Long-form name: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros

Type: independent republic

Capital: Moroni

Administrative divisions: 3 islands; Anjouan, Grande Comore, Moheli; note--there may also be 4 municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Mutsamudu

Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)

Constitution: 1 October 1978, amended October 1982 and January 1985

Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral Federal Assembly (Assemblee Federale)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government--President Said Mohamed DJOHAR (since 11 March 1990)

Political parties: Comoran Union for Progress (Udzima), Said Mohamed Djohar, president; National Union for Democracy (UNDC), Mohamed Taki

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections: President--last held 11 March 1990 (next to be held March 1996); results--Said Mohamed Djohar (Udzima) 55%; Mohamed Taki Abdulkarim (UNDC) 45%; Federal Assembly--last held 22 March 1987 (next to be held March 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(42 total) Udzima 42

Member of: ACP, AfDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, ILO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Amini Ali MOUMIN; Chancery (temporary) at the Comoran Permanent Mission to the UN, 336 East 45th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 972-8010; US--Ambassador Howard K. WALKER, resides in Antananarivo (Madagascar); Embassy at address NA, Moroni (mailing address B. P. 1318, Moroni); telephone 73-12-03

Flag: green with a white crescent placed diagonally (closed side of the crescent points to the upper hoist-side corner of the flag); there are four white five-pointed stars placed in a line between the points of the crescent; the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago--Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (which is a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by the Comoros)

NOTE: The information regarding Comoros on this page is re-published from the 1990 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Comoros Government 1990 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Comoros Government 1990 should be addressed to the CIA.