Comoros

Union of the Comoros

LOCATION

Background: For centuries prior to colonization in the 19th century, the Comoros archipelago in the Indian Ocean served as a key node in maritime trade networks that connected the Middle East, India, and eastern African regions. Composed of the islands of Anjouan, Mayotte, Moheli, and Grande Comore, Comoros spent most of the 20th century as a colonial outpost until it declared independence from France on 6 July 1975. Residents of Mayotte, however, voted to remain in France, and the French Government has since classified it as a French Overseas Department. Since independence, Comoros has weathered approximately 20 successful and attempted coups, mostly between 1975 and 2000, resulting in prolonged political instability and stunted economic development. In 2002, President AZALI Assoumani became the first elected president following the completion of the Fomboni Accords, in which the islands of Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Moheli agreed to rotate the presidency among the islands every five years. This power-sharing agreement also included provisions allowing each island to maintain its local government. In 2007, Mohamed BACAR effected Anjouan's de-facto secession from the Union of the Comoros, refusing to step down when Comoros' other islands held legitimate elections. The African Union (AU) initially attempted to resolve the political crisis with sanctions and a naval blockade of Anjouan, but in 2008, the AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island. The island's inhabitants generally welcomed the move. In 2011, Ikililou DHOININE won the presidency in peaceful elections widely deemed to be free and fair. In closely contested elections in 2016, AZALI won a second term, when the rotating presidency returned to Grande Comore. In 2018, a referendum -- which the opposition parties boycotted -- approved a new constitution that extended presidential term limits and abolished the requirement for the presidency to rotate between the three main islands. AZALI formed a new government later that year, and he subsequently ran and was reelected in 2019. AZALI was reelected again in January 2024 in an election that the opposition disputed but the Supreme Court validated.

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
Geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 44 15 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 2,235 sq km
land: 2,235 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 340 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Terrain: volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
Elevation: highest point: Karthala 2,360 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: agricultural land: 71.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 34.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 28.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 8.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 17.8% (2023 est.)
other: 10.7% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 1.3 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: the capital city of Maroni, on the western side of the island of Grande Comore, is the country's largest city; however, Anjouan is the most densely populated of the three islands that comprise Comoros, as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); volcanic activity on Grand Comore volcanism: Karthala (2,361 m) on Grand Comore Island last erupted in 2007; a 2005 eruption forced thousands of people to be evacuated and produced a large ash cloud
Geography - note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel; the only Arab League country that lies entirely in the Southern Hemisphere

Population: total: 911,707 (2025 est.)
male: 441,215
female: 470,492
Nationality: noun: Comoran(s)
adjective: Comoran
Ethnic groups: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Languages: Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (official; similar to Swahili), Comorian
Religions: Muslim 98.1% (overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, small Shia Muslim and Ahmadiyya Muslim populations), ethnic religionist 1.1%, Christian 0.6%, other 0.3% (2020 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.6% (male 146,480/female 146,626)
15-64 years: 62.8% (male 271,139/female 294,231)
65 years and over: 4.6% (2024 est.) (male 18,139/female 23,526)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 57.3 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 49.9 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 7.4 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 13.5 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 23.1 years (2025 est.)
male: 22.1 years
female: 23.3 years
Population growth rate: 1.26% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 21.12 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 6.38 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: the capital city of Maroni, on the western side of the island of Grande Comore, is the country's largest city; however, Anjouan is the most densely populated of the three islands that comprise Comoros, as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 30.1% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 62,000 MORONI (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 23 years (2012 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 179 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 53.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 64.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 44.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.8 years (2024 est.)
male: 65.5 years
female: 70.2 years
Total fertility rate: 2.52 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.24 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 97.4% of population
improved: rural: rural: 88.5% of population
improved: total: total: 91% of population
unimproved: urban: urban: 2.6% of population
unimproved: rural: rural: 11.5% of population
unimproved: total: total: 8.9% of population (2017 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 6.3% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 4.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 0.42 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 7.8% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 0.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 14.7% (2025 est.)
male: 24.8% (2025 est.)
female: 4.7% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 9.1% (2022 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 63.1% (2022 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 4.9% (2022)
women married by age 18: 20.7% (2022)
men married by age 18: 6.9% (2022)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 2.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 11.5% national budget (2025 est.)
Literacy: total population: 75.8% (2021 est.)
male: 79.9% (2021 est.)
female: 72.2% (2021 est.)

