Comoros

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More Facts & Figures

National Name: Union des Comores

Languages: Arabic and French (both official), Shikomoro (Swahili/Arabic blend)

Ethnicity/race: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

National Holiday: Independence Day, July 6

Religions: Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Literacy rate: 56.5% (2011 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP: (2011 est.) $816 million; per capita $1,200. Real growth rate: 2.2%. Inflation: 3.8%. Unemployment: 20% (20121 est.). Arable land: 36%. Agriculture: vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca). Labor force: 268,500 (2011 est.): agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%. Industries: tourism, perfume distillation. Natural resources: negl. Exports: $16.3 million (2011 est.): vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra. Imports: $215.2 million (2011 est.): rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment. Major trading partners: U.S., France, Singapore, Turkey, Germany, South Africa, Kenya, UAE, Italy, Pakistan, Mauritius (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 21,000(2011); mobile cellular: 165,300 (2011). Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001). Television broadcast stations: n.a. Internet hosts: 15 (2011). Internet users: 24,300 (2011).

Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 880 km; paved: 673 km; unpaved: 207 km (2011 est.). Ports and harbors: Mayotte, Moutsamoudou. Airports: 4 (2011 est.).

International disputes: claims French-administered Mayotte.

Major sources and definitions