Skip to main content

Part of the book series: The Statesman’s Yearbook ((SYBK))

  • 22 Accesses

Abstract

The three islands forming the present state became French protectorates at the end of the 19th century and were proclaimed colonies in 1912. With neighbouring Mayotte they were administratively attached to Madagascar from 1914 until 1947 when the four islands became a French Overseas Territory, achieving internal self-government in Dec. 1961. In referendums held on each island on 22 Dec. 1974, the three western islands voted overwhelmingly for independence, while Mayotte voted to remain French. There have been more than 20 coups or attempted takeovers since independence, with recent years marked by political disruption. In 1997 the islands of Anjouan and Mohéli attempted to secede from the federation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

Further Reading

  • Ottenheimer, M. and Ottenheimer, H. J., Historical Dictionary of the Comoro Islands. Metuchen (NJ), 1994

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

Barry Turner

Copyright information

© 2008 Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Turner, B. (2008). Comoros. In: Turner, B. (eds) The Statesman’s Yearbook. The Statesman’s Yearbook. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-74027-7_147

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics