Comoros (2006) | Greenland (2004) | |
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Administrative divisions | 3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli (Mwali), Moroni*, Moutsamoudou* | 3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 42.7% (male 148,009/female 147,038)
15-64 years: 54.3% (male 185,107/female 190,139) 65 years and over: 3% (male 9,672/female 10,983) (2006 est.) |
0-14 years: 25.5% (male 7,344; female 7,029)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 20,894; female 17,715) 65 years and over: 6% (male 1,585; female 1,817) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca) | forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish |
Airports | 4 (2006) | 14 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006) |
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 2,170 sq km
land: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 2,166,086 sq km
land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered) (2000 est.) |
Area - comparative | slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than three times the size of Texas |
Background | Comoros has endured 19 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. 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 2002. | The world's largest island, Greenland is about 81% ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century and Greenland was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community (now the European Union) with Denmark in 1973 but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute over stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament. The law went into effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs. |
Birth rate | 36.93 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 15.96 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $27.6 million
expenditures: $NA (2001 est.) |
revenues: $646 million
expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85 million (1999) |
Capital | name: Moroni
geographic coordinates: 11 41 S, 43 16 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Nuuk (Godthab) |
Climate | tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) | arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters |
Coastline | 340 km | 44,087 km |
Constitution | 23 December 2001 | 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) |
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: none
conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat |
Currency | - | Danish krone (DKK) is the official legal tender. |
Death rate | 8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $232 million (2000 est.) | $25 million (1999) |
Dependency status | - | part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979 |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Madagascar is accredited to Comoros | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Representative to the US and Ambassador to the UN Mahmoud M. ABOUD
chancery: Mission to the US, 336 East 45th Street (2nd floor), New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637 |
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
Disputes - international | claims French-administered Mayotte | uncontested dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland |
Economic aid - recipient | $24 million (2003 est.) | $380 million subsidy from Denmark (1997) |
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. | The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and substantial support from the Danish Government, which supplies about half of government revenues. The public sector, including publicly-owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in the economy. Despite several interesting hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs. |
Electricity - consumption | 16.74 million kWh (2003) | 227.9 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2003) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 18 million kWh (2003) | 245 million kWh (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m |
Environment - current issues | soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation | protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting |
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 | Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (January 2000) |
Exchange rates | Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003), 522.74 (2002), 549.78 (2001)
note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro |
Danish kroner per US dollar - 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006);
head of government: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006); 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 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2010); prime minister appointed by the president; note - the post of Prime Minister has been vacant since May 2002 election results: Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI elected president; percent of vote - Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI 58.0%, Ibrahim HALIDI 28.3%, Mohamed DJAANFAMI 13.7% |
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Peter LAURITEEN (since NA 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December 2002) cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the Parliament (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by Parliament (usually the leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002 (next to be held December 2006) election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit |
Exports | NA bbl/day | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra | fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%) |
Exports - partners | France 27.7%, Singapore 16.8%, Japan 15.1%, Germany 13.7%, US 5.8%, Netherlands 5.1% (2005) | Denmark 64.7%, Japan 14.2%, China 4.4% (2003) |
Fiscal year | calendar 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 | two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 40%
industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.) |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3% (2005 est.) | 1.8% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 12 10 S, 44 15 E | 72 00 N, 40 00 W |
Geography - note | important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel | dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap |
Highways | - | total: NA (there are no roads between towns) (2003) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | NA bbl/day | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products |
Imports - partners | France 20.5%, South Africa 11.7%, UAE 9.1%, Kenya 8%, Pakistan 5%, Mauritius 4.4%, Belgium 4.3%, India 4.1% (2005) | Denmark 82.6%, Norway 7.5%, Sweden 3.5% (2003) |
Independence | 6 July 1975 (from France) | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland) |
Industrial production growth rate | -2% (1999 est.) | NA |
Industries | tourism, perfume distillation | fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut), handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards, mining |
Infant mortality rate | total: 72.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 81.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 64.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
total: 16.31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.62 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3% (2005 est.) | 1.6% (1999 est.) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO | NC, NIB, UPU |
Irrigated land | NA | 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) | High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen) |
Labor force | 144,500 (1996 est.) | 24,500 (1999 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20% |
- |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 35.87%
permanent crops: 23.32% other: 40.81% (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
Languages | Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) | Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English |
Legal system | French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code | Danish |
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 in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CdIA 12, CRC 6; note - 15 additional seats are filled by deputies from local island assemblies |
unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by NA December 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%, Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit 8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1 note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 20 November 2001 (next to be held 8 February 2005); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 62.33 years
male: 60 years female: 64.72 years (2006 est.) |
total population: 69.32 years
male: 65.75 years female: 72.98 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: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA note: similar to Denmark proper |
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 | Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada |
Map references | Africa | Arctic Region |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 3 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line |
Merchant marine | total: 121 ships (1000 GRT or over) 564,882 GRT/801,238 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 85, chemical tanker 1, container 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 72 (Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 1, Greece 10, India 1, Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Lebanon 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 1, Pakistan 2, Philippines 1, Russia 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Syria 4, Turkey 11, UAE 6, Ukraine 14, US 2) (2006) |
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,593 GRT/3,640 DWT
by type: cargo 2, passenger 1 foreign-owned: Denmark 1 (2004 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Denmark |
Military branches | Comoran Defense Force: Comoran Security Force (includes Gendarmerie and Army), Comoran Federal Police (2006) | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $12.87 million (2005 est.) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3% (2005 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 6 July (1975) | June 21 (longest day) |
Nationality | noun: Comoran(s)
adjective: Comoran |
noun: Greenlander(s)
adjective: Greenlandic |
Natural hazards | cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano | continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island |
Natural resources | NEGL | coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | -8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros [AZALI Assowmani]; Camp of the Autonomous Islands (a coalition of parties organized by the island Presidents in opposition to the Union President); Front National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID] (Islamic party in opposition); Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE] | Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark) [Augusta SALLING]; Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an independent right-of-center party with no official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party, a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 690,948 (July 2006 est.) | 56,384 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 60% (2002 est.) | NA |
Population growth rate | 2.87% (2006 est.) | -0.01% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Aasiaat (Egedesminde), Ilulissat (Jakobshavn), Kangerlussuaq, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk (Godthab), Qaqortoq (Julianehab), Sisimiut (Holsteinsborg), Tasiilaq |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) | AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Religions | Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% | Evangelical Lutheran |
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: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 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: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion |
general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995
domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 16,900 (2005) | 26,000 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 16,100 (2005) | 16,747 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997) |
Terrain | volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills | flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast |
Total fertility rate | 5.03 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 2.42 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 20% (1996 est.) | 10% (2000 est.) |