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comoros |
2 definitions found From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: Comoros n : a country on the Comoro Islands [syn: {Comoros}] From The CIA World Factbook (1995) [world95]: Comoros Comoros:Geography Location: Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique Map references: Africa Area: total area: 2,170 sq km land area: 2,170 sq km comparative area: 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 International disputes: claims French-administered Mayotte Climate: tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) Terrain: volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills Natural resources: negligible Land use: arable land: 35% permanent crops: 8% meadows and pastures: 7% forest and woodland: 16% other: 34% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation natural hazards: cyclones and tsunamis possible during rainy season (December to April); Mount Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification Note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel Comoros:People Population: 549,338 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (female 131,334; male 132,327) 15-64 years: 49% (female 137,083; male 133,629) 65 years and over: 3% (female 7,860; male 7,105) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 3.56% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 46.22 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 10.6 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 77.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 58.27 years male: 56.04 years female: 60.57 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.73 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran Ethnic divisions: Antalote Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha Sakalava Religions: Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14% Languages: Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 48% male: 56% female: 40% Labor force: 140,000 (1982) by occupation: agriculture 80%, government 3% Comoros:Government Names: 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 Digraph: CN Type: independent republic Capital: Moroni Administrative divisions: three islands; Grand Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali) note: there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni Moroni, and Mutsamudu Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day 6 July (1975) Constitution: 7 June 1992 Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Said Mohamed DJOHAR (since 11 March 1990); election last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996); results - Said Mohamed DJOHAR UDZIMA 55%, Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (UNDC) 45% head of government: Prime Minister Halifa HOUMADI (since 13 October 1994); note - HOUMADI is the fifteenth prime minister appointed by President DJOHAR in the last three years cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president Legislative branch: unicameral Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale): elections last held 12-20 December 1993 (next to be held by NA January 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA seats - (42 total) Ruling Coalition: RDR 15, UNDC 5, MWANGAZA 2; Opposition: UDZIMA 8, other smaller parties 10; 2 seats remained unfilled Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Political parties and leaders: over 20 political parties are currently active, the most important of which are Comoran Union for Progress (UDZIMA), Omar TAMOU; Islands' Fraternity and Unity Party (CHUMA), Said Ali KEMAL; Comoran Party for Democracy and Progress (PCDP), Ali MROUDJAE Realizing Freedom's Capability (UWEZO), Mouazair ABDALLAH Democratic Front of the Comoros (FDR), Moustapha CHELKH Dialogue Proposition Action (DPA/MWANGAZA), Said MCHAWGAMA Rally for Change and Democracy (RACHADE), Hassan HACHIM; Union for Democracy and Decentralization (UNDC), Mohamed Taki Halidi IBRAHAM; Rally for Democracy and Renewal (RDR); Comoran Popular Front (FPC), Mohamed HASSANALI Mohamed El Arif OUKACHA Abdou MOUSTAKIM (Secretary General) Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB AL CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN UNCTAD UNESCO, UNIDO UPU, WHO WMO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Ahamadu DJIMBANAO (ambassador to the US and Canada) chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Federal and Islamic Republic of the Comoros to the United Nations, 336 East 45th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 US diplomatic representation: none; ambassador to Port Louis, Mauritius, is accredited to Comoros Flag: green with a white crescent in the center of the field, its points facing upward; 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 Economy Overview: One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of several islands that have poor 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 90% 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, and to reduce the high population growth rate. Continued foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be reached in the late 1990s. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $370 million (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: 0.9% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $700 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (1993 est.) Unemployment rate: 15.8% (1989) Budget: revenues: $83 million expenditures: $92 million, including capital expenditures of $32 million (1992) Exports: $13.7 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra partners: US 44%, France 40%, Germany 6%, Africa 5% (1992) Imports: $40.9 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: rice and other foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement, consumer goods partners: France 34%, South Africa 14%, Kenya 8%, Japan 4% (1992) External debt: $160 million (1992 est.) Industrial production: growth rate -6.5% (1989 est.); accounts for 6% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 16,000 kW production: 17 million kWh consumption per capita: 27 kWh (1993) Industries: perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials, soft drinks Agriculture: accounts for 40% of GDP; most of population works in subsistence agriculture and fishing; plantations produce cash crops for export - vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra; principal food crops - coconuts, bananas, cassava; world's leading producer of essence of ylang-ylang (for perfumes) and second-largest producer of vanilla; large net food importer Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY80-89), $10 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $435 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $22 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $18 million Currency: 1 Comoran franc CF = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Comoran francs CF per US$1 - 297.07 (January 1995), 416.40 (1994), 254.57 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the Comoran franc was devalued to 75 per French franc from 50 per French franc at which it had been fixed since 1948 Fiscal year: calendar year Comoros:Transportation Railroads: 0 km Highways: total: 750 km paved: bituminous 210 km unpaved: crushed stone, gravel 540 km Ports: Fomboni Moroni, Mutsamudo Merchant marine: none Airports: total: 4 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3 Comoros:Communications Telephone system: over 1,800 telephones; sparse system of radio relay and high-frequency radio communication stations for interisland and external communications to Madagascar and Reunion local: NA intercity: high frequency radio and microwave radio relay international: high frequency radio Radio: broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA Comoros:Defense Forces Branches: Comoran Security Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 117,349; males fit for military service 70,178 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP
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