons. Japan has also provided aid to the fishing industry. Fisheries development is overseen by a state agency, the Development Company for Small-Scale Fisheries of the Comoros (Société de Développement de la Pêche Artisanale des Comores).
Fomboni
Fomboni (population approx. 19,000) is the third largest city in the Comoros. It is also the capital and largest city on the island and the Autonomous Island of Mohéli, of which it makes up more than one third of the population. Characterized as quiet, it is home to an old market and a jetty.
Elections in the Comoros
Presidential elections in 2010 saw Ikililou Dhoinine elected President. The delayed 2015 parliamentary elections produced another fragmented Assembly, with the Union for the Development of the Comoros emerging as the largest party with eight seats.
Economy of the Comoros
Following the Abdallah regime's rapprochement with France in 1978, the Comoran economy became increasingly dependent on infusions of French aid, along with assistance from other governments and international organizations. By 1990, the year the Comoros concluded negotiations with the IMF for an economic restructuring program, the republic's total external public debt was US$162.4 million, an amount equal to about three-quarters of GNP. The government delayed implementing the structural adjustment plan and was directed by the World Bank and the IMF to do so by September 1992. The plan recommendations entailed discharging about 2,800 of 9,000 civil servants, among other unpopular measures. The IMF granted the Comoros a new credit for US$1.9 million in March 1994 under the Structural Adjustment Facility. For the period 1994-96, the Comoros sought an economic growth rate of 4 percent as well as an inflation rate of 4 percent for 1995-96. The growth rate for 1994, however, was estimated only at 0.7 percent and the inflation rate at 15 percent. Meanwhile, in a move designed to encourage private enterprise and reduce unemployment, in May 1993 the UN Development Programme had given the Comoros a credit of US$2 million for programs in these areas. In January 1994, the European Development Fund (EDF) granted 1.3 million European Currency Units (ECUs; for value, see Glossary) to the Comoros to develop small businesses. The Comoros also received 5.7 million French francs from the French Aid and Cooperation Fund for agriculture and rural development.
List of companies of the Comoros
The Comoros, officially the Union of the Comoros, is a sovereign archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel off the eastern coast of Africa, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar. 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; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The Comoros is one of the world's poorest countries. Economic growth and poverty reduction are major priorities for the government.
Mayotte
Mayotte's area is and, with its 256,518 people at the 2017 census, is very densely populated at 686 per km (1,777 per sq mi). The biggest city and prefecture is Mamoudzou on Grande-Terre. However, the Dzaoudzi–Pamandzi International Airport is located on the neighbouring island of Petite-Terre. The territory is geographically part of the Comoro Islands. The territory is also known as Maore, the native name of its main island, especially by advocates of its inclusion in the Union of the Comoros.
Cameroon
At , Cameroon is the world's 53rd-largest country. It is slightly larger than the nation of Sweden and the state of California; Cameroon is comparable in size to Papua New Guinea. The country is located in Central and West Africa, known as the hinge of Africa, on the Bight of Bonny, part of the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. Cameroon lies between latitudes 1° and 13°N, and longitudes 8° and 17°E. Cameroon controls 12 nautical miles of the Atlantic Ocean.
Comoros at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Comoros participated in five Summer Olympic Games between its début at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England. The highest number of athletes sent by Comoros to a summer Games is four to the 1996 Summer Olympics and the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. No Comorian athlete has ever won a medal at the Olympics. Comoros participated in the Summer Olympics from 27 July to 12 August 2012. The Comorian National Olympic Committee (NOC) selected two athletes via wildcards. Usually, an NOC would be able to enter up to three qualified athletes in each individual event as long as each athlete met the "A" standard, or one athlete per event if they met the "B" standard. However, since Comoros had no athletes that met either standard, they were allowed to select two athletes, one of each gender, as wildcards.
Comoros blue pigeon
The Comoros blue pigeon measures about in length. The male weighs from , and the female weighs about . It has a silvery gray head, neck, and upper breast. The neck feathers are silvery white in colour, and are very long and deeply partitioned. The beak is greenish or yellowish grey, and has a pale yellow or greenish white tip. It has black lower underparts. The lower part of the breast is shiny violet-blue, and the belly and flanks are more greenish blue in colour.
Geography of the Comoros
The islands have a total land area of 2,236 square kilometers (including Mayotte), and claim territorial waters of 320 square kilometers. Mount Karthala (2316 m) on Grande Comore is an active volcano. From April 17 to 19, 2005, the volcano began spewing ash and gas, forcing as many as 10,000 people to flee. Comoros is located within the Somali plate.