Environmental issues: deforestation; soil degradation and erosion from forest loss and crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; silting of coral reefs
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate: tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Land use: agricultural land: 71.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 34.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 28.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 8.1% (2023 est.)
forest: 17.8% (2023 est.)
other: 10.7% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 30.1% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 436,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 436,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 14.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 91,000 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.1% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 4.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 500,000 cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 4.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 1.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local long form: Udzima wa Komori (Comorian)/Union des Comores (French)/Al Ittihad al Qumuri (Arabic)
local short form: Komori (Comorian)/Les Comores (French)/Juzur al Qamar (Arabic)
former: Comorian State, Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
etymology: name derives from the Arabic al qamar, meaning "the moon"
Government type: federal presidential republic
Capital: name: Moroni
geographic coordinates: 11 42 S, 43 14 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name means "at the place of fire," referring to the capital's location below the active volcano Mt. Karthala
Administrative divisions: 3 islands; Anjouan (Ndzuwani), Grande Comore (N'gazidja), Moheli (Mwali)
Legal system: mixed legal system of Islamic religious law, the French civil code of 1975, and customary law
Constitution: history: previous 1996, 2001; newest adopted 30 July 2018
amendment process: proposed by the president of the union or supported by at least one third of the Assembly of the Union membership; adoption requires approval by at least three-quarters majority of the total Assembly membership or approval in a referendum
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Comoros
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2016)
head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2016)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term
most recent election date: 14 January 2024
election results: 2024: AZALI Assoumani reelected president in first round - AZALI Assoumani (CRC) 63%, SALIM ISSA Abdallah (PJ) 20.3%, DAOUDOU Abdallah Mohamed (Orange Party) 5.9%, Bourhane HAMIDOU (independent) 5.1%
expected date of next election: 2029
Legislative branch: legislature name: Assembly of the Union (Assemblée de l'Union)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 33 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 1/12/2025 to 2/16/2025
parties elected and seats per party: Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros (CRC) (31); Other (2)
percentage of women in chamber: 18.2%
expected date of next election: January 2030
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 7 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges - selection and term of office NA
subordinate courts: Court of Appeals (in Moroni); Tribunal de première instance; island village (community) courts; religious courts
Political parties: Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRCJuwa Party (Parti Juwa) or PJOrange Party (2020)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Issimail CHANFI (since 23 December 2020); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN
chancery: Permanent Mission to the UN, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 495, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637
FAX: [1] (212) 750-1657
email address and website: comoros@un.inthttps://www.un.int/comoros/
Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the US Ambassador to Madagascar is accredited to Comoros
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AMF, AOSIS, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Flag: description: four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue, with a green isosceles triangle based on the left; a vertical white crescent moon is centered in the triangle, with four five-pointed white stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescentmeaning: the horizontal bands and the stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -- Mwali, N'gazidja, Ndzuwani, and Mahore (Mayotte is a department of France, but claimed by Comoros)
National symbol(s): four five-pointed stars and crescent moon
National color(s): green, white
National coat of arms: the coat of arms is in the national colors of green and white; was adopted in 1978; the crescent and stars represent Islam, with the four stars also symbolizing the archipelago’s four main islands: Grande Comore, Mohéli, Anjouan, and Mayotte (the last of which is a French department claimed by Comoros); above and below the sun’s rays is the name of the nation written in French and Arabic; two olive branches, representing peace, are connected by a banner with the national motto in French, which translates as "Unity, Solidarity, Development"
National anthem(s): title: "Udzima wa ya Masiwa" (The Union of the Great Islands)
lyrics/music: Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE/Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE and Kamildine ABDALLAH
history: adopted 1978

Economic overview: small trade-based island economy; declining remittances; new structural and fiscal reforms; adverse cyclone and COVID-19 impacts; manageable debts; fragile liquidity environment; large foreign direct investment; state-owned enterprises suffering
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $3.092 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $2.99 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $2.901 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 3.4% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 3.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 2.8% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $3,600 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $3,500 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $3,500 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $1.546 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017: 1% (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016: 1.8% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 36.6% (2024 est.)
industry: 9.6% (2024 est.)
services: 50.1% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 103.6% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 9.2% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 11.7% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 9.9% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -34.5% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: bananas, coconuts, cassava, yams, maize, taro, milk, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, pulses (2023)
Industries: fishing, tourism, perfume distillation
Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 276,400 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 3.9% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 3.8% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 3.9% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 8.9% (2024 est.)
male: 8.3% (2024 est.)
female: 9.6% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 44.8% (2020 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2023: 21.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 22% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 22.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget: revenues: $212.551 million (2023 est.)
expenditures: $230.338 million (2023 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2016: 27.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2023: -$24.621 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$5.248 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: -$4.076 million (2021 est.)
Exports: Exports 2023: $148.455 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $166.032 million (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $128.331 million (2021 est.)
Exports - partners: Indonesia 25%, India 23%, Turkey 16%, UAE 11%, USA 3% (2023)
Exports - commodities: cloves, ships, essential oils, vanilla, scrap iron (2023)
Imports: Imports 2023: $504.036 million (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $480.268 million (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $415.965 million (2021 est.)
Imports - partners: China 24%, UAE 21%, Tanzania 12%, France 7%, India 6% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, poultry, rice, flavored water, additive manufacturing machines (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $323.946 million (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $324.561 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $283.746 million (2022 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $267.652 million (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 454.524 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 454.991 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 467.184 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 415.956 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 430.721 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 89.9% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 100%
electrification - rural areas: 82.9%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 32,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 113.052 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 22.1 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: imports: 2,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 7.139 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 8,200 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 934,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2023 est.)
Broadcast media: national state-owned TV station and a TV station run by Anjouan regional government; national state-owned radio; regional governments on the islands of Grande Comore and Anjouan each operate a radio station; a few independent and small community radio stations operate on the islands of Grande Comore and Moheli, and these two islands have access to Mayotte Radio and French TV
Internet country code: .km
Internet users: percent of population: 36% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 3,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: D6
Airports: 3 (2025)
Merchant marine: total: 273 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 17, container ship 7, general cargo 125, oil tanker 36, other 88
Ports: total ports: 4 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 0
very small: 4
ports with oil terminals: 3
key ports: Dzaoudzi, Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudu

Military and security forces: National Army for Development (l'Armee Nationale de Developpement, AND): Comoran Defense Force (Force Comorienne de Defense or FCD; includes Comoran National Gendarmerie); Ministry of Interior: Coast Guard, Federal Police, National Directorate of Territorial Safety (customs and immigration) (2024)
Military and security service personnel strengths: estimated 600 Defense Force; estimated 500 Federal Police (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the AND is lightly armed and equipped with small arms, a few light aircraft, and utility vehicles (2024)
Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2023)
Military - note: the focus for the security forces is search and rescue operations and maintaining internal security; a defense treaty with France provides naval resources for the protection of territorial waters, training of Comoran military personnel, and air surveillance; France maintains a small maritime base and a Foreign Legion contingent on neighboring Mayotte (2024)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 18 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 38 (2024 est.)