Comoros, Federal Islamic Republic of the

Comoros, Federal Islamic Republic of the A country made up of three main islands and several islets in the Indian Ocean.

Physical

The Comoro Islands are volcanic. They lie in the Mozambique Channel of the Indian Ocean, between the mainland of Africa and northern Madagascar. The chief islands are Great Comoro, Anjouan, and Mohéli. Great Comoro is well forested. Mayotte, geographically part of the archipelago, is a French dependency.

Economy

Exports are dominated by cloves, vanilla, and essential oils for perfume. Most foodstuffs are imported. France, the main trading partner, provides economic aid, while tourism is being developed by South African investors. There is high unemployment and the country suffers from lack of energy resources.

History

Arab peoples were living on the islands when the first Europeans encountered them in the 16th century. Since the 17th century the islands have been occupied by many different peoples, including Arab traders, Africans, Indonesians, and Madagascans. The islands became a French protectorate in 1886, a French overseas territory in 1947, and gained internal autonomy in 1961. In 1974 all the islanders voted for independence, except for those living on Mayotte, who voted to remain under French rule. The Comorian government declared the whole archipelago to be independent (1975) but France gave Mayotte the status of a ‘special collectivity’. In 1978 European mercenaries, led by Bob Denard, overthrew the government and ruled until 1984 when democracy was restored. Denard returned from exile in 1995 to attempt another coup but French troops invaded and restored democracy. In 1997 Anjouan and Mohéli declared independence from Comoros and demanded to return to French rule. This led the president, Mohammed Taki to assume dictatorial powers. Following his death, Colonel Azali Assoumani seized power in a bloodless coup (1999).

Capital:	Moroni
Area:	1,862 sq km (719 sq miles)
Population:	546,000 (1998 est)
Currency:	1 Comorian franc = 100 centimes
Religions:	Sunni Muslim 99.7%; Christian 0.2%; Baha'i 0.1%
Ethnic Groups:	Comorian (a mixture of Bantu, Arab, and Malagasy peoples) 96.9%; Makua 1.6%; French 0.4%
Languages:	Arabic, French (both official); Comoran
International Organizations:	UN; Non-Aligned Movement; Franc Zone; OAU