Mayotte (2008) | Comoros (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | 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: 45.8% (male 48,016/female 47,533)
15-64 years: 52.5% (male 59,111/female 50,437) 65 years and over: 1.8% (male 1,864/female 1,822) (2007 est.) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra | vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca) |
Airports | 1 (2007) | 4 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total:
4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 374 sq km
land: 374 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
2,170 sq km land: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego independence. | 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. |
Birth rate | 40.35 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 39.52 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $420 million
expenditures: $394 million (2005) |
revenues:
$48 million expenditures: $53 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
Capital | name: Mamoudzou
geographic coordinates: 12 46 S, 45 13 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Moroni |
Climate | tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) | tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) |
Coastline | 185.2 km | 340 km |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) | 20 October 1996 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte |
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 |
Currency | - | Comoran franc (KMF) |
Death rate | 7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 9.35 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $197 million (1997 est.) |
Dependency status | departmental collectivity of France | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | 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 |
Disputes - international | claimed by Comoros | claims French-administered Mayotte; the island of Anjouan (Nzwani) has moved to secede from Comoros |
Economic aid - recipient | $201.3 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (2005) | $28.1 million (1997) |
Economy - overview | Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 139.2 million kWh (2005) | 15.8 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 17 million kWh (1999) |
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: Benara 660 m |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | 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 | NA | Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) | 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 |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January 2005)
head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OILI (since 8 April 2004) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term; next election to be held in 2010 |
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% |
Exports | $6.5 million f.o.b. (2005) | $7.9 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) |
Exports - commodities | ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon | vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra |
Exports - partners | France 43%, Comoros 36%, Reunion 15% (2006) | France 50%, Germany 25% (1998) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | unofficial, local flag with the coat of arms of Mayotte centered on a white field, above which the name of the island appears in red capital letters; the main elements of the coat of arms, flanked on either side by a seahorse, appear above a scroll with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant); the only official flag is the national flag of France | 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 |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $419 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture:
40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $720 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 0.5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 12 50 S, 45 10 E | 12 10 S, 44 15 E |
Geography - note | part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands | 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% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $341 million f.o.b.; note - excludes petroleum imports (2005) | $55.1 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) |
Imports - commodities | food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals | rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment |
Imports - partners | France 49%, Seychelles 8.8%, China 4.1%, South Africa 2.8% (2006) | France 38%, Pakistan 13%, South Africa 8%, Kenya 8% (1998) |
Independence | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | 6 July 1975 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | -2% (1999 est.) |
Industries | newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction | tourism, perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials, soft drinks |
Infant mortality rate | total: 59.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 65.33 deaths/1,000 live births female: 53.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
84.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.7% (2005) | 3.5% (1999) |
International organization participation | InOC, UPU | 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) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel | 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 | 44,560 (2002) | 144,500 (1996 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 80% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% |
arable land:
35% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 18% other: 30% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population | Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code |
Legislative branch | unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%, PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%, other 27.1%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP 9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1 note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held in September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.1%, UDF 44.9%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1 |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 62.16 years
male: 59.94 years female: 64.45 years (2007 est.) |
total population:
60.41 years male: 58.2 years female: 62.68 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.3% male: 64.2% female: 50.4% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique | Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique |
Map references | Africa | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 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.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France; a small contingent of French forces is stationed on the island | - |
Military branches | - | Comoran Security 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 | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Independence Day, 6 July (1975) |
Nationality | noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran |
noun:
Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran |
Natural hazards | cyclones during rainy season | cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano |
Natural resources | NEGL | NEGL |
Net migration rate | 3.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or UMP-RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy or FRAP; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar SALIM]; Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC [Omar SIMBA]; Socialist Party or PS [Ibrahim ABUBACAR] (local branch of French Parti Socialiste); Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE] | 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 | NA |
Population | 208,783 (July 2007 est.) | 596,202 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 3.617% (2007 est.) | 3.02% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | - | 90,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3% | 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: 1.172 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.023 male(s)/female total population: 1.092 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
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.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros |
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 | 10,000 (2002) | 6,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 48,100 (2005) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (2001) | 0 (1998) |
Terrain | generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks | volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills |
Total fertility rate | 5.69 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 5.32 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 25.4% (2005) | 20% (1996 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |