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Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and 18 by universal suffrage; to serve for five years);

elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CdIA 12, CRC 6; note - 15 additional seats are filled by deputies from local island assemblies

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of the republic)

Political parties and leaders:

Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assowmani]; Camp of the Autonomous Islands or CdIA (a coalition of parties organized by the islands' presidents in opposition to the Union President); Front National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID] (Islamic party in opposition); Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: environmentalists

International organization participation:

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Representative to the US and Ambassador to the UN Mohamed TOIHIRI

chancery: Mission to the US, 336 East 45th Street (2nd floor), New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Madagascar is accredited to Comoros

Flag description:

four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mahore (Mayotte - territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros)

note: the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Comoros

Economy - overview:

One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government - which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports, promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate. The political problems caused the economy to contract in 2007. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.262 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$442 million (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-1% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,100 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 40%

industry: 4%

services: 56% (2001 est.)

Labor force:

144,500 (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80%

industry and services: 20% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate:

20% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:

60% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3% (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $27.6 million

expenditures: $NA (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:

vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)

Industries:

fishing, tourism, perfume distillation

Industrial production growth rate:

-2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:

20 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 90.6%

hydro: 9.4%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

18.6 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - consumption:

700 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

709.1 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2005)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance:

$8 million (2007 est.)

Exports:

$32 million f.o.b. (2006)

Exports - commodities:

vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 35.8%, France 18.3%, Italy 12.8%, Singapore 7.8%, Turkey 5%, US 4.6% (2006)

Imports:

$143 million f.o.b. (2006)

Imports - commodities:

rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment

Imports - partners:

France 24.8%, UAE 9.9%, South Africa 6.4%, Pakistan 6.3%, Kenya 5%, China 4.8%, India 4.4%, Italy 4.2% (2006)

Economic aid - recipient:

$25.23 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:

$232 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):

Comoran franc (KMF)

Currency code:

KMF

Exchange rates:

Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 361.4 (2007), 391.8 (2006), 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003)

note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Comoros

Telephones - main lines in use:

16,900 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

16,100 (2005)

Telephone system:

general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations; fixed-line connections only about 2 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage about 2 per 100 persons

domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay

international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:

90,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

NA

Televisions:

1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.km

Internet hosts:

6 (2007)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2000)

Internet users:

21,000 (2006)

Transportation Comoros

Airports:

4 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)

Roadways:

total: 880 km

paved: 673 km

unpaved: 207 km (2000)

Merchant marine:

total: 144 ships (1000 GRT or over) 657,755 GRT/954,498 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 101, chemical tanker 3, container 1, livestock carrier 4, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned: 70 (Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Greece 8, India 2, Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Lebanon 5, Norway 1, Pakistan 2, Philippines 1, Russia 9, Saudi Arabia 1, Syria 8, Turkey 8, Ukraine 13, UAE 5, US 2) (2007)

Ports and terminals:

Mayotte, Mutsamudu

Military Comoros

Military branches:

National Development Army (AND): Comoran Security Force; Comoran Federal Police (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 167,850

females age 16-49: 167,362 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 121,550

females age 16-49: 131,015 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.8% (2006)

Transnational Issues Comoros

Disputes - international:

claims French-administered Mayotte and challenges France's and Madagascar's claims to Banc du Geyser, a drying reef in the Mozambique Channel; in May 2008, African Union forces are called in to assist the Comoros military recapture Anjouan Island from rebels who seized it in 2001

This page was last updated on 15 July, 2008

The World Factbook

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Introduction Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Background:

Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support KABILA's regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003. Joseph KABILA as president and four vice presidents represented the former government, former rebel groups, the political opposition, and civil society. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006. KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006. The National Assembly was installed in September 2006. Its president, Vital KAMERHE, was chosen in December. Provincial assemblies were constituted in early 2007, and elected governors and national senators in January 2007.

Geography Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Location:

Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Geographic coordinates:

0 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 2,345,410 sq km

land: 2,267,600 sq km

water: 77,810 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 10,730 km

border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Coastline:

37 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors

Climate:

tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)

Terrain:

vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Natural resources:

cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber

Land use:

arable land: 2.86%

permanent crops: 0.47%

other: 96.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:

110 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

1,283 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic / industrial / agricultural):

total: 0.36 cu km/yr (53%/17%/31%)

per capita: 6 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Environment - current issues:

poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

straddles equator; has narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

People Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Population:

66,514,506

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 47.1% (male 15,711,817/female 15,594,449)

15-64 years: 50.4% (male 16,672,399/female 16,875,468)

65 years and over: 2.5% (male 674,766/female 985,607) (2008 est.)