Comoros

Cultural Attributes

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Holidays

• Independence Day

  7/6

  Independence Day

Dates of Interest

• July 6th

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Historical Eras

Overview

Timeline of Key Events

1. 1886

   Comoros becomes a French protectorate.

   Comoros becomes a French protectorate.

2. 1912

   Comoros formally become a French colony administered from Madagascar.

   Comoros formally become a French colony administered from Madagascar.

3. 1942

   British forces invade the Comoros and Madagascar.

   British forces invade the Comoros and Madagascar, toppling the pro-Vichy administration and handing the territories over to the Free French government of Charles de Gaulle.

4. 1947

   Comoros become an overseas territory of France,

   Comoros become an overseas territory of France and are given representation in the French parliament.

5. 1961

   Comoros given autonomy.

   Comoros given autonomy.

6. 1974

   Three of the islands making up the Comoros vote for independence.

   Three of the islands making up the Comoros vote for independence, but a fourth island, Mayotte, votes to stay with France.

7. 1975

   The islands of Grande Comore, Moheli and Anjouan become independent.

   The islands of Grande Comore, Moheli and Anjouan become independent with Ahmed Abdallah as president.

Religion

Languages Spoken

• Arabic
• French

Population

Population

869,601

Population in Major Urban Areas

MORONI (capital) 54,000

Nationality Noun

Comoran(s)

Ethnic Groups

Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Language Note

Even though, Arabic and French are the official languages, most people speak Comoran, a mixture of Arabic and Swahili.

Education

Literacy Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Health Information

Life Expectancy at Birth

Life expectancy at birth in Comoros stands at approximately 64 to 65 years overall, with women typically living slightly longer than men. Females in the country have an average life expectancy of around 66 years, while males average closer to 63 years. These figures reflect meaningful progress over recent decades, as life expectancy in Comoros hovered closer to 50 years in the 1970s and has steadily climbed due to improvements in healthcare access, nutrition, and disease prevention. The gains in longevity are closely tied to reductions in infant and child mortality rates, which have historically weighed down overall life expectancy statistics. As vaccination coverage has expanded and maternal health services have improved, more children are surviving past the critical early years of life, contributing to the upward trend in average lifespan. Despite this progress, Comoros continues to face significant public health challenges that temper further gains. The island nation struggles with limited healthcare infrastructure, a shortage of trained medical professionals, and geographic isolation between its main islands — Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli — which can make accessing specialized medical care difficult for rural and remote populations. Malaria remains a persistent health concern, particularly on the islands where transmission rates have historically been higher, though sustained control efforts have achieved notable success in reducing its burden in recent years. Noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and hypertension are becoming more prominent health concerns as the population ages and dietary patterns shift. Addressing these emerging threats will be important for sustaining and improving life expectancy in the coming decades. By regional comparison, Comoros falls in the mid-range for sub-Saharan Africa, performing better than several continental neighbors but still trailing behind nations with more developed health systems and stronger economies. Continued investment in primary healthcare, clean water access, sanitation, and maternal and child health programs will be essential to pushing life expectancy higher and ensuring that the improvements of recent decades are both maintained and extended.

Infant Mortality Rate

Infant mortality in Comoros remains a significant public health concern, though the country has made measurable progress over recent decades. The infant mortality rate — defined as the number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1,000 live births — stood at approximately 49 deaths per 1,000 live births as of recent estimates, placing Comoros among the higher-risk nations in the sub-Saharan African region, though improvements have been steady since the 1990s when rates exceeded 80 per 1,000 live births. Several interconnected factors contribute to this elevated rate. Access to skilled birth attendants remains limited, particularly in rural areas and on the outlying islands of Anjouan and Mohéli. Neonatal infections, complications during delivery, malaria, diarrheal diseases, and acute respiratory infections are among the leading causes of infant deaths. Malnutrition and stunting in mothers and young children further compound vulnerability in the first year of life. The health infrastructure in Comoros faces persistent challenges, including a shortage of trained medical personnel, limited availability of essential medicines, and inadequate transportation networks that delay emergency obstetric care. Many births in remote communities still occur without the presence of qualified health workers, increasing the risk of preventable complications. Efforts by the Comorian government, alongside international partners such as UNICEF and the World Health Organization, have focused on expanding immunization coverage, promoting breastfeeding, improving antenatal care, and training community health workers. Vaccination programs targeting diseases such as measles, polio, and tetanus have contributed to reductions in child deaths over time. Despite these gains, progress has been uneven across the three main islands. Disparities in income, education, and healthcare access between urban centers like Moroni and more isolated communities continue to influence outcomes. Continued investment in maternal and child health services, along with improvements in sanitation, nutrition, and community health education, will be essential to further reducing the infant mortality rate in the coming years.

