<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> three islands; Grand Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali)
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<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Mutsamudu
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<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 6 July 1975 (from France)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 7 June 1992
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 18 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state::</hi> 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%
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government::</hi> Prime Minister Mohamed Abdou MADI (since 6 January 1994) appointed by President DJOHAR 6 January 1994 (DJOHAR has appointed 14 prime ministers in the last three years)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
<item><hi format=bold>Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale):</hi> 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
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<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> opposition is boycotting the National Assembly until the government promises to investigate fraud in the last election
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> 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)
<item><hi format=bold>US diplomatic representation:</hi> none; post closed in September 1993
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> green with a white crescent placed diagonally (closed side of the crescent points to the upper hoist-side corner of the flag); 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 (which is a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by the Comoros)