Comoros

Overview

The Comoros archipelago is situated at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel. The country of Comoros is formed by three of the four main islands in the archipelago; the fourth, Mayotte, is claimed by the Comoros but has declined independence from France.

The islands are volcanic in origin, Le Karthala (2316m) on Grand Comore is still active and the landscape varies from steep mountains to low lowlands. They are surrounded by coral reefs and covered by lush vegetation. Numerous spices grow on the island and the essence of the jasmine and ylang-ylang blossom are used extensively in the perfume trade and forms the mainstay of the countries economy. A walk through the country side, one of the country's highlight, it is filled with the aroma of exotic fragrances and beautiful scenery.

The country is home to a diverse range of animal and plant species, several which are unique to the Islands. The deep waters surrounding the island and the coral reefs have an abundance of marine life and dive sites. The famous coelacanth once thought to be extinct by the west is regularly caught by local fishermen and Livingstone's flying fox, a giant fruit bat, with a wing span over a meter in length. These are but a few of the species that can not be found anywhere else in the world.

All of this plus miles of sandy beaches make the Comoros truly an idyllic destination.

History

Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union president took office in May of 2002.