Economy of the Comoros
The results of foreign aid to the Comoros have been mixed at best. The purposes of the aid ranged from helping the government cover its payroll for such huge, seemingly endless projects as expanding the seaport at Moroni and developing a new port at Mutsamuda on Nzwani. Neither project had shown much promise by early 1994. Meanwhile, the islands have been unable to develop local resources or create the infrastructure needed for economic development. The few successes included the creation of national news media and limited improvements in public health, education, and telecommunications. Developmental assistance from the United States, which totaled US$700,000 in fiscal year (FY—see Glossary) 1991, was administered by CARE, the nongovernmental organization, and focused primarily on reforestation, soil conservation, and sustainable agriculture.
Flag of the Comoros
The design consists of a white crescent with four white five-pointed stars inside of a green triangle. The flag has four stripes, representing four islands of the nation: yellow is for Mohéli, white is for Mayotte (claimed by Comoros but administered by France), red is for Anjouan, and blue is for Grande Comore. The four stars on the flag also symbolize the four islands of the Comoros. The star and crescent symbol stands for Islam, which is the nation's major religion.
Languages of the Comoros
The official languages of the Comoros are Comorian, French and Arabic. Comorian (or "Shikomoro") is a Bantu language closely related to Swahili. It is by far the most spoken language in the country, 96.9%. However, Comorian is confined almost exclusively for oral use. Before and during the colonial period, no official recognition was granted at all to Comorian. Before the French colonisation, Arabic and Swahili were the languages used by the political powers (the sultans) and by education. Arabic was the language of religion, and a language of commerce. As a result of colonisation, administration and education are now in French. The Comoros is a full member of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie and of the Arab League.
Comoros
The islands of Anjouan and Mohéli declared their independence from the Comoros in 1997, in an attempt to restore French rule. But France rejected their request, leading to bloody confrontations between federal troops and rebels. In April 1999, Colonel Azali Assoumani, Army Chief of Staff, seized power in a bloodless coup, overthrowing the Interim President Massounde, citing weak leadership in the face of the crisis. This was the Comoros' 18th coup, or attempted coup d'état since independence in 1975.
Comoros
High population densities, as much as 1000 per square kilometre in the densest agricultural zones, for what is still a mostly rural, agricultural economy may lead to an environmental crisis in the near future, especially considering the high rate of population growth. In 2004 the Comoros' real GDP growth was a low 1.9% and real GDP per capita continued to decline. These declines are explained by factors including declining investment, drops in consumption, rising inflation, and an increase in trade imbalance due in part to lowered cash crop prices, especially vanilla.
Comoros
Ngazidja is the largest of the Comoros Archipelago, approximately equal in area to the other islands combined. It is also the most recent island, and therefore has rocky soil. The island's two volcanoes, Karthala (active) and La Grille (dormant), and the lack of good harbours are distinctive characteristics of its terrain. Mwali, with its capital at Fomboni, is the smallest of the four major islands. Nzwani, whose capital is Mutsamudu, has a distinctive triangular shape caused by three mountain chains – Sima, Nioumakélé and Jimilimé – emanating from a central peak, Mount N'Tingui ().
History of the Comoros
After World War II, the islands became a French overseas territory and were represented in France's National Assembly. Internal political autonomy was granted in 1961. Agreement was reached with France in 1973 for the Comoros to become independent in 1978. On July 6, 1975, however, the Comorian parliament passed a resolution declaring unilateral independence. The deputies of Mayotte abstained.
Cameroon line
Príncipe is the smaller of the two major islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, with an area of .
Volcanic activity stopped around 15.7 million years ago, and the island has been deeply eroded apart from spectacular towers of phonolite.
The island is surrounded by smaller islands including Ilheu Bom Bom, Ilhéu Caroço, Tinhosa Grande and Tinhosa Pequena, and lies in ocean deep.
It rises in the south to at Pico de Príncipe, in a thickly forested area within the Obo National Park. The north and centre of the island were formerly plantations but have largely reverted to forest.
As with São Tomé, the island has always been isolated from the mainland and therefore has many unique species of plants and animals, including six endemic birds.
Príncipe has a population of around 5,000 people. Other than Portuguese, some speak Principense or Lunguyê with a few Forro speakers.
Politics of the Comoros
As of 2011, the three autonomous islands are subdivided into 16 prefectures, 54 communes, and 318 villes or villages.
Grande Comore
Grande Comore () is an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa. It is the largest island in the Comoros nation. Most of its population is of the Comorian ethnic group. Its population is about 316,600. The island's capital is Moroni, which is also the national capital. The island is made up of two shield volcanoes, with Mount Karthala being the country's highest point at above sea level. According to the 2009 revision of the constitution of 2002, it is governed by an elected Governor, as are the other islands, with the federal government being much reduced in power. The name Ngazidja is sometimes seen in the now nonstandard form Njazidja.
