MORONI: The Union of the Comoros — formerly the Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros (RFIC) — was founded in 2001 with the union of three islands, Anjouan, Grande Comore and Moheli, which is autonomous.
Anjouan opposed the re-election of President Mohamed Bacar with the African Union’s support. It broke away from RFIC in 1997 and didn’t join the islands until they reunified in 2001.Since gaining independence in 1975, the Comoros have witnessed at least 20 attempted coups, four of which were successful.
Geography: The three islands (1,870 square kms) are at the mouth of the Mozambique channel in the Indian ocean. The fourth island Mayotte belongs to France.
— Population: 632,000 inhabitants.
— Capital: Moroni, in Grande-Comore.
— Languages: Comoran, French, Arabic.
— Religion: Predominantly Muslim. Christian minority (2 per cent).
— History/Government: The Comoros embraced Islam in the 12th century. The archipelago was administered by Madagascar under French colonial rule from the mid-19th century until 1975, when President Ahmed Abdallah took power.
Abdallah was ousted the same year by Ali Soilih with the help of French mercenary Bob Denard. In May 1978, Denard organised a coup to reinstate Abdallah, who was assasinated in November the following year. In March 1990, Saod Mohamed Djohar became the first democratic president.
In September 1995, Bob Denard led a coup to topple Djohar, which the French military soon quashed. In March 1996, Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim became president. A year later, Anjouan and Moheli islands declared independence.
An April 1999 coup d’etat in the archipelago brought Colonel Azali Assoumani to power.
Leaders of the three Comoros islands signed a reconciliation deal with the opposition in February 2001, paving the way to a federal system granting greater autonomy to individual islands.
In a December referendum the same year, Comorans voted for a new constitution that created the Union of the Comoros. Under the charter, the three island were given more autonomy, with each allowed its own constitution and president.
In April 2002, Colonel Azali was elected the Union’s president.
Constitutionally barred to run another term, Azali was succeeded four years later by Ahmed Abdallah Sambi.
— Economy: Vanilla, ylang-ylang (a plant used to make perfume) and cloves are the main sources of hard currency, accounting for 90 per cent of export revenue.
In December 2005, foreign donors earmarked more than $140 million for anti-poverty and development projects on the archipelago.
— GNP: $560 per person in 2004 (World Bank); $450 per person in 2005 (UNDP).
— Foreign Debt: $273 million in 2004 (World Bank).
