Comoros - Economic Indicators

Economic Overview

One of the world's poorest and smallest economies, the Comoros is made up of three islands that are hampered by 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 and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, accounts for about 50% of GDP, employs a majority of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. Export income is heavily reliant on the...

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GDP Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Nominal Gross Domestic Product 2022 553,123,689,374 539,116,000,000 KMF Annual
Investment 2017 60,059,600,000 57,320,555,500 NCU Annual
Real Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2014 13,938,733,900 14,672,351,500 NCU Annual
Real Investment 2014 19,566,992,900 21,293,832,700 NCU Annual
Nominal Fixed Investment (gross fixed capital formation) 2014 47,128,271,500 39,398,890,900 NCU Annual
Price Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Consumer Price Index (CPI) 2013 103.62 108.27 Index 2010=100 Annual
Labor Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Unemployment Rate 2017 4.34 4.35 % of total labor force Annual
Trade Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Balance of Goods 2022 -216,394,335 -218,021,299 USD Annual
Current Account Balance 2022 -6,614,048 -4,075,858 USD Annual
Imports of Goods 2022 271,897,681 253,773,352 USD Annual
Exports of Goods 2022 55,503,345 35,752,052 USD Annual
Exports of Goods and Services 2017 50,144,100,000 43,723,000,000 NCU Annual
Imports of Goods and Services 2017 125,218,600,000 119,975,000,000 NCU Annual
Real Exports of Goods and Services 2014 28,174,438,200 25,848,108,500 NCU Annual
Real Imports of Goods and Services 2014 61,887,517,800 62,766,245,200 NCU Annual
Government Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Government Budget Balance 2010 14,165,395,803 1,149,000,000 current LCU Annual
Government Revenues 2010 58,868,735,739 32,503,891,594 current LCU Annual
Markets Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Lending Rate Mar 2013 1.57 1.57 % Monthly
Demographics Reference Last Previous Units Frequency
Population 2020 869,595 850,891 # Annual
Death Rate 2016 7.39 7.49 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Birth Rate 2016 32.86 33.33 # per Ths. pop. Annual
Net Migration 2002 -10,000 # Annual

Factbook

Background

Background:
The archipelago of the Comoros in the Indian Ocean, composed of the islands of Mayotte, Anjouan, Moheli, and Grand Comore declared independence from France on 6 July 1975. France did not recognize the independence of Mayotte, which remains under French administration. Since independence, Comoros has endured political instability through realized and attempted coups. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI Assoumani seized power of the entire government in a bloodless coup; he initiated the 2000 Fomboni Accords, a power-sharing agreement in which the federal presidency rotates among the three islands, and each island maintains its local government. AZALI won the 2002 federal presidential election as president of the Union of the Comoros from Grand Comore Island, which held the first four-year term. AZALI stepped down in 2006 and President Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed SAMBI was elected to office as president from Anjouan. In 2007, Mohamed BACAR effected Anjouan's de-facto secession from the Union of the Comoros, refusing to step down when Comoros' other islands held legitimate elections in July. The African Union (AU) initially attempted to resolve the political crisis by applying sanctions and a naval blockade to Anjouan, but in March 2008 the AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island. The island's inhabitants generally welcomed the move. In 2009, the Comorian population approved a constitutional referendum extending the term of the president from four years to five years. In May 2011, Ikililou DHOININE won the presidency in peaceful elections widely deemed to be free and fair. In closely contested elections in 2016, former President AZALI Assoumani won a second term, when the rotating presidency returned to Grande Comore.

Geography

Location:
Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
12 10 S, 44 15 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 2,235 sq km
land: 2,235 sq km
water: 0 sq km
country comparison to the world: 180
Area - comparative:
slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
340 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Terrain:
volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
Elevation:
mean elevation: NA
elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Karthala 2,360 m
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
agricultural land: 84.4%
arable land 46.7%; permanent crops 29.6%; permanent pasture 8.1%
forest: 1.4%
other: 14.2% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
1.3 sq km (2012)
Population - distribution:
the capital city of Maroni, located on the western side of the island of Grande Comore, is the country's largest city; however, of the three islands that comprise Comoros, it is Anjouan that is the most densely populated
Natural hazards:
cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); volcanic activity on Grand Comore
volcanism: Karthala (2,361 m) on Grand Comore Island last erupted in 2007; a 2005 eruption forced thousands of people to be evacuated and produced a large ash cloud
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; marine biodiversity affected as soil erosion leads to the silting of coral reefs
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

People & Society

Population:
808,080 (July 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Nationality:
noun: Comoran(s)
adjective: Comoran
Ethnic groups:
Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Languages:
Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (official; a blend of Swahili and Arabic) (Comorian)
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 98%, other (including Shia Muslim, Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant) 2%
note: Islam is the state religion
Demographic profile:
Comoros’ population is a melange of Arabs, Persians, Indonesians, Africans, and Indians, and the much smaller number of Europeans that settled on the islands between the 8th and 19th centuries, when they served as a regional trade hub. The Arab and Persian influence is most evident in the islands’ overwhelmingly Muslim majority – about 98% of Comorans are Sunni Muslims. The country is densely populated, averaging nearly 350 people per square mile, although this varies widely among the islands, with Anjouan being the most densely populated.
Given the large share of land dedicated to agriculture and Comoros’ growing population, habitable land is becoming increasingly crowded. The combination of increasing population pressure on limited land and resources, widespread poverty, and poor job prospects motivates thousands of Comorans each year to attempt to illegally migrate using small fishing boats to the neighboring island of Mayotte, which is a French territory. The majority of legal Comoran migration to France came after Comoros’ independence from France in 1975, with the flow peaking in the mid-1980s.
At least 150,000 to 200,000 people of Comoran citizenship or descent live abroad, mainly in France, where they have gone seeking a better quality of life, job opportunities, higher education (Comoros has no universities), advanced health care, and to finance elaborate traditional wedding ceremonies (aada). Remittances from the diaspora are an economic mainstay, in 2013 representing approximately 25% of Comoros’ GDP and significantly more than the value of its exports of goods and services (only 15% of GDP). Grand Comore, Comoros’ most populous island, is both the primary source of emigrants and the main recipient of remittances. Most remittances are spent on private consumption, but this often goes toward luxury goods and the aada and does not contribute to economic development or poverty reduction. Although the majority of the diaspora is now French-born with more distant ties to Comoros, it is unclear whether they will sustain the current level of remittances.
Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.35% (male 158,516/female 159,491)
15-24 years: 19.53% (male 76,425/female 81,393)
25-54 years: 32.91% (male 126,279/female 139,659)
55-64 years: 4.27% (male 15,375/female 19,133)
65 years and over: 3.94% (male 14,605/female 17,204) (2017 est.)
population pyramid:
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 75.5
youth dependency ratio: 70.5
elderly dependency ratio: 5.1
potential support ratio: 19.7 (2015 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.9 years
male: 19.2 years
female: 20.5 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
Population growth rate:
1.64% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Birth rate:
26.1 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
Death rate:
7.2 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
Net migration rate:
-2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Population distribution:
the capital city of Maroni, located on the western side of the island of Grande Comore, is the country's largest city; however, of the three islands that comprise Comoros, it is Anjouan that is the most densely populated
Urbanization:
urban population: 28.5% of total population (2017)
rate of urbanization: 2.71% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
MORONI (capital) 56,000 (2014)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.8 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
24.6 years
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2012 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio:
335 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
Infant mortality rate:
total: 60 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 70.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 49.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.6 years
male: 62.3 years
female: 67 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
Total fertility rate:
3.34 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
19.4% (2012)
Health expenditures:
6.7% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 88
Hospital bed density:
2.2 beds/1,000 population (2010)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 92.6% of population
rural: 89.1% of population
total: 90.1% of population
unimproved:
urban: 7.4% of population
rural: 10.9% of population
