); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Environment - current issues: soil degradation and erosion results
from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing;
deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: important location at northern end of Mozambique
Channel

Comoros People

Population: 596,202 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.81% (male 127,955; female 127,267)

15-64 years: 54.26% (male 159,560; female 163,949)

65 years and over: 2.93% (male 8,326; female 9,145) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.02% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 39.52 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 9.35 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 84.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 60.41 years

male: 58.2 years

female: 62.68 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.32 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.12% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Comoran(s)

adjective: Comoran

Ethnic groups: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Religions: Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Languages: Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of
Swahili and Arabic)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 57.3%

male: 64.2%

female: 50.4% (1995 est.)

Comoros Government

Country name: conventional long form: Federal Islamic Republic of
the Comoros

conventional short form: Comoros

local long form: Republique Federale Islamique des Comores

local short form: Comores

Government type: independent republic

Capital: Moroni

Administrative divisions: 3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja),
Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four
municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and