Situated in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and the eastern coast of Africa, the country of Comoros is made up of three main islands and several smaller islands. The islands are well known for their stunning beauty and have been called the “jewels of the Indian Ocean” as well as islands of the moon. The capital is Moroni, which is located on the island of Grand Comore. GeographyComoros is an archipelago, or island chain, consisting of four major islands—Grande Comore, Mohéli, Arjouan, and Mayotte. Only the first three islands are officially considered part of country. Mayotte, is a French territory. The country covers an area of 719 square miles (1,862 square kilometers). The islands are located in the Mozambique Channel, in the Indian Ocean. They are situated near northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique. The islands share several common physical features. All three are built on volcanic rock and all are mountainous and possess steep, rocky coasts. The climate on the islands is tropical. Plants and animalsThe Comoros islands, especially Grande Comore, contain beautiful and lush tropical rain forests. In recent decades, however, many parts of the forests have been cut down for fuel and to make way for farmland. Finally, in the late 1990s, the government of Comoros passed new laws to stop the destruction of the rain forests. The islands are still rich in both plants and animals. The deep Mozambique Channel has served as an ecological barrier, so that much of the islands' natural life-forms are found there and nowhere else. Among them are the rare Livingston's bat, several species of tropical birds, and small lemurs. The waters have also yielded many surprises, including living examples of the coelacanth. The coelacanth is a rare fish thought to have been extinct for hundreds of millions of years. People and culture - A mosque along the waterfront at Moroni, Comoros
The population of the Comoros islands was built up by centuries of immigration from the neighboring areas. As a result, the Comoran population is extremely diverse. The major ethnic groups are Arabs; the Cafres and Makoa, who are the descendents of African settlers; the Oimatsaha, Antalotes, and Sakalava, who trace their ancestry to Malayo-Indonesian peoples; and Creoles, who are the descendents of French settlers. The majority of the Comorans are Muslim, though there are a few Roman Catholics. The official languages of Comoros are Arabic and French. In addition, many islanders speak Comoran, which is a regional dialect similar to Swahili, a language spoken in East Africa. The influence of Swahili can also be seen in the fact that all islands have two names—one in French and one in Swahili. EconomyComoros is one of the poorest nations in the world. In general, it lacks the transportation systems and natural resources to be self-sufficient. The major industries are perfume making, textiles, woodworking, and tourism. In the late 20th century the government tried to increase the tourist industry of the islands. Many of the Comoran people work in agriculture, fishing, hunting, or forestry. The majority of the land is used to grow crops that are sold abroad, particularly sugar cane, ylang-ylang trees (the blossoms are used for perfume), vanilla, cloves, and tropical fruit. The majority of food eaten on the islands, including rice, is imported from other countries. Comorans also raise goats, sheep, and cattle. HistoryEarly historyLittle is known about the history of the Comoros Islands prior to the 10th century, when ancestors of the current population first began to settle the islands. During the 10th century, Persians and Arabs seeking gold, ivory, and cloth from ports in Madagascar and East Africa first began to travel to the area regularly. At first, the travelers used the islands only as a stopping point on their long journeys from the Middle East to Africa. Eventually, however, some settled permanently on the islands. Some of these settlers were sultans who built large communities and traded actively with the African mainland. In the 16th century, the Portuguese and other European traders began to travel to the Indian Ocean. At first, the sultans maintained power on the islands. They began trading with the Europeans and eventually grew rich by selling slaves as well as sugar, cloves, and sisal to the French. The profitable trade, however, soon caused conflict between sultans who were competing with one another. In an effort to settle these conflicts, sultans attempted to align themselves with various European powers. These alliances established the path for European colonization. European colonizationIn the 19th century France took control of the islands and ruled them as part of Madagascar. After World War II, when other African colonies were demanding independence from France, the Comoros islands voted to remain part of France. Increasing economic problems, however, eventually led many Comorans to demand independence. Finally, in 1974 three of the islands—Grande Comores, Mohéli, and Anjouan voted for independence. The French granted the demand one year later. At the time, France also designated Mayotte as a special collectivity. IndependenceAfter independence, the Comoros experienced a long period of political instability. There were 19 coup attempts by the end of 2000 and a succession of different governments. In the late 1990s the islands of Anjouan and Mohéli attempted to break away from the country and return to French protection. The move was resisted by the Comoran government as well as by France. In 2001 the voters of Comoros approved a new constitution that gave each of the islands more individual power to govern their own people while keeping them part of a united country. Population (2001 estimate), 566,000. |