total: 9.9% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 48.3% of population
rural: 30.9% of population
total: 35.8% of population
unimproved:
urban: 51.7% of population
rural: 69.1% of population
total: 64.2% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
<.1% (2016 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
<200 (2016 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
<100 (2016 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
7.8% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 157
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
16.9% (2012)
country comparison to the world: 39
Education expenditures:
4.3% of GDP (2015)
country comparison to the world: 15
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 77.8%
male: 81.8%
female: 73.7% (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 11 years (2014)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local long form: Udzima wa Komori (Comorian); Union des Comores (French); Jumhuriyat al Qamar al Muttahidah (Arabic)
local short form: Komori (Comorian); Comores (French); Juzur al Qamar (Arabic)
etymology: name derives from the Arabic designation "Juzur al Qamar" meaning "Islands of the Moon"
Government type:
federal presidential republic
Capital:
name: Moroni
geographic coordinates: 11 42 S, 43 14 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Anjouan (Ndzuwani), Domoni*, Fomboni*, Grande Comore (N'gazidja), Moheli (Mwali), Moroni*, Moutsamoudou*
Independence:
6 July 1975 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Constitution:
history: previous 1996; latest ratified 23 December 2001
amendments: proposed by the president of the union or supported by at least one-third of the Assembly of the Union membership; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority of the total Assembly membership and approval by at least two-thirds of the membership of the Island Councils, or approval in a referendum; amended 2009, 2014 (2017)
Legal system:
mixed legal system of Islamic religious law, the French civil code of 1975, and customary law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Comoros
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani(since 26 May 2016); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2016)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections/appointments: the Union presidency rotates among the 3 islands; president directly elected by simple majority popular vote in 2 rounds for a single nonrenewable 5-year term (in the first round or primary, 3 candidates with the highest vote count by voters on the island concerned compete in the second round; second round winner determined by simple majority vote by voters on all 3 islands; election last held on 21 February 2016 and second round held 10 April 2016 (next to be held in 2021); note - in addition to the Union president, each island elects its own governors
election results: AZALI Assoumani elected president in the second round of voting by a plurality; percent of vote in first round - Mohamed Ali SOILIHI 17.6%, Mouigni BARAKA 15.1%, AZALI Assoumani 15.0%, Fahmi Said IBRAHIM 14.5%; percent of vote in second round - AZALI Assoumani 41.0%, Mohamed Ali SOILIHI 39.9%; Mouigni BARAKA 19.1%
Legislative branch:
description: unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 24 members directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed and 9 members indirectly elected by the 3 island assemblies; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: last held on 25 January 2015 with a runoff on 22 February 2015 (next to be held in 2020)
election results: percent of vote by party - UPDC 29.1%, PJ 20.5%, RDC 21.3%, other 29.1%; seats by party - UPDC 8, PJ 7, RDC 2, CRC 2, RADHI 1, PEC 1, independents 3; note - in addition 9 seats will be filled by nominations from the 3 island assemblies
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 7 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 8 members)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges - 2 selected by the president of the Union, 2 by the Assembly of the Union, and 1 each by the 3 island councils; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court members appointed - 1 by the president, 1 each by the 3 vice presidents, 1 by the Assembly, and 1 each by the island executives; all members serve 6-year renewable terms
subordinate courts: Court of Appeals (in Moroni); Tribunal de premiere instance; island village (community) courts; religious courts
Political parties and leaders:
Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assoumani]
Democratic Rally of the Comoros or RDC [Mouigni BARAKA]
Juwa Party or PJ [Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI]
Party for the Comorian Agreement (Partie Pour l'Entente Commorienne) or PEC [Fahmi Said IBRAHIM]
Rally for an Alternative of Harmonious and Integrated Development or RADHI [Abdou SOEFO]
Rally with a Development Initiative for Enlightened Youth or RIDJA [Said LARIFOU]
Union for the Development of the Comoros or UPDC [Mohamed HALIFA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation Comorienne des Consommateurs or FCC [Mohamed Said Abdallah MCHANGAMA]
Mouvement des Entreprises comorienne or MODEC [Irchadidine ABDALLAH]
Union des Chambres de Commerce et de l'Industrie et de l'Agriculture or UCCIA [Ahmed Ali BAZI]
Organisation des Comores or OPACO [Ali Mohammad MAHAMOUDOU]
Confederation des Travailleurs Comoriens or CTC [Salim SOULAIMANA]
other: environmentalists
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AMF, AOSIS, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Soilihi Mohamed SOILIHI (since 18 November 2014)
chancery: Mission to the US, 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 418, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637
FAX: [1] (212) 750-1657
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the US Ambassador to Madagascar 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, N'gazidja, Ndzuwani, and Mahore (Mayotte - department of France, but claimed by Comoros)
note: the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
National symbol(s):
four stars and crescent; national colors: green, white
National anthem:
name: "Udzima wa ya Masiwa" (The Union of the Great Islands)
lyrics/music: Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE/Said Hachim SIDI ABDEREMANE and Kamildine ABDALLAH
note: adopted 1978

