Comoros (Union of the Comoros)

Abstract

The Comoros archipelago includes four main volcanic islands as well as several smaller islands, located in the southwest Indian Ocean between Madagascar and the east coast of Africa. Three of the four main islands—Grande Comore (Ngazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani) and Mohéli (Mwali)—form the Union of the Comoros. A fourth island, Mayotte (Maoré), is claimed by the Union of the Comoros but remains under French administration. The population of the Comoros is about 850,000 in an area of 1862 square kilometres, resulting in an average population density of about 450 inhabitants per square kilometre. Migration and inter-marriage have mixed Malaysians, Persians, Arabs and Cafres, and the original Wahili civilization of the western Indian Ocean. Because of this diversity, the official languages are Comorian, French and Arabic. The Comoros has a longstanding Islamic tradition.

The Forum of Federations would like to express its appreciation to Abdourahim Said Baka and Faissoili Ben Mohadjifor their contributions on the first and second editions of this chapter. Updates of this chapter for the second edition of the Handbook (2019) were made by Ann L. Griffiths.