Comoros at a glance        0  778 reads

Geography
Area: 2,171 sq. km. (838 sq. mi.); slightly less than half the size of Delaware.
Major islands--Grande Comore (1,025 sq. km.), Anjouan (424 sq. km.), Mayotte (374 sq. km.), and Moheli (211 sq. km.). Cities: Capital--Moroni (pop. 30,000); Mutsamudu (pop. 20,000).
Terrain: Rugged.
Climate: Tropical marine.

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Comoran(s).
Population (July 2009 est.): 752,438. Mayotte (1990 est.)--70,000.
Annual growth rate (2009 est.): 2.766%.
Ethnic groups: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava.
Religions: Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%.
Languages: Shikomoro (a Swahili-Arabic blend), Arabic (official), French (official).
Education: Attendance--60% primary, 34% secondary. Literacy--56.5%. Health: Life expectancy--63.47 yrs. Infant mortality rate--66.57/1,000.
Work force (1996): 144,500. Agriculture--80%.

Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: July 6, 1975 (Mayotte remains under French administration).
Constitution: Adopted by referendum on December 23, 2001.
Branches: Executive--national president; regional island presidents. Legislative--National Assembly. Judicial--traditional Muslim and codified law from French sources.
Political parties: 17 political parties. Suffrage: Universal adult.

Economy
GDP (purchasing power parity, 2008 est.): $741.4 million.
Annual growth rate: 0.5%.
GDP per capita (2008 est.): $1,000.
Agriculture (40% of GDP): Products--vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, banana, cassava, coconuts. Services (56% of GDP): Commerce, tourism.
Industry (4% of GDP): Types--perfume distillation.
Trade: Exports (2006 est.)--$32 million f.o.b.: vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra. Major markets--Turkey, France, Singapore, Saudi Arabia. Imports (2006 est.)--$143 million: rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum, cement, transport equipment. Major suppliers--France 18.2%, U.A.E. 10.8%, South Africa 8.5%, Pakistan 7.2%, Kenya 5.7%, China 5.4%, India 5%.
 

Background

Comoros has endured more than 20 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 in a bloodless coup, and helped negotiate the 2000 Fomboni Accords power-sharing agreement in which the federal presidency rotates among the three islands, and each island maintains its own local government. AZALI won the 2002 Presidential election, and each island in the archipelago elected its own president. AZALI stepped down in 2006 and President SAMBI took office. Since 2006, Anjouan's President Mohamed BACAR has refused to work effectively with the Union presidency. In 2007, BACAR effected Anjouan's de-facto secession from the Union, refusing to step down in favor of fresh Anjouanais elections when Comoros' other islands held legitimate elections in July. The African Union (AU) initially attempted to resolve the political crisis by applying sanctions and a naval blockade on Anjouan, but in March 2008, AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island. The move was generally welcomed by the island's inhabitants.


SOURCES
All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008

Identification state
 

New Page 1

15 character
Comoros

30 character
Comoros

Country name

Comoros

Country name > Conventional long form

Union of the Comoros

Country name > Conventional short form

Comoros

Country name > Local long form

Union des Comores

Country name > Local short form

Comores

ISO code

174

ISO long
COM

ISO short

KM

Native names
Comores, Komori, جزر القمر or Comores

Translation > Catalan

Comores

Translation > French

Comores

Translation > German

Komoren

Translation > Italian

Comore

Translation > Portugese
Comoros

Translation > Spanish

Comoras

UN code

174


SOURCES
CIA World Factbook, 28 July 2005; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; Microsoft.com; Wkipedia

Top rankings
 

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1st

Energy > Aviation Gasoline > Statistical differences (per capita)

Health > Unmet need for contraception > % of married women ages 15-49

Labor > Unemployment rate

2nd

Economy > Multilateral debt service > % of public and publicly guaranteed debt service

Labor > Labor force > By occupation > Agriculture

3rd

Economy > Export quantum/quantity index

Economy > Household final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per $ GDP)

Economy > Household final consumption expenditure, etc. > current US$ (per $ GDP)

Economy > Household final consumption expenditure, etc. > % of GDP

Economy > Population below poverty line (per $ GDP)

Education > Education expenditure of government > As percentage of total government

Education > Public spending on education, total > % of government expenditure

Education > Repetition rate, primary, female > % of total enrollment

Education > Repetition rate, primary, male > % of total enrollment

Education > Repetition rate, primary > % of total enrollment

4th

Agriculture > Agriculture, value added > current US$ (per $ GDP)

Agriculture > value added > current US$ (per $ GDP)

Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Turnout

Food > exports > % of merchandise exports

Health > Malaria % under-fives sleeping under a treated bednet

Health > Prevalence of undernourishment > % of population

People > African countries by population density > pop. dens.

5th

Economy > International tourism, receipts > % of total exports

Government > Procedures to enforce a contract > number

Health > External resources for health as % of total expenditure on health

Health > Malaria prevention, use of insecticide-treated bed nets > % of under-5 population

Religion > Islam > Sunni to Muslim

Transportation > Airports > With paved runways > 914 to 1523 m (per $ GDP)


Bottom rankings

 

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Last

Economy > GDP growth > annual %
Economy > GDP per capita, PPP > current international $
Economy > Household final consumption expenditure, etc. > constant 2000 US$ (per capita)
Geography > Surface area > sq. km
Health > Hospital beds > per 1,000 people
Immigration > Net migration
Immigration > Refugee population by country or territory of asylum
Internet > International Internet bandwidth > Mbps
Media > Personal computers (per capita)
Religion > Catholics

2nd last

Economy > Final consumption expenditure, etc. > annual % growth
Economy > Stock of quasi money
Energy > Aviation Gasoline > Imports
Energy > Electricity > Hydro > Production
Energy > Electricity > Station use & station loss
Environment > Total renewable water resources
Labor > Labor force (per capita)
Religion > Religions > Roman Catholic
Religion > Seventh-day Adventist Membership
Transportation > Airports > With paved runways > 2438 to 3047 m

3rd last

Economy > Imports
Education > Children out of school, primary, female (per capita)
Energy > Electricity > Hydro > Production > Public
Geography > Land use > Other
Health > Malaria prevention, use of insecticide-treated bed nets > % of under-5 population
Media > Televisions (per capita)
Religion > Islam > Shia
Transportation > Highways > Total (per capita)
Transportation > Highways > Unpaved (per capita)
Transportation > Railways (per capita)

4th last

Crime > Prisoners > Pre-trial detainees
Economy > Changes in net reserves > BoP, current US$ (per capita)
Economy > Tourist arrivals by region of origin > Americas
Health > Prevalence of undernourishment > % of population
Media > Television receivers
People > Education expenditures
Religion > Catholic > Diocesan priests
Religion > Jehovahs Witnesses
Transportation > Investment in transport with private participation > current US$ (per $ GDP)
Transportation > Railways

5th last

Economy > Exports
Economy > Imports from US (per $ GDP)
Education > School life expectancy > Primary to tertiary
Labor > Unemployment rate
Media > Televisions
Media > Telephones > Mobile cellular
Media > Television receivers (per capita)
Religion > Jehovahs Witnesses (per capita)
Religion > Roman Catholicism > By country > Roman Catholicism > Catholic total
Transportation > Highways > Paved (per capita)

6th last

Economy > Budget > Revenues (per capita)
Economy > Household final consumption expenditure per capita growth > annual %
Economy > International tourism, expenditures > % of total imports
Energy > Electricity > Consumption (per capita)
Health > Physicians > per 1,000 people
Immigration > US visa lottery winners (per capita)
Labor > Labor force > By occupation > Agriculture
Media > Number of PCs
Media > Telephones > Main lines in use
People > African countries by population density > area
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Comoros at a glance
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