Comoros (2002)

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Comoros 2002 year


Administrative divisions	3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou
Age structure	0-14 years: 42.9% (male 132,013; female 131,282) 15-64 years: 54.2% (male 164,245; female 168,793) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 8,588; female 9,461) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)
Airports	4 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
Area	total: 2,170 sq km land: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He has pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002.
Birth rate	39.01 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	revenues: $27.6 million expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital	Moroni
Climate	tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Coastline	340 km
Constitution	23 December 2001 note: a Transitional National Unity Government (GUNT) was formed on 20 January 2002 following the passing of the new constitution; the GUNT governed until the presidential elections on 14 April 2002
Country name	conventional long form: Union of the Comoros conventional short form: Comoros local long form: Union des Comores local short form: Comores
Currency	Comoran franc (KMF)
Death rate	9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	$225 million
Diplomatic representation from the US	the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Ahmed DJABIR (ambassador to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN) chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Federal and Islamic Republic of the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 and 223-2711 FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699
Disputes - international	claims French-administered Mayotte; the island of Anjouan (Nzwani) has moved to secede from Comoros again after recent military coup
Economic aid - recipient	$10 million (2001 est.)
Economy - overview	One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, 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 government is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population growth rate. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP.
Electricity - consumption	17.67 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production	19 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 89% hydro: 11% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m
Environment - current issues	soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Exchange rates	Comoran francs per US dollar - 557.09 (January 2002), 549.78 (2001), 533.98 (2000), 461.77 (1999), 442.46 (1998), 437.75 (1997) note: prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged to the French franc at 75 Comoran francs per French franc; since 1 January 1999, the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro
Executive branch	chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - AZALI Assoumani became president on 6 May 1999 after a bloodless coup on 30 April 1999; on 16 January 2002, President AZALI resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; during that time, Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO served as interim president; AZALI Assoumani sworn in as president on 26 May 2002 head of government: Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO (since NA November 2000); note - on 16 January 2002, President AZALI resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president and Djaffar SALIM interim deputy prime minister cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with 75% of the vote
Exports	0 kWh (2000)
Exports	$35.3 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities	vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra
Exports - partners	France 46%, US 18%, Singapore 18%, Germany 9% (1999)
Fiscal year	calendar year
Flag description	four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
GDP	purchasing power parity - $424 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $710 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	1% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates	12 10 S, 44 15 E
Geography - note	important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
Highways	total: 880 km paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	0 kWh (2000)
Imports	$44.9 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities	rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment
Imports - partners	France 34%, South Africa 14%, Kenya 7%, Pakistan 4% (1999)
Independence	6 July 1975 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	-2% (1999 est.)
Industries	tourism, perfume distillation
Infant mortality rate	81.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	3.5% (2001 est.)
International organization participation	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2000)
Irrigated land	NA sq km
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of the republic)
Labor force	144,500 (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 80%
Land boundaries	0 km
Land use	arable land: 34.98% permanent crops: 17.94% other: 47.08% (1998 est.)
Languages	Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)
Legal system	French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code
Legislative branch	bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (15 seats - five from each island); members selected by regional councils for six-year terms) and a Federal Assembly or Assemblee Federale (42 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - the Federal Assembly was dissolved following the coup of 30 April 1999 elections: Federal Assembly - last held 1 and 8 December 1996 (next to be held NA April 2003) election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RND 39, FNJ 3, independent 1 note: the constitution stipulates that only parties that win six seats in the Federal Assembly (two from each island) are permitted to be in the opposition, but if no party accomplishes that, the second most successful party will be in the opposition; in the elections of December 1996 the FNJ appeared to qualify as opposition
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 60.79 years male: 58.56 years female: 63.09 years (2002 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.3% male: 64.2% female: 50.4% (1995 est.)
Location	Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Map references	Africa
Maritime claims	exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 139,779 GRT/205,369 DWT ships by type: cargo 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Malta 1, Pakistan 1, Turkey 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Comoran Security Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$6 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	3% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 145,509 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 86,455 (2002 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Nationality	noun: Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran
Natural hazards	cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano
Natural resources	NEGL
Net migration rate	NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Political parties and leaders	Front National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed Abdallah MOHAMED, Ahmed ABOUBACAR, Soidiki M'BAPANOZA]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the government) [Ali Bazi SELIM]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA
Population	614,382 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	60% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate	2.99% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios	90,000 (1997)
Railways	0 km
Religions	Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay international: HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
Telephones - main lines in use	7,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular	NA
Television broadcast stations	NA
Terrain	volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
Total fertility rate	5.26 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate	20% (1996 est.)
Waterways	none

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