Life Expectancy

Life Expectancy at Birth

Life expectancy at birth in Comoros stands at approximately 64 to 65 years overall, with women typically living slightly longer than men. Females in the country have an average life expectancy of around 66 years, while males average closer to 63 years. These figures reflect meaningful progress over recent decades, as life expectancy in Comoros hovered closer to 50 years in the 1970s and has steadily climbed due to improvements in healthcare access, nutrition, and disease prevention. The gains in longevity are closely tied to reductions in infant and child mortality rates, which have historically weighed down overall life expectancy statistics. As vaccination coverage has expanded and maternal health services have improved, more children are surviving past the critical early years of life, contributing to the upward trend in average lifespan. Despite this progress, Comoros continues to face significant public health challenges that temper further gains. The island nation struggles with limited healthcare infrastructure, a shortage of trained medical professionals, and geographic isolation between its main islands — Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli — which can make accessing specialized medical care difficult for rural and remote populations. Malaria remains a persistent health concern, particularly on the islands where transmission rates have historically been higher, though sustained control efforts have achieved notable success in reducing its burden in recent years. Noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and hypertension are becoming more prominent health concerns as the population ages and dietary patterns shift. Addressing these emerging threats will be important for sustaining and improving life expectancy in the coming decades. By regional comparison, Comoros falls in the mid-range for sub-Saharan Africa, performing better than several continental neighbors but still trailing behind nations with more developed health systems and stronger economies. Continued investment in primary healthcare, clean water access, sanitation, and maternal and child health programs will be essential to pushing life expectancy higher and ensuring that the improvements of recent decades are both maintained and extended.

Infant Mortality Rate

Infant mortality in Comoros remains a significant public health concern, though the country has made measurable progress over recent decades. The infant mortality rate — defined as the number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1,000 live births — stood at approximately 49 deaths per 1,000 live births as of recent estimates, placing Comoros among the higher-risk nations in the sub-Saharan African region, though improvements have been steady since the 1990s when rates exceeded 80 per 1,000 live births. Several interconnected factors contribute to this elevated rate. Access to skilled birth attendants remains limited, particularly in rural areas and on the outlying islands of Anjouan and Mohéli. Neonatal infections, complications during delivery, malaria, diarrheal diseases, and acute respiratory infections are among the leading causes of infant deaths. Malnutrition and stunting in mothers and young children further compound vulnerability in the first year of life. The health infrastructure in Comoros faces persistent challenges, including a shortage of trained medical personnel, limited availability of essential medicines, and inadequate transportation networks that delay emergency obstetric care. Many births in remote communities still occur without the presence of qualified health workers, increasing the risk of preventable complications. Efforts by the Comorian government, alongside international partners such as UNICEF and the World Health Organization, have focused on expanding immunization coverage, promoting breastfeeding, improving antenatal care, and training community health workers. Vaccination programs targeting diseases such as measles, polio, and tetanus have contributed to reductions in child deaths over time. Despite these gains, progress has been uneven across the three main islands. Disparities in income, education, and healthcare access between urban centers like Moroni and more isolated communities continue to influence outcomes. Continued investment in maternal and child health services, along with improvements in sanitation, nutrition, and community health education, will be essential to further reducing the infant mortality rate in the coming years.

Country Identity

Country Name

Comoros

Full Country Name

Union of the Comoros

Local - Long

Union des Comores

Local - Short

Comores

Government Structure

Government Type

independent republic

Legal System

French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code

Executive Branch

chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2016, reelected 24 March 2019, and again in January 2024); note - AZALI first came to power following a 1999 military coup and subsequently won the April 2002 presidential election; under the rotating presidency system established by the 2001 constitution, he was again elected in 2016; following a controversial 2018 constitutional referendum that abolished the rotating island presidency and allowed him to reset his term limits, AZALI was reelected in March 2019; he won a third term in the January 2024 presidential election; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2016); the president is both the chief of state and the head of government; there is no prime minister position under the current constitutional structure cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: under the 2001 constitution, the presidency originally rotated every four years among the three main islands of the Union (Ngazidja/Grande Comore, Ndzuwani/Anjouan, and Mwali/Mohéli); a 2018 constitutional referendum abolished the rotating island system and allowed for standard multi-year terms; presidential elections are now held every five years; the most recent election was held in January 2024, with the next scheduled for 2029 election results: President AZALI Assoumani reelected in the January 2024 presidential election with approximately 57% of the vote, though the results were disputed by opposition candidates who alleged irregularities

Legislative Branch

Unicameral Assembly of the Union (24 seats; 18 members directly elected by universal suffrage and 6 selected by the individual islands' local assemblies; members serve five-year terms). Elections: Last held on 25 January 2020 (next scheduled to be held in 2025). Election results: Percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros (CRC) and allied parties 18, opposition and independent candidates 6. The assembly reflects a political landscape dominated by parties aligned with the national government, with representation distributed across the three main islands of Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli.

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of the republic)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Constitution

23-Dec-01

Independence

6 July 1975 (from France)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Capital City

Capital Name

Moroni

Capital - geographic coordinate

11 42 S, 43 14 E

Capital Time Difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Military

Branches: Army of National Development (l'Armee du Developpement Nationale, AND): Comoran Security Force (also called Comoran Defense Force (Force Comorienne de Defense, FCD), includes Gendarmerie), Comoran Coast Guard, Comoran Federal Police

Embassy / Diplomatic Mission

Snapshot

Currency Name and Code

Comoran francs (KMF)

GDP — official exchange rate

$402,000,000 (USD)

GDP Real Growth Rate

2.1%