under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female15–64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 81.63 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 60.85 years male: 58.39 years female: 63.38 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.43 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran
Ethnic groups: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Religions: Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14%
Languages: Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend
of Swahili and Arabic)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.3%
male: 64.2%
female: 50.4% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local long form: Republique Federale Islamique des Comores
local short form: Comores
Data code: CN
Government type: independent republic
Capital: Moroni
Administrative divisions: three islands; Grande Comore
(Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali)
note: there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni,
Moroni, and Moutsamoudou
Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Constitution: 20 October 1996
Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Interim President TADJIDDINE Ben Said Massounde
(since 6 November 1998); note—President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim died
in office 6 November 1998 and was succeeded by Interim President
MASSOUNDE
head of government: Prime Minister Abbas DJOUSSOUF (since 22
November 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term;
election last held 16 March 1996 (next to be held NA); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim elected president; percent
of vote—64%
note: the Comoran constitution stipulates that upon the death of the
president, a new president is to be elected within 90 days; however,
Interim President TADJIDDINE has stated that a new election cannot
be held until Anjouan is reunited with the rest of the country
Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate
(15 seats; members selected by regional councils for six-year terms)
and a Federal Assembly or Assemblee Federale (43 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Federal Assembly—last held 1 and 8 December 1996 (next to
be held NA)
election results: Federal Assembly—percent of vote by party—NA;
seats by party—RND 39, RND candidate running as independent 1, FNJ 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supremes, two members are
appointed by the president, two members are elected by the Federal
Assembly, one by the Council of each island, and former presidents
of the republic
Political parties and leaders: Rassemblement National pour le
NA]
note: under a new constitution ratified in October 1996, a two-party
system was established; former President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim
called for all parties to dissolve and join him in creating the RND;
the constitution stipulates that only parties that win six seats in
the Federal Assembly (two from each island) are permitted to be in
opposition, but if no party accomplishes that the second most
successful party will be in opposition; in the elections of December
1996 the FNJ appeared to qualify as opposition
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, InOC, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Ahmed DJABIR (ambassador to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN) chancery: (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
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros
Flag description: 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
