Comoros

Take a trip to the Indian Ocean, to a group of volcanic islands that form the tiny country of Comoros – also known as the ‘perfume islands’ for their abundance of flowers and spices. Then explore our printable resources below.

A Little Geography…

The islands of Comoros are found between northern Madagascar and Africa. Comoros is one of the world’s smallest countries with an area of 1,862 square kilometres.

The country has three islands: Grande Comore, Mohéli and Anjouan. A fourth island, Mayotte, is still under French rule. The capital, Moroni, is found on the island of Grande Comore.

The islands are blessed with beautiful beaches, tropical forests and mountains. The highest peak is Le Karthala at 2,360 metres on Grande Comore. This active volcano had a minor eruption in 2006.

Nearly 800,000 people live on the islands. There are different ethnic groups, but the official languages are French, Arabic and Shikomoro (Comorian).

Most people work in fishing, farming or forestry, but many leave Comoros to work elsewhere and send money back to their families. Natural resources are in short supply, but perfume essences and vanilla are important exports.

A Little History…

• The Europeans found the islands of Comoros in 1505. Although the Portuguese were the first to visit, the French claimed the islands as their own in the 19th Century.
• In 1975, three of the four islands voted for independence from France. But in the decades that followed, freedom came at a price. The different ethnic groups couldn’t agree on who should rule and political instability was damaging to the country’s economy.
• Recent years have seen more stability with a president elected for a five-year term. This presidency rotates between the three islands.

And Some Interesting Facts…

• The four stripes and stars on the Comoros flag represent the four islands of the region (the white stripe is for Mayotte, which is still claimed by Comoros, although under French control). The star and crescent symbols stand for Islam, the country’s main religion.
• Comoros has its own ecoregion known as the Comoros forests, which are full of unique wildlife. Many species of birds, reptiles and fruit bats can only be found there. A marine park off the island of Mohéli is also home to sea turtles, dolphins and whales.
• Livingstone’s fruit bat (also called the Comoro flying fox) is found only on the islands of Comoros. It is one of the world’s largest bats, with a wingspan of about 1.5 metres.

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The Comoros Flag

The flag of Comoros consists of a white crescent with four white five-pointed stars inside of a green triangle, and four horizontal stripes in yellow, white, red and blue, representing four islands of the nation. It was officially adopted on January 7, 2002.

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Our Comoros Resources