Economy

Economy - overview:
One of the world's poorest and smallest economies, the Comoros is made up of three islands that are hampered by 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 and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, accounts for about 50% of GDP, employs a majority of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. Export income is heavily reliant on the three main crops of vanilla, cloves, and ylang ylang (perfume essence); and the Comoros' export earnings are easily disrupted by disasters such as fires and extreme weather. Despite agriculture’s importance to the economy, the country imports roughly 70% of its food; rice, the main staple, and other dried vegetables account for more than 25% of imports. Remittances from about 300,000 Comorans contribute about 25% of the country’s GDP. France, Comoros’s colonial power, remains a key trading partner and bilateral donor.
Comoros faces an education system in need of upgrades, limited opportunities for private commercial and industrial enterprises, poor health services, limited exports, and a high population growth rate. Recurring political instability, sometimes initiated from outside the country, and an ongoing electricity crisis have inhibited growth. The government, elected in mid-2016, has moved to improve revenue mobilization, reduce expenditures, and improve electricity access, although the public sector wage bill remains one of the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. In mid-2017, Comoros joined the Southern African Development Community with 15 other regional member states.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.323 billion (2017 est.)
$1.281 billion (2016 est.)
$1.254 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 200
GDP (official exchange rate):
$659 million (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2017 est.)
2.2% (2016 est.)
1% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,600 (2017 est.)
$1,600 (2016 est.)
$1,600 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 218
Gross national saving:
12.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
10.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
18.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 104%
government consumption: 19.3%
investment in fixed capital: 4.6%
investment in inventories: 5.7%
exports of goods and services: 19.2%
imports of goods and services: -52.8% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 49.5%
industry: 11.8%
services: 38.7% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - products:
vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coconuts, bananas, cassava (manioc)
Industries:
fishing, tourism, perfume distillation
Industrial production growth rate:
0.8% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Labor force:
278,500 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6.5% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Population below poverty line:
44.8% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.9%
highest 10%: 55.2% (2004 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
55.9 (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
Budget:
revenues: $148.6 million
expenditures: $183.1 million (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
22.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-5.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Public debt:
26.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
25.2% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2017 est.)
1.8% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
Central bank discount rate:
1.93% (31 December 2010 est.)
2.21% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.5% (31 December 2017 est.)
10.5% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Stock of narrow money:
$193.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$180.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
Stock of broad money:
$295.5 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$268.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
Stock of domestic credit:
$204.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$183.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
Current account balance:
$-63 million (2017 est.)
$-62 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
Exports:
$18.4 million (2017 est.)
$17.9 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213
Exports - commodities:
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves
Exports - partners:
France 25.6%, South Korea 15%, Germany 11.8%, India 10.4%, Singapore 4.4%, Russia 4.2%, Mauritius 4.1% (2016)
Imports:
$194.8 million (2017 est.)
$189 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
Imports - commodities:
rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement and construction materials, transport equipment
Imports - partners:
UAE 29.5%, France 21.2%, China 11.3%, Pakistan 7.3%, Madagascar 6.2%, India 4.7% (2016)
Debt - external:
$131.1 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$132 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
Exchange rates:
Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar -
458.2 (2017 est.)
444.76 (2016 est.)
444.76 (2015 est.)
443.6 (2014 est.)
370.81 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access:
population without electricity: 200,000
electrification - total population: 69%
electrification - urban areas: 89%
electrification - rural areas: 62% (2013)
Electricity - production:
54 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
Electricity - consumption:
50.22 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
26,000 kW (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
96.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
3.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
1,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Refined petroleum products - imports:
1,350 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
200,000 Mt (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions: 13,049
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total: 454,389
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 56 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
Telephone system:
general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations
domestic: fixed-line connections only about 2 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage over 55 per 100 persons; two companies, Comoros Telecom and Telma, provide domestic and international mobile service and wireless data.
international: country code - 269; landing point for the EASSy fiber-optic submarine cable system connecting East Africa with Europe and North America; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion (2017)
Broadcast media:
national state-owned TV station and a TV station run by Anjouan regional government; national state-owned radio; regional governments on the islands of Grande Comore and Anjouan each operate a radio station; a few independent and small community radio stations operate on the islands of Grande Comore and Moheli, and these two islands have access to Mayotte Radio and French TV (2007)
Internet country code:
.km
Internet users:
total: 63,084
percent of population: 7.9% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186