Furcifer cephalolepis
"Furcifer cephalolepis" is native to Grande Comore (Ngazidja) in the Comoros Islands. It is believed to cover the whole of Grande Comore (Ngazidja), , although the true coverage of the species is unknown and has not been recorded. It was ranked as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in their Red List of Threatened Species (Red List Data). Despite covering a small area and the fact that it has been used in the pet trade, the species is ranked as Least Concern (LC) because there are no signs that the population of the "Furcifer cephalolepis" are currently in decline. The population has been confirmed to be stable. It is found in humid regions around the coast of Grande Comore and in forests in and around towns. Between 1994 and 2003, an estimated 7,150 specimens of this chameleon were exported. Between 2004 and 2008, 8,583 living specimens of "Furcifer cephalolepis" were exported to be kept as pets from Grande Comore. The amount of the species to become pets to people is controlled.
Séléa
Grande Comore has an area of 443 square miles (1,148 square kilometers). The northern area of the island (two thirds) is dominated by rocky plains also known as La Grille.
Outline of Comoros
Education in Comoros
List of diplomatic missions in the Comoros
This page lists diplomatic missions resident in the Comoros. At present, the capital city of Moroni hosts nine embassies. Several other countries accredit ambassadors from other capitals.
Geography of the Comoros
Several mammals are unique to the islands themselves. Livingstone's fruit bat, although plentiful when discovered by explorer David Livingstone in 1863, has been reduced to a population of about 120, entirely on Anjouan. The world's largest bat, the jet-black Livingstone fruit bat has a wingspan of nearly two meters. A British preservation group sent an expedition to the Comoros in 1992 to bring some of the bats to Britain to establish a breeding population.
LGBT rights in the Comoros
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Comoros face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Comoros has laws applying to acts considered to be against nature. The age of consent is thirteen.
Music of the Comoros
The Comoros is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, mostly an independent nation but also including the French territory of Mayotte. It is historically linked to both East Africa and France, and now has a strong Malagasy influence. Zanzibar's taarab music, however, remains the most influential genre on the islands, and a Comorian version called "twarab" is popular. Leading twarab bands include Sambeco and Belle Lumière, as well as singers including Chamsia Sagaf and Mohammed Hassan.
2016 Comorian presidential election
The presidency of the Comoros rotates between the country's three main islands; Anjouan, Grande Comore and Mohéli. The 2006 elections were limited to candidates from Anjouan and the 2010 elections to Mohélian candidates. As a result, the 2016 elections will see presidential candidacy limited to Grande Comore residents.
Geography of the Comoros
22 species of bird are unique to the archipelago and 17 of these are restricted to the Union of the Comoros. These include the Karthala scops-owl, Anjouan scops-owl and Humblot's flycatcher.
Health in the Comoros
The World Bank estimated that in 1993 the Comoros had one physician per 6,582 Comorans, a marked improvement over the ratio of one to 13,810 reported in 1983. Comparable data for sub-Saharan Africa as a whole were not available; however, it appeared that Comorans enjoyed a more favorable ratio than many of their neighbors in East Africa and the Indian Ocean.
Geography of the Comoros
The climate is marine tropical, with two seasons: hot and humid from November to April, the result of the northeastern monsoon, and a cooler, drier season the rest of the year. Average monthly temperatures range from along the coasts. Although the average annual precipitation is , water is a scarce commodity in many parts of the Comoros. Mohéli and Mayotte possess streams and other natural sources of water, but Grande Comore and Anjouan, whose mountainous landscapes retain water poorly, are almost devoid of naturally occurring running water. Cyclones, occurring during the hot and wet season, can cause extensive damage, especially in coastal areas. On the average, at least twice each decade houses, farms, and harbor facilities are devastated by these great storms.
President of Grande Comore
The President of Grande Comore is the head of the autonomous government of Grande Comore (Ngazidja), the largest island of the Comoros. The position was established in 2002 following the adoption of the Comorian Constitution of 2001.
Bitterroot Mountains
The Central Bitterroots also contain a smaller subrange, the Como Peaks. The Como Peaks subrange is 79 square miles (205 km²) in area and its highest peak is the aforementioned El Capitan.
Comoros
The Comoros served as a way station for merchants sailing to the Far East and India until the opening of the Suez Canal significantly reduced traffic passing through the Mozambique Channel. The native commodities exported by the Comoros were coconuts, cattle and tortoiseshell. French settlers, French-owned companies, and wealthy Arab merchants established a plantation-based economy that used about one-third of the land for export crops. After its annexation, France converted Mayotte into a sugar plantation colony. The other islands were soon transformed as well, and the major crops of ylang-ylang, vanilla, coffee, cocoa beans, and sisal were introduced.
1974 Comorian independence referendum
On 6 July the Comorian Chamber of Deputies unilaterally declared independence of the entire Comoros archipelago. The French government recognised the independence of Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli on 31 December 1975, but did not mention Mayotte. A referendum was subsequently held in Mayotte in February 1976 on remaining part of the Comoros, with the proposal rejected by over 99% of voters, the voter turnout was observed to be 83.34%, and the number of registered voters was increased to 21,671.