Comoros

Where is Comoros?

Located in Southern Africa, Comoros is an island nation. It has a 340.00 km coastline. Comoros claims that French-administered Mayotte belongs to them, and challenges both France's and Madagascar's claims to Banc du Geyser.

The capital of the Union of Comoros is Moroni which is located on the west coast of the island of Grande Comore, the largest island in the country. The area was settled by Arab travellers as early as the 10th Century and was a part of a trade route with Zanzibar. The name Moroni means "in the heart of the fire", in the local Comorian language. The climate of the city is considered a tropical rainforest environment with heavy rainfall (2,700mm/100 inches) throughout the year. Average temperatures throughout the year are relatively constant with highs between 32–34 degrees Celsius (90–93 degrees Fahrenheit) and lows ranging between 14–20 degrees Celsius (57–68 degrees Fahrenheit). The area is also subject to cyclones on a regular basis. The population of Moroni is estimated at 55,000 inhabitants making it the largest city in the country in terms of population. Sunni Muslims account for approximately 98% of the citizens of Moroni but there are also Roman Catholic and Christian minorities. The majority of people in Moroni speak Comorian but will have knowledge of Arabic, French, and/or English. Attractions in the city include the historic town centre which was built in 1427 and is based on the stone town of Zanzibar. There are also many interesting cultural sites such as the mosques and the History and Literary Museum.

Comoros is an African country covering 2,235.00 km². This makes it the 27th smallest country in the world and slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC. Its geographic coordinates are 12 10 S, 44 15 E and Moroni is the capital city.

The name of the country derives from the Arabic designation "Juzur al Qamar", which means "Islands of the Moon".

Its ISO code is KM.

Geography

Comoros has a mean elevation of 0 m above sea level.

It has a tropical marine climate with a rainy season from November to May. Its terrain consists of volcanic islands, while the interior is host to steep mountains and low hills.

Population

Comoros has a population of 794,678 making it the 162nd largest in the world.

Arabic, French and Shikomoro are official languages. Majority ethnic groups include Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, and Sakalava. The majority religion is Sunni Muslim.

The official languages of Comoros are Arabic, Comorian, and French. Comorian is a Bantu language that is somewhat similar to Swahili and the dialect is almost exclusively spoken rather than written. Arabic has important roots in the nation as a language of commerce, education, and religion. French is still the language of the administration and education system of the Union of the Comoros which gives many citizens a bilingual upbringing. Comorian is spoken by 97% of the country which equates to approximately 771,000 people. Prior to, and during, French colonization there was no official status or recognition of the language. The political powers at this time (the Sultans) preferred to use Arabic or Swahili and these languages were also used in the national educational system for many years. Although most official government and economic activity take place in French the Comorian language still thrives in the region. Minority languages in the Union of Comoros include Malagasy. English is also a minority language in Comoros with many students learning it during their later years of high school

The dialing code for the country is 269.

Government

Comoros is an independent country. It gained independence from France in 1975. Its constitution was last ratified in 2001.

The political system of the Union of Comoros is considered a federal presidential republic that takes place in a multi-party system. The President of Comoros is the head of government and the head of state. Executive power is vested in the ruling government as well as the national parliament. Federal legislative power is also shared the same way. National elections in Comoros take place every five years for the President and parliament. The last elections took place in 2o16 for the Presidency and in 2015 for the national parliament. The Presidency also rotates between the three main islands of the country: Anjouan, Grande Comore and Moheli. When it is an island's turn to hold this office the first round of elections are held exclusively in the region and the top three candidates progress to the national elections. National elections in Comoros take place every five years for the President and parliament. The Presidency also rotates between the three main islands of the country: Anjouan, Grande Comore and Moheli.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Comoros's GDP is $1,259,000,000.00 (USD) with $1,500.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 199th largest economy and its citizens the 207th richest in the world. The currency of Comoros is the Franc (KMF).

Its major export partners are India, France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. Its main exports are vanilla, ylang-ylang and cloves. Its major import partners are China, Pakistan, and France. Its major imports include rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, and petroleum products.

Flag

The national flag of Comoros consists of four horizontal stripes of (top to bottom) yellow, white, red, and blue. There is a green chevron on the mast side of the flag that contains a white crescent and four white, five-pointed stars. This flag was officially adopted on 7 January 2002 after a national referendum in 2001. The four islands of Comoros, Moheli, Mayotte, Anjouan and Grande Comore, are represented in the four stripes of this flag. Yellow for Moheli, white for Mayotte, red for Anjuoan, and blue for Grand Camore. The green is a symbol of the federation of Comoros and house the crescent and stars which are traditional symbols of Islam, specifically Sunni Islam, the national religion. The national flag of Comoros was designed in 2001 by the government after a constitutional reform attempted to unify the country. In this constitution, the government refers to the flag as the national emblem although it is representative of the official flag. All four of the islands in Comoros have their own flag which provided inspiration for the color scheme in the current national version.