Union of the Comoros
National Name: Union des Comores
President: Azali Assoumani (2002)
Area: 838 sq mi (2,170 sq km)
Population (2005 est.): 671,247 (growth rate: 2.9%); birth rate: 37.5/1000; infant mortality rate: 74.9/1000; life expectancy: 62.0; density per sq mi: 801
Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Moroni (on Grande Comoro), 60,200
Monetary unit: Franc
Languages: Arabic and French (both official), Shikomoro (Swahili/Arabic blend)
Ethnicity/race: Bantu,Arab,Shiraz
Religions: Sunni Muslim 100%
Literacy rate: 57% (2003 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP: (2002 est.) $441 million; per capita $700. Real growth rate: 2%. Inflation: 3.5% (2001 est.). Unemployment: 20% (1996 est.). Arable land: 36%. Agriculture: vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca). Labor force: 144,500 (1996 est.): agriculture 80%. Industries: tourism, perfume distillation. Natural resources: negl. Exports: $28 million (f.o.b., 2002 est.): vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra. Imports: $88 million (f.o.b., 2002 est.): rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment. Major trading partners: France, Germany, U.S., Singapore, Japan, South Africa, UAE, Kenya, Mauritius (2003).
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 13,200 (2003); mobile cellular: 2,000 (2003). Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001). Television broadcast stations: n.a. Internet hosts: 11 (2003). Internet users: 5,000 (2003).
Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 880 km; paved: 673 km; unpaved: 207 km (1999 est.). Ports and harbors: Mayotte, Moutsamoudou. Airports: 4 (2004 est.).
International disputes: claims French-administered Mayotte.