coups are often a challenge to national unity in the country / Article

Nazieza is the largest island in the Union of Comoros, home to the capital, Moroni, and home to more than half of the total population of approximately 500,000. For comparison, according to the current data, the population of Riga is about 605,273 (at the beginning of 2024). The land of ​​Moroni is 10 times smaller, which means that the people are crowded.

The capital of the Union of Comoros on an island with an active volcano

The city has experienced poor air quality as the island sits on top of one of the largest active volcanoes in the world called Mount Kartala. This volcano erupts from time to time, and the last eruption was in 2005.

In addition, the Comoros Islands have an amazing biodiversity, mainly due to their volcanic origin, tropical climate and geographical isolation. Despite their small size, the islands are home to a wide variety of endemic species found nowhere else and unique ecosystems.

Comoros has several species of flora and fauna that are considered “living fossils” because they have existed for millions of years without much gradual change. The islands are part of the Madagascar-Indian Ocean Islands Biodiversity Zone, making them critical to conservation efforts.

Today, 98% of the population are Sunni Muslims

Historically, Comoros was first inhabited by Austronesian and Bantu people. Archaeological evidence indicates that settlers from Africa and Southeast Asia arrived around the 6th century. By the 10th century, Arab traders began to visit the islands more frequently, introducing Islam, which became the main religion, and today about 98% of the population of Sunni Muslims.

Over the next few centuries, the islands became a hotspot for Arab slave traders who transported African slaves to the Middle East via the Indian Ocean. From 1912 until independence in 1975, the Comoros Islands were part of the French colonial empire.

This could also explain that the country has three official languages, namely Arabic, French and Comorian, or as the locals call it, the Shikomori language. The Comorian language is basically a dialect of Swahili with a strong Arabic influence, reflecting the country’s diverse heritage.

The Union of Comoros is the country from which prisons are the easiest to escape

Azali Assoumani is currently the president of Comoros. President Azali first came to power in a military coup in 1999. After a ten-year break in office, he won a controversial election in 2016 and was re-elected in January this year, starting the his fourth term. It must be admitted that the result of the election was false in the opinion of the opposition forces, as only 16% of the total population participated in the election. As a result, and additional costs related to the spread of authoritarianism, two days of protests began in the country, which led to widespread prison sentences.

Prisoners escaping from the Moroni prisons are not uncommon, and statistically the Union of Comoros is the easiest country to escape from a prison sentence.

In 2020 alone, 23 prisoners escaped under unclear circumstances and more than 40 escaped when residents were celebrating the national football team’s victory over Kenya.

In April this year, the media reported that more than 30 prisoners walked out of the prison using the main gate of the prison.

The low level of security in the Comoros is related not only to the instability of critical infrastructures, but also to the high percentage of prisoners.

Since 1975, the Comoros have won more than 20 cups

Since gaining independence from France in 1975, Comoas has experienced more than 20 coups or attempted coups, making it one of the most politically unstable countries in the world.

Even today, there is still instability, with coups and separatist movements creating challenges to national unity, such as the assassination attempt against President Azali about a week ago.

The Union of Comoros is one of the largest exporters of vanilla and cloves

The Comoros economy is relatively small, underdeveloped and heavily dependent on agriculture, remittances and foreign aid. The country’s economy is facing many problems such as high unemployment, poverty and dependence on imported products.

Like most countries on the African continent, agriculture is the largest economic sector, employing more than 70% of the population, and in terms of products, the Union of Comoros is one of the – biggest trade of vanilla and cloves.

Comoros is one of the few countries in the world that does not have a railway. The islands rely on few main roads and water transport for inter-island travel and trade, which also contributes to their isolation from the outside world and foreign investment.

Comoros is the world’s largest producer of ylang-ylang flowers, providing about 80% of the world’s total consumption; it is grown mainly on the island of Anjouan. The smell of these flowers may be familiar to someone if that person is a fan of “Chanel No.5” perfume, but in general, flowers are widely used in making various perfumes and essential oils, and interestingly, the world’s perfume business is largely dependent on this small country.

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More than half of the population lives in areas that will be under water in the coming decades

Comoros is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, with around 54% of the population living in risk zones that will no longer be land areas in the coming decades. Despite President Azali’s fiscal policy reforms and support from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, around 45% of the population lives below the poverty line and 44% of the face moderate or severe food insecurity.

Comoros is also a country with a shortage of drinking water, with some islands relying on rainwater harvesting and desalination facilities, but increased drought and insufficient water recycling infrastructure leaving people without access to basic needs basic.

Despite the economic challenges, the Comoros have achieved educational success with a very high literacy rate for the region, reaching 78% literacy.

The government has worked to improve access to education, especially in rural areas. The language of instruction is French, but students also learn Arabic due to the islands’ Islamic heritage. Referring to the gross domestic product (GDP) – the GDP of the Union of Comoros at purchasing power parity is around 3,600 euros, which is more than 10 times less than Latvia’s GDP at purchasing power parity.

“Big wedding” or a very important process of social status

In the Union of Comoros, there is an important process that ensures social status and hierarchy, that is the “big wedding”, or as the locals call it, “anda”. This tradition is particularly prominent on the island of Grande Comore and is considered a rite of passage for Comorian men, where men can then claim a higher social status and assume leadership roles in society, such as to be an elder or to hold political office.

Weddings usually take place in the months between July and September and can last up to several weeks; everything, of course, depends on the size of the wallets of the groom and the parents, which reach hundreds of thousands of euros.

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The country’s economy will grow by around 3% in 2023, as the “big wedding” and the associated increase in the population of the diaspora, mainly from France, is an event that could even the best friend of the third cousin of the bride or groom. no groom or other distant relative wants to lose

Today, the process is started with the so-called “small wedding” and after about 10-20 years, which usually takes a family of average income to the amount of money necessary to collect, the wedding takes place again.