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Comoros

President: Ikililou Dhoinine (2011)
Total area: 838 sq mi (2,170 sq km)
Population (2014 est.): 766,865 (growth rate: 1.87%); birth rate: 29.0549/1000; infant mortality rate: 65.31/1000; life expectancy: 63.48
Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Moroni (on Grande Comoro), 54,000
Monetary unit: Franc
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: 75.5% (2011 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP: (2013 est.) $911 million; per capita $1,300. Real growth rate: 3.5%. Inflation: 2.5%. Unemployment: 20% (2012 est.). Arable land: 44.06%. Agriculture: vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca). Labor force: 233,500 (2011 est.): agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (1996). Industries: tourism, perfume distillation. Natural resources: negl. Exports: $19.7 million (2011 est.): vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra. Imports: $208.8 million (2013 est.): rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment. Major trading partners: France, Singapore, Turkey, Kenya, UAE, India, Netherlands, Pakistan (2012).
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 24,000 (2012); mobile cellular: 250,000 (2012). 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 hosts: 14 (2012). Internet users: 24,300 (2009).
Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 880 km; paved: 673 km; unpaved: 207 km (2002 est.). Ports and harbors: Moroni, Moutsamoudou. Airports: 4 (2013 est.).
Fun Facts

• Comoros is the world’s largest producer of ylang-ylang, which is valued for the perfume extracted from its flowers.
• Most inhabitants of Comoros make their living from subsistence agriculture or fishing.
• Comoros offers one of the world’s largest coral atolls which parades hundreds of fish species, shells, and corals.
• Comoros has three official languages: Comorian, French, and Arabic