Transportation

National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers: 2
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 9 (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
D6 (2016)
Airports:
4 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 186
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2017)
Roadways:
total: 880 km
paved: 673 km
unpaved: 207 km (2002)
country comparison to the world: 188
Merchant marine:
total: 203
by type: bulk carrier 4, container ship 1, general cargo 86, oil tanker 26, other 86 (2017)
country comparison to the world: 65
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s): Moroni, Mutsamudu

Military & Security

Military branches:
National Army for Development (l'Armee Nationale de Developpement, AND): Comoran Security Force (also called Comoran Defense Force (Force Comorienne de Defense, FCD), includes Gendarmerie), Comoran Coast Guard, Comoran Federal Police (2015)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for 2-year voluntary male and female military service; no conscription (2015)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
claims French-administered Mayotte and challenges France's and Madagascar's claims to Banc du Geyser, a drying reef in the Mozambique Channel
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Comoros is a source country for children subjected to forced labor and, reportedly, sex trafficking domestically, and women and children are subjected to forced labor in Mayotte; it is possibly a transit and destination country for Malagasy women and girls and a transit country for East African women and girls exploited in domestic service in the Middle East; Comoran children are forced to labor in domestic service, roadside and street vending, baking, fishing, and agriculture; some Comoran students at Koranic schools are exploited for forced agricultural or domestic labor, sometimes being subjected to physical and sexual abuse; Comoros may be particularly vulnerable to transnational trafficking because of inadequate border controls, government corruption, and the presence of international criminal networks
tier rating: Tier 3 – Comoros does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and was placed on Tier 3 after being on the Tier 2 Watch List for two consecutive years without making progress; Parliament passed revisions to the penal code in 2014, including anti-trafficking provisions and enforcement guidelines, but these amendments have not yet been passed approved by the President and put into effect; a new child labor law was passed in 2015 prohibiting child trafficking, but existing laws do not criminalize the forced prostitution of adults; authorities did not investigate, prosecute, or convict alleged trafficking offenders, including complicit officials; the government lacked victim identification and care referral procedures, did not assist any victims during 2014, and provided minimal support to NGOs offering victims psychosocial services (2015)

Economic Indicators for Comoros including actual values, historical data, and latest data updates for the Comoros economy.