COMOROS. Union of the Comoros
A state in the Mozambique Channel of the Indian Ocean (until December 2001, the Federative Islamic Republic of the Comoros) includes 4 islands of the Comoros archipelago: Grande Comore, Anjouan, Mohéli, and Mayotte, which has had a temporary status of "territorial unit" of France since December 1976. The area is 2,000 km². The capital is Moroni (50,000; located on Grande Comore).
Administrative division - 4 districts. Population - about 700,000 (2004), mainly Comorians - descendants of Arabs who mixed with Malagasy and people from the African coast. Official languages - Comorian, French, Arabic. The state religion is Islam, and almost the entire population of the country are Sunni Muslims.
The currency is the Comorian franc.
It has diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation (established with the USSR on January 6, 1976).
National holiday - July 6 - Independence Day (1975).
The Union of the Comoros is a republic. A new constitution was adopted in a nationwide referendum in December 2001.
The highest authorities are the president (in April 1999, Colonel Azali Assoumani came to power as a result of a military coup) and the government. The legislative body is a unicameral parliament (Legislative Assembly). On May 3, 2004, elections were held for the Legislative Assembly. Supporters of President A. Assoumani received 6 out of 33 seats.
There are more than 20 political parties in the country. The most influential among them are: the National Union for Development (RND), the National Front for Justice (FNJ); opposition parties include the Forum for National Renaissance (FRN), the Party of Brotherhood and Unity of the Islands (CHUMA), and the Socialist Party of Comoros (PASOK).
The trade union association is the Union of Workers of the Comoros.
Since 1975, the Comoros have been a member of the UN and the African Union (formerly the OAU).
The Comoros were seized by France in the 19th century and turned into a colony. In 1946, they were separated from the French colony of Madagascar into an independent administrative unit. In 1961, they were granted the status of "overseas territory" of France, and in 1968, internal self-government was established. Independence was proclaimed on July 6, 1975.
Ahmed Abdallah Abderemane became the president of the country. On August 3, 1975, a coup occurred in the Comoros, and power passed to the National Executive Committee led by Ali Soilih. On May 13, 1978, a new coup took place in the country, President A. Soilih was killed, and power was taken by the Military-Political Directory. In October 1978, the constitution of the Comoros was adopted, and Abderemane became president again.
In November 1989, during an attempted coup, he was killed. In March 1990, S. M. Djohar was elected as the new head of state. In September 1995, as a result of an attempted coup by foreign mercenaries, Djohar was forced to leave his post. Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in March and December 1996.
In August 1997, separatists from Anjouan and Mohéli unilaterally declared "independence," creating a political crisis.
The UN General Assembly confirmed the sovereignty of the Republic over Mayotte, but France twice (in 1979 and 1984) extended its temporary status.
The Union of the Comoros is an underdeveloped agrarian country, among the least economically developed states in the world. The economy is primarily based on agriculture (40% of GDP), which accounts for 95% of the country's exports. Main agricultural products: vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang, copra. The harvest of oilseeds is 50-70 tons per year. Industry is poorly developed. Its basis consists of small enterprises for processing agricultural raw materials, sawmills, and the production of soap, non-alcoholic beverages, and consumer goods.
Foreign trade is characterized by a significant deficit. Exports: vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang (essence), and copra. Imports: petroleum products, food, machinery, and equipment. Main trading partners: France, Germany, China, Madagascar.
External debt - about 200 million dollars. Main creditors: France, the EU, OPEC countries, the IMF, the World Bank.
The total length of roads is 875 km, of which 670 km are paved. The main seaport is Moutsamoudou (Anjouan). International airports - Moroni, Moutsamoudou.
In Moroni, there are the Comoros Press Agency - ACP and "Radio-Comoros."