At a Glance

Official Name: Republic of Comoros

Continent: Africa

Area: 838 square miles (2,170 sq km)

Population: 596,202

Capital City: Moroni

Largest City: Moroni (17,267)

Unit of Money: Comoran franc

Major Languages: Arabic and French (official), Comoran

Literacy: 57%

Land Use: 35% arable, 10% permanent crops, 7% meadow, 18% forests, 30% other

Natural Resources: None

Government: Independent republic headed by a president

Defense: 3.1 million

The Place

Comoros is an archipelago, or group of islands, in the Mozambique Channel of the Indian Ocean. It is about 200 miles (320 km) north of Madagascar and 180 miles (290 km) east of Mozambique. There are four main islands in the archipelago, but one is controlled by France. The other three are Anjouan, Moheli, and Grande Comore. There are also several smaller islands in the group.

The major islands are volcanic in origin and are mountainous. Below these peaks are valleys and plateaus. Mangrove swamps grow along the coasts of many of the islands. The region has a cool season from May to October, and a hot season for the rest of the year.

Grande Comore is the largest of the islands with an area of 443 square miles (1,147 sq km). This island is also the home of Karthala—the country's highest peak—at 7,746 feet (2,361 m) above sea level. Karthala has one of the largest craters of any active volcano. Although there is little topsoil on the island, Grande Comore has dense rain forests on the slopes of Karthala. The other islands have rich soil that supports many crops.

The People

The majority of the Comoran population is split between Anjouan and Grande Comore—each island houses about 200,000 people. Because of its small size, Anjouan has one of the world's highest population densities, with about 550 people per square mile (1,350 people per sq km).

The people of Comoros are extremely poor. The nation's economy depends almost entirely on agriculture, which employs about 85% of the population. About 70% of Comorans live in rural areas. Many residents build their houses from large palm leaves. A small group of wealthy Comorans lives in stone houses. Many wealthier men also have several wives.

The people of Comoros suffer from many diseases and a lack of food. There are very few doctors or medical facilities on the islands. The death rate on the island is very high, especially among children. The life expectancy in Comoros is 60 years.