|RNature and climate:|N Consists of three inhabited islands, Njazidja (Grand Comore), Mwali (Moheli) and Nzwani (Anjouan) in the Indian Ocean between Africa and Madagascar.
The islands are of volcanic origin. Still active volcano, Mount Kartala, reaches 2361 m.a.s.l.
Climate is tropical with an average temperature in January of 27°C and in July of 24°C.
Percipitation 2800 mm.
|RPeople:|N Most natives are a mixture of people from Madagascar, Africa, Malaysia and Arabia. They speak Comoran, an Arabized dialect of Swahili.
|REconomy:|N Based on agriculture with bad conditions, soil is covered by lava. 80% of the labour force is occupied in agriculture.
Most important crops are sugar canes, coffee, cacao, vanilla, fruits, clove and ylang-ylang for the perfume industry.
For domestic consumption cassava, sweet potatoes, rice and bananas are grown, but most foodstuff must be imported.
Some perfume industry.
Tourism have been substantially developed in the last decades.
|RHistory:|N The islands were invaded by groups from Africa, Europe, Arabia and Asia and controlled by Muslim sultans until France established colonial rule starting from 1841 and introduced plantation economy.
Internal self-rule was granted in 1961. I a referendum 1974 the people of all the Comoran Islands, except Mayotte, preferred independence which was achieved in 1975. Mayotte is still a French colony.
A leftist group ousted the president and seized powers soon after independence in 1975. This regime was ousted in a pro-French coup in 1978.
The first free and general elections were held in 1990.
