Official name: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
Government & Electoral Information
National Anthem
GENERAL INFORMATION
Parliament:
Assemblée fédérale
Federal Assembly
Structure:
Unicameral
Chamber:
Assemblée fédérale - Federal Assembly
President:
Salim Djabir Salim (M)
Secretary general:
Aboubakar Abdou M'Sa (M)
Members:
43
directly elected
Percentage of women:
0 %
Term:
4 years
Last renewal:
01 December 1996
08 December 1996
Address:
Assemblée fédérale
B.P. 447
MORONI
Tel.: (269) 74 40 00
Cable: Assemblée fédérale, Moroni
Fax: (269) 74 40 11
Affiliation to IPU:
None
Affiliation dates:
1979-1988
1994-1997
ELECTORAL SYSTEM
Constituencies:
43 single-member constituencies (20 in Grande Comore, 17 in Anjouan and 6 in Mohéli).
Voting system:
Majority vote in two rounds. A candidate is declared elected if he obtains an absolute majority of the votes cast in the first
ballot or a simple majority in the second.
Vacancies are filled by substitute members elected at the same time as titular members. Permanent vacancies are filled through
by-elections.
Voting is not compulsory.
Voter requirements:
- age: 18 years
- Comorian citizenship
- full possession of civil and political rights
- disqualifications: legal disability
Eligibility:
Qualified electors
- age: 21 years
- Comorian citizenship
- reading knowledge of French and Arabic
Incompatibilities:
- all other public functions or offices
Candidacy requirements:
- membership of political party
- monetary deposit of Fr.C. 200,000, reimbursed if the candidate obtains at least 10% of the votes cast in the constituency.
Location & Area:Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between
northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique. 2,170 sq km
General Background Information
Background & Geographical Information from the Arab League
Capital:Moroni
Population:569,237 (July 1996 est.)
Population Growth Rate:3.55% (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:58.7 years
Health Statistics
Official Languages:Arabic and French. Also unoficially Comoran (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)
GDP:$370 million (1994 est.)
Principal Exports: $13.7 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.): vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra
Principal Imports:$40.9 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.): rice and other foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement, consumer goods
Inflation rate: 15% (1993 est.)
Standard Time: GMT+3hrs
International Dialling Code: +269