# Comoros

> sovereign state situated on an archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of Africa

**Wikidata**: [Q970](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q970)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comoros)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/comoros

## Summary

Comoros is a country located in Africa[1]. It has three official languages: Comorian, Arabic, and French[2]. The nation's population was approximately 902,000 as of 2022[3].Covering an area of 2,000 square kilometers, Comoros operates in the UTC+03:00 and Indian/Comoro time zones[4].

## Summary
The Comoros, officially the Union of the Comoros, is a sovereign island nation situated on an archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of Africa. It gained independence from France on July 6, 1975, and operates as a federal republic with its capital in Moroni. The country is characterized by its unique blend of African, Arab, and French influences, utilizing Comorian, Arabic, and French as official languages while adhering to Islam as its official religion.

## Key Facts
*   **Official Name:** Union of the Comoros (French: *Union des Comores*; Arabic: *الاتحاد القمري*).
*   **Independence Date:** July 6, 1975 (stated as independence from France).
*   **Capital City:** Moroni.
*   **Total Area:** 2,034 square kilometers.
*   **Population:** 902,348 (estimated as of January 1, 2022).
*   **Currency:** Comorian franc.
*   **Official Languages:** Comorian, Arabic, and French.
*   **Official Religion:** Islam.
*   **Head of State and Government:** Azali Assoumani (since 2016).
*   **Time Zone:** UTC+03:00 (Indian/Comoro).
*   **ISO Codes:** KM (Alpha-2), COM (Alpha-3), 174 (Numeric).
*   **Top-Level Domain:** .km.
*   **International Calling Code:** +269.
*   **Emergency Numbers:** 17 (Police), 18 (Medical), 772-03-73 (Fire).
*   **Electrical Standards:** 220V at 50Hz; plug types Europlug and Type E.
*   **Driving Side:** Right.
*   **Highest Point:** Mount Karthala (2,361 meters).
*   **Lowest Point:** Indian Ocean (0 meters).
*   **Motto:** "Unity – Solidarity – Development" (French: *Unité – Solidarité – Développement*; Arabic: *وحدة، تضامن، تنمية*).
*   **National Anthem:** *Udzima wa ya Masiwa*.
*   **Human Development Index (HDI):** 0.558 (2021).
*   **Gini Coefficient:** 45.3 (2014).
*   **Unemployment Rate:** 6% (2014).
*   **Birth Rate:** 28.887 per 1,000 (2022).
*   **Death Rate:** 8.528 per 1,000 (2022).
*   **Life Expectancy:** 63.701 years (2016).
*   **Total Fertility Rate:** 4.49 (2014).
*   **Administrative Divisions:** Grande Comore, Anjouan, Mohéli.
*   **Maritime Borders:** Madagascar, France (Mayotte, Réunion), Mozambique, Seychelles, Tanzania.
*   **Member of:** United Nations (since 1975), African Union, League of Arab States, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and numerous other international bodies.

## FAQs

**When did the Comoros become an independent nation and what was its previous status?**
The Comoros officially became a sovereign state on July 6, 1975, marking its independence from France. Prior to this, it was under French administration, and it subsequently replaced the Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros with the current Union of the Comoros structure in 2001.

**What languages are spoken and what is the religious makeup of the country?**
The nation recognizes three official languages: Comorian, Arabic, and French. The official religion is Islam, which shapes much of the cultural and social fabric of the islands.

**Which international organizations is the Comoros a member of?**
The country is an active member of the United Nations, the African Union, the League of Arab States, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. It also participates in economic and specialized groups such as the World Health Organization, UNESCO, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Indian Ocean Commission.

**What are the key geographical and demographic statistics of the archipelago?**
Covering an area of 2,034 square kilometers, the Comoros has a population of approximately 902,000 people as of 2022. The population is predominantly rural, with a high birth rate and a life expectancy of roughly 63.7 years.

**How is the country governed and who leads it?**
The Comoros operates as a federal republic with a President serving as both the head of state and head of government. Azali Assoumani has held this dual role since 2016, and the legislative body is known as the Assembly of the Union of the Comoros.

## Why It Matters
The Comoros holds strategic significance as a sovereign archipelagic state located in a critical maritime corridor of the Indian Ocean, linking East Africa to the wider Indian Ocean region. Its existence represents a unique political and cultural synthesis of Bantu, Arab, and French influences, serving as a case study for post-colonial nation-building in the African context. The country plays a vital role in regional stability and environmental conservation, particularly as an island nation facing climate challenges and managing marine biodiversity. Furthermore, its membership in diverse international blocs, from the Arab League to the African Union, highlights its diplomatic bridging role between the African continent and the Arab world.

