UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan
(Nzwani), Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli (Mwali), Moroni*, Moutsamoudou*

Independence:
6 July 1975 (from France)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Constitution:
23 December 2001

Legal system:
French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006);
head of government: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May
2006);
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency
rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three
main islands in the Union; election last held 14 May 2006 (next to
be held by May 2010); prime minister appointed by the president;
note - the post of Prime Minister has been vacant since May 2002
election results: Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI elected president; percent of
vote - Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI 58.0%, Ibrahim HALIDI 28.3%, Mohamed
DJAANFAMI 13.7%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are
selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the 18 by
universal suffrage; deputies 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 [AZALI Assowmani]; Camp
of the Autonomous Islands (a coalition of parties organized by the
island 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]

Politica