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The Comoros officially the Union of
the Comoros 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. At 2,235 km² (863 sq mi) the Comoros is the third
smallest African nation by area; and with a population estimated at
798,000 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 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 1975, marked by an inordinate number of coups d'état. |