## Notable For
*   **Archipelagic Identity:** It is one of the few nations defined entirely by an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, comprising three main islands: Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli.
*   **Volcanic Geography:** Home to Mount Karthala, an active volcano that stands as the highest point in the country at 2,361 meters.
*   **Cultural Synthesis:** Uniquely maintains three official languages and a national motto emphasizing unity, solidarity, and development in both French and Arabic.
*   **Demographic Trends:** Exhibits a high total fertility rate (4.49 in 2014) and a rapidly growing population, distinguishing it from many other African nations with declining birth rates.
*   **Diplomatic Reach:** Maintains diplomatic relations with a wide spectrum of nations, including North Korea (since 1975), the United States, and the People's Republic of China.
*   **Historical Transitions:** Successfully transitioned from the Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros to the Union of the Comoros in 2001, reflecting ongoing constitutional evolution.

## Body

### Geography and Location
The Comoros is a sovereign state situated on an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, positioned off the eastern coast of Africa. Its coordinates are approximately 12.3°S latitude and 43.7°E longitude. The nation is located in the East African islands region and is part of the East Africa geographical grouping. The territory consists of three main administrative entities: Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli. The highest point in the country is Mount Karthala, reaching an elevation of 2,361 meters, while the lowest point is the Indian Ocean at sea level. The easternmost point is located at 44.540611111111°E, the westernmost at 43.228666666667°E, the northernmost at -11.37°N, and the southernmost at -12.38475°S. The country shares maritime boundaries with Madagascar, France (specifically regarding Mayotte and Réunion), Mozambique, Seychelles, and Tanzania.

### History and Political Status
The Comoros declared its independence from France on July 6, 1975, establishing itself as a sovereign state. It was previously known as the Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros, a status it held until the adoption of the Union of the Comoros on December 23, 2001. The country is classified as a federal republic and a partly free country according to Freedom House. The current head of state and head of government is Azali Assoumani, who assumed office in 2016. The legislative body is the Assembly of the Union of the Comoros. The foundational text of the nation is the Constitution of the Comoros. The country follows the right side of the road for driving.

### Demographics and Society
As of January 1, 2022, the estimated population of the Comoros was 902,348. The population has shown steady growth, rising from 541,976 in 2001 to over 900,000 in 2022. The demographic breakdown includes a rural population of 586,880 and an urban population of 249,894 as of 2022. The gender distribution is relatively balanced, with 416,416 females and 420,357 males recorded in 2022. The birth rate was recorded at 28.887 per 1,000 people in 2022, while the death rate stood at 8.528 per 1,000. The total fertility rate has declined from 5.466 in 1999 to 4.49 in 2014. Life expectancy at birth was 63.701 years in 2016. The suicide rate was estimated at 6.8 per 100,000 in 2016. The country has a Gini coefficient of 45.3 as of 2014, indicating income inequality. The unemployment rate was 6% in 2014. The Human Development Index (HDI) was 0.558 in 2021, with an inequality-adjusted HDI of 0.310 for the same year.

### Economy and Infrastructure
The official currency of the Comoros is the Comorian franc. The nominal GDP was estimated at 1,296,089,479 United States dollars in 2021 and 1,242,519,407 USD in 2022. The country uses the Comorian franc as its currency. The mains voltage is 220 volts at a frequency of 50 Hz. The electrical plug types used are the Europlug and Type E. The international telephone country code is +269. The mobile country code is 654. The top-level internet domain is .km. The emergency phone numbers are 17 for police, 18 for emergency medical services, and 772-03-73 for the fire department. The country's driving side is the right.

### Culture and Language
The official languages of the Comoros are Comorian, Arabic, and French. The national motto is "Unity – Solidarity – Development," expressed in Arabic as *وحدة، تضامن، تنمية* and in French as *Unité – Solidarité – Développement*. The national anthem is titled *Udzima wa ya Masiwa*. The official religion is Islam. The demonym for citizens is Comorian, with variations in gender and number across different languages (e.g., *Comorienne* for feminine singular, *Comorans* for plural). The country's culture is a blend of African, Arab, and French influences. The national flag features a design adopted on January 7, 2002, replacing the previous flag used from 1996 to 2001. The coat of arms is the National seal of the Union of the Comoros.

### International Relations and Memberships
The Comoros is a member of the United Nations, having joined on November 12, 1975. It is also a member of the African Union, the League of Arab States (since November 20, 1993), and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (since 1976). The country participates in the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (since 1976), the International Development Association (since 1977), and the International Finance Corporation (since 1992). It is a member of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (since 2013) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (since 1978). The Comoros is part of the African Development Bank, the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, the Alliance of Small Island States, the Arab Monetary Fund, and OHADA. It joined Interpol on October 22, 1998, and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons on September 17, 2006. Other memberships include UNESCO (since 1977), the World Meteorological Organization (since 1976), the World Health Organization, the World Customs Organization (since 1993), and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (since 1977). The country is also a member of the Universal Postal Union (since 1976), the Indian Ocean Commission, and the African Continental Free Trade Area. It holds observer status in the International Civil Defence Organisation (since 2014). The Comoros has diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the United States, North Korea (since 1975), the People's Republic of China, and Georgia (since 2010).

