Comoros (2001) | Puerto Rico (2006) | |
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Administrative divisions | 3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou | none (territory of the US with commonwealth status); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular - municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta, Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas, Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio, Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao, Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca, Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce, Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja, Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
42.81% (male 127,955; female 127,267) 15-64 years: 54.26% (male 159,560; female 163,949) 65 years and over: 2.93% (male 8,326; female 9,145) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 21.3% (male 428,610/female 409,484)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,239,255/female 1,345,519) 65 years and over: 12.8% (male 218,045/female 286,275) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca) | sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens |
Airports | 4 (2000 est.) | 30 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
total: 17
over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2006) |
Area | total:
2,170 sq km land: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 13,790 sq km
land: 8,870 sq km water: 4,921 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island |
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 the 2000 Fomboni Accord, a confederal arrangement that the Organization of African Unity has yet to recognize. | Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following COLUMBUS' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status. |
Birth rate | 39.52 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 12.77 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$48 million expenditures: $53 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
revenues: $6.7 billion
expenditures: $9.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00) |
Capital | Moroni | name: San Juan
geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 66 07 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) | tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 340 km | 501 km |
Constitution | 20 October 1996 | ratified 3 March 1952, approved by US Congress 3 July 1952, effective 25 July 1952 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros conventional short form: Comoros local long form: Republique Federale Islamique des Comores local short form: Comores |
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
conventional short form: Puerto Rico |
Currency | Comoran franc (KMF) | - |
Death rate | 9.35 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | $197 million (1997 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | unincorporated, organized territory of the US with commonwealth status; policy relations between Puerto Rico and the US conducted under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros | none (territory of the US with commonwealth status) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Deputy Permanent Representative Mahmoud Mohamed ABOUD (acting) 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 FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 |
none (territory of the US with commonwealth status) |
Disputes - international | claims French-administered Mayotte; the island of Anjouan (Nzwani) has moved to secede from Comoros | increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work |
Economic aid - recipient | $28.1 million (1997) | $NA |
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, 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 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. Continued 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. | Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income. Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and other livestock products as the main source of income in the agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million tourists in 2004. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, and has recovered in 2004-2005. |
Electricity - consumption | 15.8 million kWh (1999) | 21.42 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 17 million kWh (1999) | 23.03 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
88.24% hydro: 11.76% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,339 m |
Environment - current issues | soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation | erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages |
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 | white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9% |
Exchange rates | Comoran francs per US dollar - 524.41 (January 2001), 533.98 (2000), 461.77 (1999), 442.46 (1998), 437.75 (1997), 383.66 (1996)
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 |
the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President AZALI Assoumani (since 6 May 1999); note - the interim government of President Tajiddine Ben Said MASSOUNDE, which had assumed power on 6 November 1998 upon the death of President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim, was overthrown in a bloodless coup on 30 April 1999 head of government: Prime Minister Hamada MADI (since late November 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 6 and 16 March 1996 (next to be held NA); prime minister appointed by the president note: President AZALI claimed a one-year term at the time of the coup; but elections, promised for spring 2000, were not held election results: results of the last presidential election before the coup were: Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim elected president; percent of vote - 64.3% |
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January 2005) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the legislature elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008) election results: Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (PPD) elected governor; percent of vote - 48.4% |
Exports | $7.9 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra | chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage concentrates, medical equipment |
Exports - partners | France 50%, Germany 25% (1998) | US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2004) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | green with a white crescent in the center of the field, its points facing downward; there are four white five-pointed stars placed in a line between the points of the crescent; the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; 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 design, the most recent of several, is described in the constitution approved by referendum on 7 June 1992 | five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $419 million (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 45% services: 54% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $720 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 0.5% (2000 est.) | 2.5% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 12 10 S, 44 15 E | 18 15 N, 66 30 W |
Geography - note | important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel | important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north |
Highways | total:
880 km paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (1996) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $55.1 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment | chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products |
Imports - partners | France 38%, Pakistan 13%, South Africa 8%, Kenya 8% (1998) | US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2004) |
Independence | 6 July 1975 (from France) | none (territory of the US with commonwealth status) |
Industrial production growth rate | -2% (1999 est.) | NA% |
Industries | tourism, perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials, soft drinks | pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 84.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 9.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.5% (1999) | 6.5% (2003 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, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant) | Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WToO (associate) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 400 sq km (2003) |
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) | Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate) |
Labor force | 144,500 (1996 est.) | 1.3 million (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 80% | agriculture: 3%
industry: 20% services: 77% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
35% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 18% other: 30% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 3.69%
permanent crops: 5.59% other: 90.72% (2005) |
Languages | Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) | Spanish, English |
Legal system | French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code | based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of justice |
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 (43 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) 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 opposition, but if no party accomplishes that, the second most successful party will be in opposition; in the elections of December 1996 the FNJ appeared to qualify as opposition |
bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27 seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PNP 43.4%, PPD 40.3%, PIP 9.4%; seats by party - PNP 17, PPD 9, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PNP 46.3%, PPD 43.1%, PIP 9.7%; seats by party - PNP 32, PPD 18, PIP 1 note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor, he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); Luis FORTUNO elected resident commissioner; results - percent of vote by party - PNP 48.6%; seats by party - PNP 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
60.41 years male: 58.2 years female: 62.68 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 78.4 years
male: 74.46 years female: 82.54 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.3% male: 64.2% female: 50.4% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.1% male: 93.9% female: 94.4% (2002 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique | Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic |
Map references | Africa | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total:
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 19,122 GRT/29,817 DWT ships by type: cargo 2 (2000 est.) |
total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 77,177 GRT/50,138 DWT
by type: roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 3 (US 3) registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the US |
Military branches | Comoran Security Force | no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard, Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
141,120 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
83,920 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Independence Day, 6 July (1975) | US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952) |
Nationality | noun:
Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran |
noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Puerto Rican |
Natural hazards | cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano | periodic droughts; hurricanes |
Natural resources | NEGL | some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil |
Net migration rate | NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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] | National Democratic Party [Roberto PRATS]; National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP (pro-US statehood) [Pedro ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic Party or PPD (pro-commonwealth) [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA]; Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Boricua Popular Army or EPB (a revolutionary group also known as Los Macheteros); note - the following radical groups are considered dormant by Federal law enforcement: Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN, Armed Forces of Popular Resistance, Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution |
Population | 596,202 (July 2001 est.) | 3,927,188 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 3.02% (2001 est.) | 0.4% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2006) |
Radios | 90,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | total: 96 km
narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) |
Religions | Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% | Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15% |
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: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
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 |
general assessment: modern system integrated with that of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data capability
domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service international: country code - 1-787, 939; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US |
Telephones - main lines in use | 6,000 (1997) | 1,111,900 (2004) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 2.682 million (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (1998) | 32 (2006) |
Terrain | volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills | mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas |
Total fertility rate | 5.32 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.75 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 20% (1996 est.) | 12% (2002) |
Waterways | none | - |