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Compare Comoros (2005) - Swaziland (2004)

Compare Comoros (2005) z Swaziland (2004)

 Comoros (2005)Swaziland (2004)
 ComorosSwaziland
Administrative divisions 3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.8% (male 144,075/female 143,175)


15-64 years: 54.2% (male 179,541/female 184,488)


65 years and over: 3% (male 9,407/female 10,561) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 41% (male 242,090; female 237,395)


15-64 years: 55.3% (male 323,004; female 324,029)


65 years and over: 3.7% (male 18,685; female 24,038) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca) sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep
Airports 4 (2004 est.) 18 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
total: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 17


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
Area total: 2,170 sq km


land: 2,170 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 17,363 sq km


land: 17,203 sq km


water: 160 sq km
Area - comparative slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than New Jersey
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 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. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union president took office in May of 2002. Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection
Birth rate 37.52 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 28.55 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $27.6 million


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $462.4 million


expenditures: $563.4 million, including capital expenditures of $147 million (2003)
Capital Moroni Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital
Climate tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) varies from tropical to near temperate
Coastline 340 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 23 December 2001 a constitution was adopted 14 November 2003
Country name conventional long form: Union of the Comoros


conventional short form: Comoros


local long form: Union des Comores


local short form: Comores
conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland


conventional short form: Swaziland
Currency - lilangeni (SZL)
Death rate 8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 23.06 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $232 million (2000 est.) $320 million (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros chief of mission: Ambassador James D. McGEE


embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane


mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane


telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445


FAX: [268] 404-5959
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)


chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Union 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
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA


chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683


FAX: [1] (202) 244-8059
Disputes - international claims French-administered Mayotte none
Economic aid - recipient $10 million (2001 est.) $104 million (2001)
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 - which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports, promote tourism, and 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. In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives about nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends nearly three-quarters of its exports. Customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2002 because of drought, and more than one-third of the adult population was infected by HIV/AIDS.
Electricity - consumption 22.17 million kWh (2002) 962.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 639 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
Electricity - production 23.84 million kWh (2002) 348.3 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m


highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m
Environment - current issues soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion
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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava African 97%, European 3%
Exchange rates Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003), 522.74 (2002), 549.78 (2001), 533.98 (2000)


note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro
emalangeni per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government


head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three main islands in the Union; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; note - AZALI has not appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn into office in May 2002


election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with 75% of the vote
chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)


head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14 November 2003)


cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Exports NA NA (2001)
Exports - commodities vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit
Exports - partners US 43.8%, France 18.6%, Singapore 16.5%, Turkey 4.8%, Germany 4.5% (2004) South Africa 72%, EU 14.2%, Mozambique 3.7%, US 3.5% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
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 three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally
GDP - purchasing power parity - $5.702 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 40%


industry: 4%


services: 56% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 16.2%


industry: 43.2%


services: 40.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2% (2002 est.) 2.2% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 10 S, 44 15 E 26 30 S, 31 30 E
Geography - note important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa
Highways total: 880 km


paved: 673 km


unpaved: 207 km (1999 est)
total: 3,247 km


paved: NA


unpaved: NA (1998)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 1%


highest 10%: 50.2% (1995)
Imports NA NA (2001)
Imports - commodities rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners France 23.5%, South Africa 11.1%, Kenya 7.5%, UAE 7.2%, Italy 4.9%, Pakistan 4.7%, Mauritius 4.2%, Singapore 4.1% (2004) South Africa 88.8%, EU 5.6%, Japan 0.6%, Singapore 0.4% (1999)
Independence 6 July 1975 (from France) 6 September 1968 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate -2% (1999 est.) 3.7% (FY95/96)
Industries tourism, perfume distillation mining (coal), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile and apparel
Infant mortality rate total: 74.93 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 83.48 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 66.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 68.35 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 71.64 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 64.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.5% (2001 est.) 7.3% (2003 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land NA sq km 690 sq km (1998 est.)
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) High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch
Labor force 144,500 (1996 est.) 383,200 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80% NA
Land boundaries 0 km total: 535 km


border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
Land use arable land: 35.87%


permanent crops: 23.32%


other: 40.81% (2001)
arable land: 10.35%


permanent crops: 0.7%


other: 88.95% (2001)
Languages Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)
Legal system French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the 18 by universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years);


elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)


election results: NA
bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2008)


election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round
Life expectancy at birth total population: 61.96 years


male: 59.65 years


female: 64.33 years (2005 est.)
total population: 37.54 years


male: 39.1 years


female: 35.94 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 56.5%


male: 63.6%


female: 49.3% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 81.6%


male: 82.6%


female: 80.8% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 79 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 452,801 GRT/681,343 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 55, chemical tanker 1, container 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 35 (Bulgaria 1, Germany 1, Greece 7, India 1, Jordan 1, Kenya 1, Lebanon 3, Nigeria 1, Norway 1, Pakistan 1, Philippines 1, Russia 2, Syria 3, Turkey 6, Ukraine 4, United Kingdom 1) (2005)
-
Military branches Comoran Security Force Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army, including Air Wing)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $11.6 million (2004) $29 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3% (2004) 1.8% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 289,985 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 168,257 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 6 July (1975) Independence Day, 6 September (1968)
Nationality noun: Comoran(s)


adjective: Comoran
noun: Swazi(s)


adjective: Swazi
Natural hazards cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano drought
Natural resources NEGL asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders Forces pour l'Action Republicaine or FAR [Col. Abdourazak ABDULHAMID]; Forum pour la Redressement National or FRN (alliance of 12 parties); Front Democratique or FD [Moustoifa Said CHEIKH]; Front National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed RACHID]; Movement des Citoyens pour la Republique or MCR [Mahamoud MRADABI]; Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais or MPA (Anjouan separatist movement) [leader NA]; Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Movement pour le Socialisme et la Democratie or MSD (splinter group of FD) [Abdou SOEFOU]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the government) [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE] political parties are banned by the constitution - the following are considered political associations; Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 671,247 (July 2005 est.) 1,169,241


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 60% (2002 est.) 40% (1995)
Population growth rate 2.91% (2005 est.) 0.55% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Mayotte, Moutsamoudou none
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2001)
Railways - total: 301 km


narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Religions Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%
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: 0.89 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age
Telephone system general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations


domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay


international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system


domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay


international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 13,200 (2003) 46,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 2,000 (2003) 88,000 (2003)
Television broadcast stations NA 5 plus 7 relay stations (2001)
Terrain volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Total fertility rate 5.09 children born/woman (2005 est.) 3.81 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 20% (1996 est.) 34% (2000 est.)
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