### Administrative and Legal Structure
The Comoros is a federal republic with a President as the head of state and head of government. The legislative body is the Assembly of the Union of the Comoros. The country is divided into three administrative territorial entities: Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli. The foundational legal document is the Constitution of the Comoros. The country's legal system is influenced by its colonial history and Islamic law. The official name is the Union of the Comoros, with variations in French (*l'Union des Comores*) and Arabic (*الاتحاد القمري*). The country is classified as a sovereign state and an island country.

### Data and Identification Codes
The Comoros is identified by various international codes: ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code is KM, alpha-3 code is COM, and numeric code is 174. The M49 code is 174. The UNDP country code is COI. The ITU letter code is COM. The IOC country code is COM. The FIPS 10-4 code is CN. The World Bank code is COM. The country is listed in the UN Statistics Division as part of East Africa. The Wikidata ID is Q970. The Freebase ID is /m/01n6c. The VIAF ID is 169195040. The GND ID is 4265797-0. The ISNI is 0000000122964845. The Library of Congress Authority ID is n80033810. The BNF ID is 11990949j. The NDL Authority ID is 00576507. The National Library of Israel J9U ID is 987007561921205171. The National Library of Spain ID is XX455658. The National Library of Lithuania ID is LNB:V*9785;=BP. The Canadiana Name Authority ID is ncf12006419. The Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names ID is 1000157. The WorldCat Entities ID is E39PBJB8rmffVbMp8bK4b3cVmd. The OpenStreetMap relation ID is 535790. The OpenStreetMap node ID is 249399360. The GeoNames ID is 921929. The MusicBrainz area ID is f8002d93-3b43-3bb7-84dd-4766ff7e5b3b. The World Historical Gazetteer Place ID is 12346732. The OBO Gazetteer ID is 00005820. The Marine Regions Geographic ID is 17548. The Invasive Species Compendium datasheet ID is 108474. The iNaturalist place ID is 8421. The Wikidata description is "sovereign state situated on an archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of Africa". The Wikipedia title is Comoros. The Commons category is Comoros. The topic's main category is Category:Comoros. The topic's main Wikimedia portal is Portal:Comoros. The category for people born here is Category:Births in the Comoros. The category for people who died here is Category:Death in the Comoros. The category for associated people is Category:Comorian people. The category for maps or plans is Category:Maps of the Comoros. The topic's main category is Category:Comoros. The subreddit is r/Comoros, established on August 10, 2011. The BBC News topic ID is cx1m7zg0gnlt. The Quora topic is Comoros. The New York Times topic ID is destination/comoros. The Le Monde Diplomatique subject ID is pays/comores. The Libération topic ID is comores. The France 24 topic ID (French) is comores. The Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID is comores. The Treccani's Dizionario di Storia ID is comore. The Brockhaus Enzyklopädie Online ID is komoren. The Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID is place/Comoros. The Encyclopædia Universalis ID is comores. The Krugosvet article is strany_mira/KOMORSKIE_OSTROVA.html. The Orthodox Encyclopedia ID is 1841864. The TDV Encyclopedia of Islam ID is komor-adalari. The Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID (2017) is 2086258. The National Historical Museums of Sweden ID is geo/ACE6C5A7-D147-404B-87A0-99CE913089E7. The World Factbook country ID (archived) is comoros. The U.S. National Archives Identifier is 10035679. The Museum Digital Place ID is 23260. The Numista ruling authority ID is 3900. The Civicus Monitor country entry is comoros. The Historical Gazetteer (GOV) ID is object_1285980. The Canadiana Name Authority ID is ncf12006419. The UK Parliament ID is mkz3PHmE. The UK Parliament Thesaurus ID is 9317. The Canadiana Name Authority ID is ncf12006419. The National Library of Israel ID (old) is 000978767. The National Library of Spain SPMABN ID is XX455658. The National Library of Lithuania ID is LNB:V*9785;=BP. The National Library of Israel J9U ID is 987007561921205171. The Library of Congress Authority ID is n80033810. The BNF ID is 11990949j. The GND ID is 4265797-0. The ISNI is 0000000122964845. The VIAF ID is 169195040. The Freebase ID is /m/01n6c. The Wikidata ID is Q970. The GeoNames ID is 921929. The MusicBrainz area ID is f8002d93-3b43-3bb7-84dd-4766ff7e5b3b. The WorldCat Entities ID is E39PBJB8rmffVbMp8bK4b3cVmd. The World Historical Gazetteer Place ID is 12346732. The OBO Gazetteer ID is 00005820. The Marine Regions Geographic ID is 17548. The Invasive Species Compendium datasheet ID is 108474. The iNaturalist place ID is 8421. The Wikidata description is "sovereign state situated on an archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of Africa". The Wikipedia title is Comoros. The Commons category is Comoros. The topic's main category is Category:Comoros. The topic's main Wikimedia portal is Portal:Comoros. The category for people born here is Category:Births in the Comoros. The category for people who died here is Category:Death in the Comoros. The category for associated people is Category:Comorian people. The category for maps or plans is Category:Maps of the Comoros. The topic's main category is Category:Comoros. The subreddit is r/Comoros, established on August 10, 2011. The BBC News topic ID is cx1m7zg0gnlt. The Quora topic is Comoros. The New York Times topic ID is destination/comoros. The Le Monde Diplomatique subject ID is pays/comores. The Libération topic ID is comores. The France 24 topic ID (French) is comores. The Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID is comores. The Treccani's Dizionario di Storia ID is comore. The Brockhaus Enzyklopädie Online ID is komoren. The Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID is place/Comoros. The Encyclopædia Universalis ID is comores. The Krugosvet article is strany_mira/KOMORSKIE_OSTROVA.html. The Orthodox Encyclopedia ID is 1841864. The TDV Encyclopedia of Islam ID is komor-adalari. The Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID (2017) is 2086258. The National Historical Museums of Sweden ID is geo/ACE6C5A7-D147-404B-87A0-99CE913089E7. The World Factbook country ID (archived) is comoros. The U.S. National Archives Identifier is 10035679. The Museum Digital Place ID is 23260. The Numista ruling authority ID is 3900. The Civicus Monitor country entry is comoros. The Historical Gazetteer (GOV) ID is object_1285980.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.workwithdata.com/place/comoros)
2. The World Factbook
3. [Source](https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/58379.pdf)
4. [Source](http://viaf.org/viaf/data/viaf-20170101-links.txt.gz)
5. Virtual International Authority File
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11. [Interpol](https://www.interpol.int/Member-countries/World)
12. [Source](https://www.interpol.int/Who-we-are/Member-countries/Africa/COMOROS)
13. [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons](https://www.opcw.org/about-opcw/member-states/)
14. [Source](https://www.opcw.org/about-us/member-states/comoros)
15. [Source](http://www.upu.int/en/the-upu/member-countries.html)
16. [Source](https://www.upu.int/en/Universal-Postal-Union/About-UPU/Member-Countries?csid=-1&cid=75)
17. [Source](http://icdo.org/who-we-are/members/observer-states.html)
18. [Source](https://public.wmo.int/en/members/comoros)
19. [Source](https://www.who.int/choice/demography/by_country/en/)
20. [Source](https://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/about-us/wco-members/list-of-members-with-membership-date.pdf)
21. [Source](https://www.ncnk.org/sites/default/files/content/resources/publications/NCNK_Issue_Brief_DPRK_Diplomatic_Relations.pdf)
22. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
23. [Source](https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/)
24. FIPS 10-4
25. MusicBrainz
26. [Human Development Report. 2022](https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/human-development-index#/indicies/HDI)
27. World Bank Open Data
28. [Source](http://countrymeters.info/fr/Comoros)
29. [Source](https://countrymeters.info/de/Comoros)
30. [Source](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI)
31. [Source](http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS)
32. International Standard Name Identifier
33. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
34. Official Names of the United Nations Membership
35. Library of Congress Authorities
36. The National Terminology Database for Irish
37. [Source](https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2017)
38. [Source](http://chartsbin.com/view/edr)
39. [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD)
40. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=DEMO_DS)
41. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=3372)
42. [World Plugs](http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/list_bylocation.htm)
43. UMLS 2023
44. [Source](https://countrycodebase.com/undp/)
45. [Source](https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-report-on-international-religious-freedom/comoros/)
46. [Source](https://apps.who.int/gho/athena/data/xmart.csv?target=GHO/SDGSUICIDE,SDG_SH_STA_SCIDEN&profile=crosstable&filter=COUNTRY:*;REGION:*;AGEGROUP:-&x-sideaxis=COUNTRY;SEX&x-topaxis=GHO;YEAR)
47. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=239)
48. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
49. [Gazetteer](https://github.com/EnvironmentOntology/gaz/blob/master/src/ontology/gaz_countries.csv)
50. [Source](https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/komor-adalari)