The Comoros (
pronounced
/ˈkɒməroʊz/
,
listen
(
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·
info
)
;
Arabic
:
جزر القمر
, Juzur al-Qumur), officially the Union of the Comoros (
French
:
Union des Comores
,
Arabic
:
الإتّحاد القمريّ
, Al-Itti
ḥ
ād al-Qumuriyy) is an island nation in the
Indian Ocean
, located off the eastern coast of
Africa
on the northern end of the
Mozambique Channel
between northern
Madagascar
and northeastern
Mozambique
. The nearest countries to the Comoros are Mozambique,
Tanzania
, Madagascar, and the
Seychelles
. Prior to , it was known officially as the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros. At ,km² (sqmi)
the Comoros is the third smallest African nation by area; and with a population estimated at , it is the sixth smallest African nation by population (though it has one of the highest population densities in Africa). Its name derives from the Arabic word
qamar
("moon").
The country officially consists of the four islands in the
volcanic
Comoros archipelago
:
Ngazidja
(
French
:
Grande Comore
),
Mwali
(
French
:
Mohéli
),
Nzwani
(
French
:
Anjouan
), and
Mahoré
(
French
:
Mayotte
), as well as many smaller islands.
However, the government of the Union of the Comoros (or its predecessors since independence) has never administered the island of Mayotte, which
France
considers an
overseas community
and still administers. Since Mayotte was the only island in the archipelago that voted against independence from
France
, and France has vetoed United Nations Security Council resolutions that would affirm Comorian sovereignty over the island,
control was never passed to the Comoros.
The country is notable for its diverse culture and history, as a nation formed at the crossroads of many civilizations. It has three official languages—
Comorian
(Shikomor),
Arabic
, and
French
, and it is the only state to be a member of each of the
African Union
,
Francophonie
,
Organisation of the Islamic Conference
,
Arab League
, and
Indian Ocean Commission
, among other international organizations. However it has had a troubled history since independence in , marked by an inordinate number of coups d'état. |