Comoros Economy - 2006

Economy - overview:
One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government - which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports, promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$441 million (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$402 million (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$600 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 40%
industry: 4%
services: 56% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
144,500 (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20%

Unemployment rate:
20% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
60% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $27.6 million
expenditures: $NA (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)

Industries:
tourism, perfume distillation

Industrial production growth rate:
-2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
18 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
16.74 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:
700 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2003 est.)

Current account balance:
-$17 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
$34 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra

Exports - partners:
US 43.8%, France 18.7%, Singapore 16.5%, Turkey 4.8%, Germany 4.5% (2004)

Imports:
$115 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment

Imports - partners:
France 23.7%, South Africa 11%, Kenya 7.5%, UAE 7.2%, Italy 4.9%, Pakistan 4.7%, Mauritius 4.2%, Singapore 4% (2004)

Debt - external:
$232 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$24 million (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
Comoran franc (KMF)

Exchange rates:
Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003), 522.74 (2002), 549.78 (2001)
note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro