Short facts about the government of Comoros
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: Federal Islamic Republic of the
Comoros
conventional short form: Comoros
local long
form: Republique Federale Islamique des Comores
local short
form: Comores |
| Government
type: |
independent
republic |
| Administrative divisions: |
3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja),
Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities
named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou |
| Independence: |
6 July 1975 (from
France) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day, 6 July
(1975) |
| Constitution: |
20 October
1996 |
| Legal
system: |
French and Muslim law in a new
consolidated code |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President AZALI Assoumani (since 6 May 1999); note - the interim
government of President Tajiddine Ben Said MASSOUNDE, which had assumed power on
6 November 1998 upon the death of President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim, was
overthrown in a bloodless coup on 30 April 1999
head of
government: Prime Minister Hamada MADI (since late November
2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
five-year term; election last held 6 and 16 March 1996 (next to be held NA);
prime minister appointed by the president
note: President AZALI
claimed a one-year term at the time of the coup; but elections, promised for
spring 2000, were not held
election results: results of the last
presidential election before the coup were: Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim elected
president; percent of vote - 64.3% |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral legislature consists of the
Senate (15 seats: five from each island); members selected by regional councils
for six-year terms) and a Federal Assembly or Assemblee Federale (43 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - the Federal
Assembly was dissolved following the coup of 30 April
1999
elections: Federal Assembly - last held 1 and 8 December
1996 (next to be held NA)
election results: Federal Assembly -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RND 39, FNJ 3, independent
1
note: the constitution stipulates that only parties that win
six seats in the Federal Assembly (two from each island) are permitted to be in
opposition, but if no party accomplishes that, the second most successful party
will be in opposition; in the elections of December 1996 the FNJ appeared to
qualify as opposition |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two
members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly,
one elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of
the republic) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Front National pour la Justice or FNJ
(Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed Abdallah MOHAMED, Ahmed ABOUBACAR, Soidiki
M'BAPANOZA]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the
government) [Ali Bazi SELIM] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International organization participation: |
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, CCC, ECA,
FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO,
IMF, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
(applicant) |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Deputy Permanent Representative Mahmoud Mohamed ABOUD
(acting)
chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of
the Federal and Islamic Republic of the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East
50th Street, New York, NY 10022
telephone: [1] (212)
972-8010
FAX: [1] (212)
983-4712 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
the US does not have an embassy in
Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to
Comoros |
| Flag
description: |
green with a white crescent in the
center of the field, its points facing downward; 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 (a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by
Comoros); the design, the most recent of several, is described in the
constitution approved by referendum on 7 June 1992 | Source: World Factbook |
