Axion 3D Atlas/ATLAS.iso/stats/54.txt

Text File | 1998-01-23 | 11KB | 300 lines

{bitmap= 26,50,"flags\Comor.bmp"}
{bigtext=150,120,"Comoros"}



{1}Geography{4}
{4}To see a map of the Comoros, click {z,"31.127820,-27.324649,56.030075,-7.845691",here}{4}!

{2}Location:{4} Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the
way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique

{2}Area:{4}
{3}total area:{4} 2,170 sq km
{3}land area:{4} 2,170 sq km
{3}comparative area:{4} slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

{2}Land boundaries:{4} 0 km

{2}Coastline:{4} 340 km

{2}Maritime claims:{4}
{3}exclusive economic zone:{4} 200 nm
{3}territorial sea:{4} 12 nm

{2}International disputes:{4} claims French-administered Mayotte

{2}Climate:{4} tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

{2}Terrain:{4} volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
{3}lowest point:{4} Indian Ocean 0 m
{3}highest point:{4} Mount Kartala 2,360 m

{2}Natural resources:{4} negligible

{2}Land use:{4}
{3}arable land:{4} 35%
{3}permanent crops:{4} 8%
{3}meadows and pastures:{4} 7%
{3}forest and woodland:{4} 16%
{3}other:{4} 34%

{2}Irrigated land:{4} NA sq km

{2}Environment:{4}
{3}current issues:{4} soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper
terracing; deforestation

{2}natural hazards:{4} cyclones and tsunamis possible during rainy season (December to April); Mount
Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

{2}international agreements:{4} party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified -
Desertification

{2}Geographic note:{4} important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel


{1}People{4}

{2}Population:{4} 569,237 (July 1996 est.)

{2}Age structure:{4}
{3}0-14 years:{4} 48% (male 137,235; female 136,207)
{3}15-64 years:{4} 49% (male 138,447; female 142,058)
{3}65 years and over:{4} 3% (male 7,242; female 8,048) (July 1996 est.)

{2}Population growth rate:{4} 3.55% (1996 est.)

{2}Birth rate:{4} 45.82 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Death rate:{4} 10.28 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Net migration rate:{4} 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Sex ratio:{4}
{3}at birth:{4} 1.03 male(s)/female
{3}under 15 years:{4} 1.01 male(s)/female
{3}15-64 years:{4} 0.98 male(s)/female
{3}65 years and over:{4} 0.9 male(s)/female
{3}all ages:{4} 0.99 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

{2}Infant mortality rate:{4} 75.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

{2}Life expectancy at birth:{4}
{3}total population:{4} 58.7 years
{3}male:{4} 56.43 years
{3}female:{4} 61.05 years (1996 est.)

{2}Total fertility rate:{4} 6.65 children born/woman (1996 est.)

{2}Nationality:{4}
{3}noun:{4} Comoran(s)
{3}adjective:{4} Comoran

{2}Ethnic divisions:{4} Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

{2}Religions:{4} Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14%

{2}Languages:{4} Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)

{2}Literacy:{4} age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
{3}total population:{4} 57.3%
{3}male:{4} 64.2%
{3}female:{4} 50.4%


{1}Government{4}

{2}Name of country:{4}
{3}conventional long form:{4} Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
{3}conventional short form:{4} Comoros
{3}local long form:{4} Republique Federale Islamique des Comores
{3}local short form:{4} Comores

{2}Type of government:{4} independent republic

{2}Capital:{4} Moroni

{2}Administrative divisions:{4} three islands; Grand Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli
(Mwali)
{3}note:{4} there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Mutsamudu

{2}Independence:{4} 6 July 1975 (from France)

{2}National holiday:{4} Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

{2}Constitution:{4} 7 June 1992

{2}Legal system:{4} French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code

{2}Suffrage:{4} 18 years of age; universal

{2}Executive branch:{4}
{3}chief of state:{4} President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim (since 16 March 1996) was elected by
popular vote; election last held 16 March 1996 (next to be held March 2001)
{3}head of government:{4} Prime Minister MASSOUNDI Tadjidine Ben Said (since March 1996) was
appointed by the president
{3}cabinet:{4} Council of Ministers appointed by the president

{2}Legislative branch:{4} 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; two seats
remained unfilled

{2}Judicial branch:{4} Supreme Court (Cour Supreme), two members are appointed by the president,
two members are elected by the Federal Assembly, one by the Council of each island, plus all the
former presidents of the republic

{2}Political parties and leaders:{4} Islands' Fraternity and Unity Party (CHUMA), Said Ali KEMAL; over
20 political parties are currently active, the most important of which are Comoran Union for
Progress (UDZIMA), Omar TAMOU; 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)

{2}International organization participation:{4} ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AL, CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO

{2}Diplomatic representation in US:{4}
{3}chief of mission:{4} Ambassador Mohamed Ahamada DJIMBANAOU (ambassador to the US and
Canada)
{3}chancery:{4} (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
{3}telephone:{4} [1] [phone]
{3}FAX:{4} [1] [phone]

{2}US diplomatic representation:{4} the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to
Mauritius is accredited to Comoros

{2}Flag:{4} green with a white crescent in the center of the field, its points facing downward; 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


{1}Economy{4}

{2}Economic overview:{4} 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.

{2}GDP:{4} purchasing power parity - $370 million (1994 est.)

{2}GDP real growth rate:{4} 0.9% (1994 est.)

{2}GDP per capita:{4} $700 (1994 est.)

{2}GDP composition by sector:{4}
{3}agriculture:{4} NA%
{3}industry:{4} NA%
{3}services:{4} NA%

{2}Inflation rate (consumer prices):{4} 15% (1993 est.)

{2}Labor force:{4} 140,000 (1982)
{3}by occupation:{4} agriculture 80%, government 3%

{2}Unemployment rate:{4} 15.8% (1989)

{2}Budget:{4}
{3}revenues:{4} $83 million
{3}expenditures:{4} $92 million, including capital expenditures of $32 million (1992)

{2}Industries:{4} tourism, perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials, soft
drinks

{2}Industrial production growth rate:{4} -6.5% (1989 est.)

{2}Electricity:{4}
{3}capacity:{4} 16,000 kW
{3}production:{4} 17 million kWh
{3}consumption per capita:{4} 27 kWh (1993)

{2}Agriculture:{4} vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)

{2}Exports:{4} $13.7 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
{3}commodities:{4} vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra
{3}partners:{4} US 44%, France 40%, Germany 6%, Africa 5% (1992)

{2}Imports:{4} $40.9 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
{3}commodities:{4} rice and other foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement, consumer goods
{3}partners:{4} France 34%, South Africa 14%, Kenya 8%, Japan 4% (1992)

{2}External debt:{4} $160 million (1992 est.)

{2}Economic aid:{4}
{3}recipient:{4} ODA, $NA

{2}Currency:{4} 1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100 centimes

{2}Exchange rates:{4} Comoran francs (CF) per US$1 - 375.42 (January 1996), 374.36 (1995), 416.40
(1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991)
{3}note:{4} 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

{2}Fiscal year:{4} calendar year


{1}Transportation{4}

{2}Railways:{4} 0 km

{2}Highways:{4}
{3}total:{4} 1,104 km
{3}paved:{4} 400 km
{3}unpaved:{4} 704 km (1988 est.)

{2}Ports:{4} Fomboni, Moroni, Mutsamudu

{2}Merchant marine:{4} none

{2}Airports:{4}
{3}total:{4} 4
{3}with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:{4} 1
{3}with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m:{4} 3 (1995 est.)


{1}Communications{4}

{2}Telephones:{4} 3,770 (1991 est.)

{2}Telephone system:{4} sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone
communication stations
{3}domestic:{4} HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
{3}international:{4} HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion

{2}Radio broadcast stations:{4} AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0

{2}Radios:{4} NA

{2}Television broadcast stations:{4} 0

{2}Televisions:{4} 200 (1991 est.)


{1}Defense{4}

{2}Branches:{4} Comoran Security Force

{2}Manpower availability:{4}
{3}males age 15-49:{4} 121,854
{3}males fit for military service:{4} 72,873 (1996 est.)

{2}Defense expenditures:{4} $NA, NA% of GDP