The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)
chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Union of
the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York,
NY 10022
telephone: [1] (212) 972–8010 and 223–2711
FAX: [1] (212) 983–4712 and 715–0699
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to
Mauritius is accredited to Comoros
Flag description:
four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue
with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within
the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the
hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line
between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the
four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -
Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of
France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color
green are traditional symbols of Islam
Economy Comoros
Economy - overview:
One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three
islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and
rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low
educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence
level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy
dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture,
including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP,
employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports.
The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the
main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government -
which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to
upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial
and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify
exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population
growth rate. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of
4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans
abroad help supplement GDP.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $441 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:
60% (2002 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
144,500 (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 80%
Unemployment rate:
20% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $27.6 million
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products:
vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas,
cassava (tapioca)
Industries:
tourism, perfume distillation
Industrial production growth rate:
−2% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production:
21.27 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
19.78 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
700 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$28 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:
vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra
Exports - partners:
France 46.9%, Germany 18.8%, US 12.5% (2003)
Imports:
$88 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:
rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products,
cement, transport equipment
Imports - partners:
France 31.6%, Japan 13.7%, South Africa 10.3%, Kenya 5.1%, UAE
5.1%, Thailand 4.3% (2003)
Debt - external:
$232 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
$10 million (2001 est.)
Currency:
Comoran franc (KMF)
Currency code:
KMF
Exchange rates:
Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 435.9 (2003), 522.741 (2002),
549.779 (2001), 533.982 (2000), 461.775 (1999)
note: prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged to the
French franc at 75 Comoran francs per French franc; since 1 January
1999, the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677
Comoran francs per euro
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Comoros
Telephones - main lines in use:
13,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,000 (2003)
Telephone system:
general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF
radiotelephone communication stations
domestic: HF radiotelephone communications