Comoros

Union of the Comoros الاتحاد القمري  (Arabic) al-Ittiḥād al-Qumurī/Qamarī Union des Comores  (French) Umoja wa Komori  (Ngazidja Comorian)
Flag Seal
Motto:  وحدة، تضامن، تنمية (Arabic) "Unité – Solidarité – Développement" (French) "Unity – Solidarity – Development"
Anthem: Udzima wa ya Masiwa  (Comorian) (English: "The Unity of the Great Islands")
Location of the  Comoros  (dark blue) – in Africa  (light blue & dark grey) – in the African Union  (light blue)
Capital and largest city	Moroni 11°41′S 43°16′E / 11.683°S 43.267°E / -11.683; 43.267
Official languages	Comorian Arabic French
Ethnic groups	Afro-Arab 86% Malagasy 14%
Religion	Sunni Islam
Demonym(s)	Comorian
Government	Federal presidential republic
• President	Azali Assoumani
• President of the Assembly	Moustadroine Abdou
Legislature	Assembly of the Union
Formation
• Discovery by Portuguese explorers	1503
• Ngazidja, Ndzuwani, Mwali under French rule	1886
• Protectorate of the Comoros	6 September 1887
• Territory under French Madagascar	9 April 1908
• Overseas territory	27 October 1946
• State of Comoros	22 December 1961
• Independence from France	6 July 1975
• Federal and Islamic Republic of Comoros	24 May 1978
• Union of the Comoros	23 December 2001
• Current constitution	17 May 2009
Area
• Total	1,659 km2 (641 sq mi) (171tha)
• Water (%)	negligible
Population
• 2018 estimate	850,688 (160th)
• Density	457/km2 (1,183.6/sq mi) (27th)
GDP (PPP)	2019 estimate
• Total	$2.446 billion[1] (178th)
• Per capita	$2,799[1] (177th)
GDP (nominal)	2019 estimate
• Total	$1.179 billion[1] (182nd)
• Per capita	$1,349[1] (165th)
Gini (2013)	45.0[2] medium · 141st
HDI (2018)	0.538[3] low · 156th
Currency	Comorian franc (KMF)
Time zone	UTC+3 (EAT)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+269
ISO 3166 code	KM
Internet TLD	.km
Excluding Mayotte, an overseas department of France. Excluding Mayotte.

Comoros (officially called Union of the Comoros) is a small island nation in the Indian Ocean. It is between Madagascar and mainland Africa. The capital is Moroni on Grande Comore. The population (except for Mayotte) is about 798,000 people.

The Comoros Islands are in the Indian Ocean, between Mozambique and Madagascar. It is the southernmost member state of the Arab League.

There are 4 islands from west to east: Grande Cormore, Moheli, Anjouan and Mayotte. All the islands are of volcanic origin. Islam is the official religion of Comoros with over 90% of the population being Sunni Muslims.

Mayotte is also a territory that is claimed by Comoros but is a part of France as an oversea territory. The other islands form the independent state of Comoros.

The country has a history with many coup d'état since independence in 1975. As of 2008, about half the people live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.^[4]

Mount Karthala is the country's highest point. Karthala is an active shield volcano on Grand Cormore. It had a minor eruption in May 2006.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} "Comoros". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
2. ↑ "GINI index". World Bank. Archived from the original on 30 April 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
3. ↑ "Human Development Report 2019". United Nations Development Programme. 10 December 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 May 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
4. ↑ Human Development Indices, Table 3: Human and income poverty, p. 35. Retrieved on 1 June 2009