Comoros

Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique

12 10 S, 44 15 E

Africa

slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, D.C.

340 km

tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

fish

1.3 sq km (2012)

the capital city of Maroni, on the western side of the island of Grande Comore, is the country's largest city; however, Anjouan is the most densely populated of the three islands that comprise Comoros, as shown in this population distribution map

important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel; the only Arab League country that lies entirely in the Southern Hemisphere

Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (official; similar to Swahili), Comorian

Muslim 98.1% (overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, small Shia Muslim and Ahmadiyya Muslim populations), ethnic religionist 1.1%, Christian 0.6%, other 0.3% (2020 est.)

1.26% (2025 est.)

21.12 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

6.38 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

the capital city of Maroni, on the western side of the island of Grande Comore, is the country's largest city; however, Anjouan is the most densely populated of the three islands that comprise Comoros, as shown in this population distribution map

62,000 MORONI (capital) (2018)

23 years (2012 est.)

179 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

2.52 children born/woman (2025 est.)

1.24 (2025 est.)

0.42 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

7.8% (2016)

9.1% (2022 est.)

63.1% (2022 est.)

federal presidential republic

3 islands; Anjouan (Ndzuwani), Grande Comore (N'gazidja), Moheli (Mwali)

mixed legal system of Islamic religious law, the French civil code of 1975, and customary law

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

ACP, AfDB, AMF, AOSIS, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

6 July 1975 (from France)

Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

four five-pointed stars and crescent moon

green, white

the coat of arms is in the national colors of green and white; was adopted in 1978; the crescent and stars represent Islam, with the four stars also symbolizing the archipelago’s four main islands: Grande Comore, Mohéli, Anjouan, and Mayotte (the last of which is a French department claimed by Comoros); above and below the sun’s rays is the name of the nation written in French and Arabic; two olive branches, representing peace, are connected by a banner with the national motto in French, which translates as "Unity, Solidarity, Development"

small trade-based island economy; declining remittances; new structural and fiscal reforms; adverse cyclone and COVID-19 impacts; manageable debts; fragile liquidity environment; large foreign direct investment; state-owned enterprises suffering

$1.546 billion (2024 est.)

bananas, coconuts, cassava, yams, maize, taro, milk, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, pulses (2023)

fishing, tourism, perfume distillation

3.8% (2024 est.)

276,400 (2024 est.)

44.8% (2020 est.)

Indonesia 25%, India 23%, Turkey 16%, UAE 11%, USA 3% (2023)

cloves, ships, essential oils, vanilla, scrap iron (2023)

China 24%, UAE 21%, Tanzania 12%, France 7%, India 6% (2023)

refined petroleum, poultry, rice, flavored water, additive manufacturing machines (2023)

national state-owned TV station and a TV station run by Anjouan regional government; national state-owned radio; regional governments on the islands of Grande Comore and Anjouan each operate a radio station; a few independent and small community radio stations operate on the islands of Grande Comore and Moheli, and these two islands have access to Mayotte Radio and French TV

.km

D6

3 (2025)

National Army for Development (l'Armee Nationale de Developpement, AND): Comoran Defense Force (Force Comorienne de Defense or FCD; includes Comoran National Gendarmerie); Ministry of Interior: Coast Guard, Federal Police, National Directorate of Territorial Safety (customs and immigration) (2024)

estimated 600 Defense Force; estimated 500 Federal Police (2023)

the AND is lightly armed and equipped with small arms, a few light aircraft, and utility vehicles (2024)

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2023)

the focus for the security forces is search and rescue operations and maintaining internal security; a defense treaty with France provides naval resources for the protection of territorial waters, training of Comoran military personnel, and air surveillance; France maintains a small maritime base and a Foreign Legion contingent on neighboring Mayotte (2024)