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2 definitions found
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
Comoros
n : a country on the Comoro Islands [syn: {Federal Islamic
Republic of the Comoros}]
From CIA World Factbook 2002 [world02]:
Comoros
Introduction Comoros
--------------------
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.
Geography Comoros
-----------------
Location: Southern Africa, group of islands in
the Mozambique Channel, about two-
thirds of the way between northern
Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 44 15 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 2,170 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 2,170 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than 12 times the size
of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 340 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical marine; rainy season
(November to May)
Terrain: volcanic islands, interiors vary
from steep mountains to low hills
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use: arable land: 34.98%
permanent crops: 17.94%
other: 47.09% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: cyclones possible during rainy
season (December to April); Le
Kartala on Grand Comore is an active
volcano
Environment - current issues: soil degradation and erosion results
from crop cultivation on slopes
without proper terracing;
deforestation
Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: 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
Geography - note: important location at northern end
of Mozambique Channel
People Comoros
--------------
Population: 614,382 (July 2002 est.)
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.)
Population growth rate: 2.99% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 39.01 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
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.)
Infant mortality rate: 81.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 60.79 years
female: 63.09 years (2002 est.)
male: 58.56 years
Total fertility rate: 5.26 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.12% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Comoran(s)
adjective: Comoran
Ethnic groups: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha,
Sakalava
Religions: Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%
Languages: Arabic (official), French
(official), Shikomoro (a blend of
Swahili and Arabic)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 57.3%
male: 64.2%
female: 50.4% (1995 est.)
Government Comoros
------------------
Country name: conventional long form: Federal
Islamic Republic of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local short form: Comores
local long form: Republique Federale
Islamique des Comores
Government type: independent republic
Capital: Moroni
Administrative divisions: 3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja),
Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli
(Mwali); note - there are also four
municipalities named Domoni,
Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou
Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
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
Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new
consolidated code
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
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
election results: President AZALI
Assoumani elected president with 75%
of the vote
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
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
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)
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
election results: Federal Assembly -
percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - RND 39, FNJ 3,
independent 1
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)
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 NA
leaders:
International organization ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, CCC,
participation: 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)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-
designate Ahmed DJABIR (ambassador
to the US and Canada and permanent
representative to the UN)
telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 and
223-2711
FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699
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
Diplomatic representation from the the US does not have an embassy in
US: Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius
is accredited to Comoros
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
Economy Comoros
---------------
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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $424
million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $710 (2001
est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40%
industry: 4%
services: 56% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 60% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 144,500 (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%
Unemployment rate: 20% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $27.6 million
expenditures: $NA, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Industries: tourism, perfume distillation
Industrial production growth rate: -2% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 19 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.47%
hydro: 10.53%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 17.67 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: vanilla, cloves, perfume essences,
copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava
(tapioca)
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)
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)
Debt - external: $225 million (yearend 2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $10 million (2001 est.)
Currency: Comoran franc (KMF)
Currency code: KMF
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
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Comoros
----------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 7,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
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
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios: 90,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: 1,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .km
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 1,500 (2001)
Transportation Comoros
----------------------
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 880 km
paved: 673 km
unpaved: 207 km (1996)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou
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.)
Airports: 4 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2001)
Military Comoros
----------------
Military branches: Comoran Security Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 145,509 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 86,455 (2002 est.)
service:
Military expenditures - dollar $6 million (FY01)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 3% (FY01)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Comoros
----------------------------
Disputes - international: claims French-administered Mayotte;
the island of Anjouan (Nzwani) has
moved to secede from Comoros again
after recent military coup
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