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108-502: The history of the Comoros extends back to about 800–1000 AD when the archipelago was first inhabited. The Comoros have been inhabited by various groups and sultanates throughout this time. France colonised the islands in the 19th century, and they became independent in 1975. There is uncertainty about the early population of Comoros. According to one study of early crops, the islands may have been settled first by South East Asian sailors

216-414: A coup d'état by Ali Soilih , an atheist with an Islamic background. Soilih began with a set of solid socialist ideals designed to modernize the country. However, the regime faced problems. A French mercenary by the name of Bob Denard , arrived in the Comoros at dawn on 13 May 1978, and removed Soilih from power. Solih was shot and killed during the coup. The mercenaries returned Abdallah to power and

324-582: A 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 7.69/10, ranking it 33rd globally out of 172 countries. In December 1952 a specimen of the West Indian Ocean coelacanth fish was re-discovered off the Comoros coast. The 66 million-year-old species was thought to have been long extinct until its first recorded appearance in 1938 off the South African coast. Between 1938 and 1975, 84 specimens were caught and recorded. There are six national parks in

432-767: A French-trained former gendarme elected President of Ndzwani in 2001, refused to step down at the end of his five-year mandate. He staged a vote in June 2007 to confirm his leadership that was rejected as illegal by the Comoros federal government and the African Union. On 25 March 2008 hundreds of soldiers from the African Union and the Comoros seized rebel-held Ndzwani, generally welcomed by the population: there have been reports of hundreds, if not thousands, of people tortured during Bacar's tenure. Some rebels were killed and injured, but there are no official figures. At least 11 civilians were wounded. Some officials were imprisoned. Bacar fled in

540-578: A bloodless coup, overthrowing the Interim President Massounde, citing weak leadership in the face of the crisis. This was the Comoros' 18th coup, or attempted coup d'état since independence in 1975. Assoumani failed to consolidate power and reestablish control over the islands, which was the subject of international criticism. The African Union , under the auspices of President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, imposed sanctions on Ndzwani to help broker negotiations and effect reconciliation. Under

648-520: A commitment to human rights, and several specific enumerated rights, democracy, "a common destiny" for all Comorians. Each of the islands (according to Title II of the Constitution) has a great amount of autonomy in the Union, including having their own constitutions (or Fundamental Law), president, and Parliament. The presidency and Assembly of the Union are distinct from each of the islands' governments. Up to

756-507: A cyclone on the Comoros. Many of his crew were speared to death by angry islanders although Lancaster found his way home in 1594. (Dalrymple W. 2019; Bloomsbury Publishing ISBN   1635573955 ). Both the British and the French turned their attention to the Comoros islands in the middle of the 19th century. The French finally acquired the islands through a cunning mixture of strategies, including

864-484: A distinctive triangular shape caused by three mountain chains – Shisiwani , Nioumakele and Jimilime – emanating from a central peak, Mount Ntingui  [ fr ] (1,575 m or 5,167 ft). The islands of the Comoros Archipelago were formed by volcanic activity. Mount Karthala, an active shield volcano located on Ngazidja, is the country's highest point, at 2,361 metres (7,746 feet). It contains

972-461: A foothold in Comoros, the acquisition of the other islands proceeded fitfully. At times the French were spurred on by the threat of British intervention, especially on Nzwani, and at other times, by the constant anarchy resulting from the sultans' wars upon each other. In the 1880s, Germany's growing influence on the East African coast added to the concerns of the French. Not until 1908, however, did

1080-408: A group of mercenaries took over the Comoros islands in a coup (named operation Kaskari by the mercenaries) against President Djohar. France immediately and severely denounced the coup, and backed by the 1978 defense agreement with the Comoros, President Jacques Chirac ordered his special forces to retake the island. Bob Denard began to take measures to stop the coming invasion. A new presidential guard

1188-490: A member of the civilian government that Denard had tried to set up in October 1995, became president. On 23 November 1996, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 crashed near a beach on the island after it was hijacked and ran out of fuel killing 125 people and leaving 50 survivors. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Mohéli declared their independence from the Comoros. A subsequent attempt by the government to re-establish control over

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1296-493: A military coup in 1999. There have been several coup attempts since, but he gained firm control of the country after stepping down temporarily and winning a presidential election in 2002. In May 2006, Ahmed Abdallah Sambi was elected from the island of Anjouan to be the president of the Union of the Comoros . He is a Sunni cleric who studied in the Sudan , Iran and Saudi Arabia . He

1404-499: A military dictatorship, and the transfer of power from Azali Assoumani to Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi in May 2006 was a watershed moment as it was the first peaceful transfer in Comorian history. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. The preamble of the constitution guarantees an Islamic inspiration in governance,

1512-434: A minority of the examined crops were African-derived, like finger millet , African sorghum , and cowpea . The Comoros are believed to be the first site of contact and subsequent admixture between African and Asian populations (earlier than Madagascar). Comorians today still display at most 20% Austronesian admixture. From around the 15th century AD, Shirazi slave traders established trading ports and brought in slaves from

1620-423: A national coordinator, Said Abeid . The government was overthrown in a coup by army and navy officers on August 9, 2001. Mohamed Bacar soon rose to leadership of the junta that took over and by the end of the month he was the leader of the country. Despite two coup attempts in the following three months, including one by Abeid, Bacar's government remained in power, and was apparently more willing to negotiate with

1728-592: A nuclear-weapon-free state. and in 2023, Comoros was invited as a non-member guest to the G7 summit in Hiroshima . On 18 February 2023 the Comoros assumed the presidency of the African Union . In January 2024, President Azali Assoumani was re-elected with 63% of the vote in the disputed presidential election . The Comoros is formed by Ngazidja (Grande Comore), Mwali (Mohéli) and Ndzwani (Anjouan), three major islands in

1836-418: A part of France. This government consisted of a territorial assembly having, in 1975, thirty-nine members, and a Governing Council of six to nine ministers responsible to it. Agreement was reached with France in 1973 for the Comoros to become independent in 1978. On July 6, 1975, however, the Comorian parliament passed a resolution declaring unilateral independence. The deputies of Mayotte abstained. In 1961

1944-580: A plantation colony in Nosy Be, mainly producing sugar and cash crops. The French used both military force and diplomacy to maintain their position in the island, appointing the former ruler of Nosy Be Binao as the gouverneur principal of the island. During the Russo-Japanese War Nosy Be became a supply station for Russia's Second Pacific Squadron. The main fleet led by Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky reached Nosy Be on January 9, 1905, where it met

2052-579: A plantation-based economy that now uses about one-third of the land for export crops. In 1978, president Ali Soilih , who had a firm anti-French line, was killed and Ahmed Abdallah came to power. Under the reign of Abdallah, Denard was commander of the Presidential Guard (PG) and de facto ruler of the country. He was trained, supported and funded by the white regimes in South Africa (SA) and Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in return for permission to set up

2160-505: A referendum in 1974 , and continues to be administered by France as an overseas department . France has vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have affirmed Comorian sovereignty over the island. Mayotte became an overseas department and a region of France in 2011 following a referendum which was passed overwhelmingly. The Comoros were likely first settled by Austronesian / Malagasy peoples , Bantu speakers from East Africa , and seafaring Arab traders. From 1500

2268-406: A referendum on 30.7.2018 (62.7% participation, 92.34% for the amendment according to the Comorian government) the presidency of the Union rotated between the islands. The Comorian legal system rests on Islamic law , an inherited French ( Napoleonic Code ) legal code, and customary law (mila na ntsi). Village elders, kadis or civilian courts settle most disputes. The judiciary is independent of

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2376-515: A secret listening post on the islands. South-African agents kept an ear on the important ANC bases in Lusaka and Dar es Salaam and watched the war in Mozambique , in which SA played an active role. The Comoros were also used for the evasion of arms sanctions. When in 1981 François Mitterrand was elected president Denard lost the support of the French intelligence service, but he managed to strengthen

2484-415: A settlement in southern Madagascar in 1634 and occupied the islands of Réunion and Rodrigues ; in 1715 France claimed Mauritius ( Île de France ), and in 1756 Seychelles . When France ceded Mauritius, Rodrigues, and Seychelles to Britain in 1814, it lost its Indian Ocean ports; Reunion, which remained French, did not offer a suitable natural harbor. In 1840 France acquired the island of Nosy-Be off

2592-490: A smaller detachment led by Admiral Dmitry von Fölkersam that had arrived already on December 28, 1904. The fleet stayed for two months for refurbishing and coaling, leaving on March 17 to meet its fate ten weeks later at the Battle of Tsushima . In 2013, two French tourists and one local were lynched (beaten and burned by a mob after rumors that they were responsible for the death of a local boy. A Madagascar court gave four men

2700-467: A speedboat to Mayotte to seek asylum. Anti-French protests followed in the Comoros (see 2008 invasion of Anjouan ). Bacar was eventually granted asylum in Benin. Since independence from France, the Comoros experienced more than 20 coups or attempted coups. Following elections in late 2010, former Vice-president Ikililou Dhoinine was inaugurated as president on 26 May 2011. Dhoinine is the first President of

2808-563: A way station for English merchants sailing to India and the Far East, as well as American whalers, although the British gradually abandoned it following their possession of Mauritius in 1814, and by the time the Suez Canal opened in 1869 there was no longer any significant supply trade at Ndzwani. Local commodities exported by the Comoros were, in addition to slaves, coconuts, timber, cattle and tortoiseshell. British and American settlers, as well as

2916-648: Is Moroni . The religion of the majority of the population, and the official state religion, is Sunni Islam . Comoros proclaimed its independence from France on 6 July 1975. The Comoros is the only country of the Arab League which is entirely in the Southern Hemisphere . It is a member state of the African Union , the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie , the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation , and

3024-424: Is Mont Lokobe at 450 m (1,480 ft); the volcano is of Holocene origin but has not erupted in recorded history. There are eleven volcanic crater lakes on the island. The island is known for having one of the world's smallest frogs ( Stumpffia pygmaea ) and chameleon ( Brookesia minima ). The Lokobe Reserve is one of Madagascar's five Strict Nature Reserves ( Réserves Naturelles Intégrales ). Nosy Be

3132-466: Is also home to a specific color of panther chameleon ( Furcifer pardalis ). Nocturnal animals include lemurs (mouse and dwarf), chameleons (e.g. short nosed, and stump tailed), leaf-tailed geckos , frogs, and birds. Recent studies indicate that adjacent waters around the channel between Nosy Be and Madagascar host a habitat for notable number of Omura's whale , and this has allowed researchers to conduct field studies targeting this rare species for

3240-448: Is nicknamed " Ayatollah " due to his time in Iran and his penchant for turbans. Azali Assoumani is a former army officer, first came to power in a coup in 1999. Then he won presidency in 2002 election , having power until 2006. After ten years, he was elected again in 2016 election. In March 2019, he was re-elected in the elections opposition claimed to be full of irregularities. Before

3348-501: Is organized as the City of Nosy Be (Commune Urbaine de Nosy Be). Its mayor is Mr. Vita Zarga. Once a major location of plantation of sugar cane and production of its derived products ( sugar , rum ), the island's main activities are now the plantation of ylang-ylang (for the production of essential oils) and tourism. Nosy Be is the most developed tourism destination in Madagascar. This is

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3456-760: Is the Dembeni phase (eighth to tenth centuries), during which there were several small settlements on each island. From the eleventh to the fifteenth centuries, trade with the island of Madagascar and merchants from the Swahili coast and the Middle East flourished, more villages were founded and existing villages grew. Settlers from the Arabian peninsula, particularly Hadhramaut , arrived during this period. According to legend, in 632, upon hearing of Islam , islanders are said to have dispatched an emissary, Mtswa-Mwindza, to Mecca —but by

3564-416: Is the largest of the Comoros Archipelago, with an area of 1,024 km . It is also the most recent island, and therefore has rocky soil. The island's two volcanoes, Karthala (active) and La Grille (dormant), and the lack of good harbours are distinctive characteristics of its terrain. Mwali, with its capital at Fomboni , is the smallest of the four major islands. Ndzwani, whose capital is Mutsamudu , has

3672-898: The African Union , the Arab League , the World Bank , the International Monetary Fund , the Indian Ocean Commission and the African Development Bank . On 10 April 2008, the Comoros became the 179th nation to accept the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Comoros signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons . Azali Assoumani , President of

3780-468: The Indian Ocean Commission . The country has three official languages: Shikomori , French and Arabic . At 1,659 km (641 sq mi), the Comoros is the third-smallest African country by area. In 2019, its population was estimated to be 850,886. The sovereign state consists of three major islands and numerous smaller islands, all of the volcanic Comoro Islands with the exception of Mayotte . Mayotte voted against independence from France in

3888-518: The Sakalava people migrated there and became the most numerous ethnic group on the island. These people were joined later by some Comorians , Indians or Antandroy . Nosy Be made first major appearance in Madagascar's history when King Radama I announced that he intended to conquer the whole west of Madagascar. That plan was eventually achieved in 1837 when the Sakalava Kingdom of Boina came into

3996-541: The Sultanate of Anjouan dominated the islands, with Grande Comore split between several sultans . It became part of the French colonial empire during the 19th century, before its independence in 1975. It has experienced more than 20 coups or attempted coups, with various heads of state assassinated. Along with this constant political instability, it has one of the highest levels of income inequality of any nation, and ranks in

4104-581: The Swahili cultural and economic complex and the islands became a major hub of trade and an important location in a network of trading towns that included Kilwa , in present-day Tanzania, Sofala (an outlet for Zimbabwean gold), in Mozambique , and Mombasa in Kenya . The Portuguese arrived in the Indian Ocean at the end of the 15th century and the first Portuguese visit to the islands seems to have been that of Vasco da Gama 's second fleet in 1503. For much of

4212-581: The United Nations General Assembly , which adopted a series of resolutions under the caption "Question of the Comorian Island of Mayotte", opining that Mayotte belongs to the Comoros under the principle that the territorial integrity of colonial territories should be preserved upon independence. As a practical matter, however, these resolutions have little effect and there is no foreseeable likelihood that Mayotte will become de facto part of

4320-514: The legislative and the executive. The Supreme Court acts as a Constitutional Council in resolving constitutional questions and supervising presidential elections. As High Court of Justice, the Supreme Court also arbitrates in cases where the government is accused of malpractice. The Supreme Court consists of two members selected by the president, two elected by the Federal Assembly, and one by

4428-598: The medium quartile on the Human Development Index . Between 2009 and 2014, about 19% of the population lived below the international poverty line of US$ 1.90 a day by purchasing power parity . The name "Comoros" derives from the Arabic word قمر qamar (" moon "). According to mythology, a jinni (spirit) dropped a jewel, which formed a great circular inferno. This became the Karthala volcano , which created

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4536-504: The second , held in February 1976, confirmed that vote with an overwhelming 99.4%, while the third, in April 1976, confirmed that the people of Mayotte wished to remain a French territory. The three remaining islands, ruled by President Soilihi, instituted a number of socialist and isolationist policies that soon strained relations with France. On 13 May 1978, Bob Denard , once again commissioned by

4644-625: The 16th century the islands provided provisions to the Portuguese fort at Mozambique and although there was no formal attempt by the Portuguese crown to take possession, a number of Portuguese traders settled and married local women. By the end of the 16th century local rulers on the African mainland were beginning to push back and, with the support of the Omani Sultan Saif bin Sultan they began to defeat

4752-467: The 2019 election president Azali Assoumani had arranged a constitutional referendum in 2018 that approved extending the presidential mandate from one five-year term to two. The opposition had boycotted the referendum . In January 2020, his party The Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros (CRC) won 20 out of 24 parliamentary seats in the parliamentary election . On 18 February 2023 the Comoros assumed

4860-443: The African coast (nearest to Mozambique and Tanzania ) and Madagascar , with no land borders. At 1,659 km (641 sq mi), it is one of the smallest countries in the world. The Comoros also has claim to 320 km (120 sq mi) of territorial seas. The interiors of the islands vary from steep mountains to low hills. The areas and populations (at the 2017 Census) of the main islands are as follows: Ngazidja

4968-493: The Comorian parliament passed a unilateral resolution declaring independence. Ahmed Abdallah proclaimed the independence of the Comorian State ( État comorien ; دولة القمر) and became its first president. France did not recognise the new state until 31 December, and retained control of Mayotte. The next 30 years were a period of political turmoil. On 3 August 1975, less than one month after independence, president Ahmed Abdallah

5076-424: The Comoros ( République Fédérale Islamique des Comores ; جمهورية القمر الإتحادية الإسلامية). Bob Denard served as Abdallah's first advisor; nicknamed the "Viceroy of the Comoros," he was sometimes considered the real strongman of the regime. Very close to South Africa, which financed his "presidential guard," he allowed Paris to circumvent the international embargo on the apartheid regime via Moroni. He also set up from

5184-467: The Comoros Archipelago, as well as many minor islets. The islands are officially known by their Comorian language names, though international sources still use their French names (given in parentheses above). The capital and largest city, Moroni , is located on Ngazidja and the most densely populated city is Anjouan. The archipelago is situated in the Indian Ocean, in the Mozambique Channel , between

5292-522: The Comoros Archipelago. Banc du Geyser , a former island in the Comoros Archipelago, now submerged, is geographically located in the Îles Éparses , but was annexed by Madagascar in 1976 as an unclaimed territory. The Comoros and France each still view the Banc du Geyser as part of the Glorioso Islands and, thus, part of its particular exclusive economic zone. The climate is generally tropical and mild, and

5400-790: The Comoros and Chair of the African Union , attended the 2023 Russia–Africa Summit in Saint Petersburg. In May 2013 the Union of the Comoros became known for filing a referral to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding the events of "the 31 May 2010 Israeli raid on the Humanitarian Aid Flotilla bound for [the] Gaza Strip". In November 2014 the ICC Prosecutor eventually decided that

5508-511: The Comoros by taking possession of Mayotte in 1841 when the Sakalava usurper sultan Andriantsoly  [ fr ] (also known as Tsy Levalo) signed the Treaty of April 1841, which ceded the island to the French authorities. After its annexation, France attempted to convert Mayotte into a sugar plantation colony. Meanwhile, Ndzwani (or Johanna as it was known to the British) continued to serve as

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5616-403: The Comoros from the island of Mwali. Following the 2016 elections, Azali Assoumani , from Ngazidja, became president for a third term. In 2018 Assoumani held a referendum on constitutional reform that would permit a president to serve two terms. The amendments passed, although the vote was widely contested and boycotted by the opposition, and in April 2019, and to widespread opposition, Assoumani

5724-463: The Comoros takes place in a framework of a unitary presidential republic , whereby the President of the Comoros is both head of state and head of government , and of a multi-party system . The Constitution of the Union of the Comoros was ratified by referendum on 23 December 2001, and the islands' constitutions and executives were elected in the following months. It had previously been considered

5832-481: The Comoros was granted autonomous rule and, in 1975, it broke all ties with France and established itself as an independent republic. From the very beginning Mayotte refused to join the new republic and aligned itself even more firmly to the French Republic, but the other islands remained committed to independence. The first president of the Comoros, Ahmed Abdallah Abderemane , did not last long before being ousted in

5940-591: The Comoros without its people's consent. More recently, the Assembly has maintained this item on its agenda but deferred it from year to year without taking action. Other bodies, including the Organization of African Unity , the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , have similarly questioned French sovereignty over Mayotte. To close the debate and to avoid being integrated by force in

6048-473: The Comoros – Karthala , Coelacanth, and Mitsamiouli Ndroudi on Grande Comore, Mount Ntringui and Shisiwani on Anjouan, and Mohéli National Park on Mohéli. Karthala and Mount Ntrigui national parks cover the highest peaks on the respective islands, and Coelacanth, Mitsamiouli Ndroudi, and Shisiwani are marine national parks that protect the island's coastal waters and fringing reefs. Mohéli National Park includes both terrestrial and marine areas. Politics of

6156-407: The Comoros' largest patch of disappearing rainforest. Karthala is currently one of the most active volcanoes in the world, with a minor eruption in May 2006, and prior eruptions as recently as April 2005 and 1991. In the 2005 eruption, which lasted from 17 to 19 April, 40,000 citizens were evacuated, and the crater lake in the volcano's three-by-four-kilometre (2-by- 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 -mile) caldera

6264-427: The Comoros. Presidential elections were held for all of the Comoros in 2002, and presidents have been chosen for all three islands as well, which have become a confederation. Most notably, Mohammed Bacar was elected for a 5-year term as president of Anjouan. Grande Comore had experienced troubles of its own in the late 1990s, when President Taki died on November 6, 1998. Colonel Azali Assoumani became president following

6372-498: The Dutch and the Portuguese. One of his successors, Said bin Sultan , increased Omani Arab influence in the region, moving his administration to nearby Zanzibar , which came under Omani rule. Nevertheless, the Comoros remained independent, and although the three smaller islands were usually politically unified , the largest island, Ngazidja, was divided into a number of autonomous kingdoms ( ntsi ). The islands were well placed to meet

6480-493: The French intelligence service ( SDECE ), returned to overthrow President Soilihi and reinstate Abdallah with the support of the French, Rhodesian and South African governments. Ali Soilihi was captured and executed a few weeks later. In contrast to Soilihi, Abdallah's presidency was marked by authoritarian rule and increased adherence to traditional Islam and the country was renamed the Federal Islamic Republic of

6588-737: The Paris-backed Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim became president by election. He led the country from 1996, during a time of labour crises, government suppression, and secessionist conflicts, until his death in November 1998. He was succeeded by Interim President Tadjidine Ben Said Massounde . The islands of Ndzwani and Mwali declared their independence from the Comoros in 1997, in an attempt to restore French rule. But France rejected their request, leading to bloody confrontations between federal troops and rebels. In April 1999, Colonel Azali Assoumani , Army Chief of Staff, seized power in

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6696-589: The Union of the Comoros, the population of Mayotte overwhelmingly chose to become an overseas department and a region of France in a 2009 referendum . The new status was effective on 31 March 2011 and Mayotte has been recognised as an outermost region by the European Union on 1 January 2014. This decision legally integrates Mayotte in the French Republic . The Comoros is a member of the United Nations ,

6804-521: The archipelago a permanent mercenary corps, called upon to intervene at the request of Paris or Pretoria in conflicts in Africa. Abdallah continued as president until 1989 when, fearing a probable coup, he signed a decree ordering the Presidential Guard, led by Bob Denard, to disarm the armed forces. Shortly after the signing of the decree, Abdallah was allegedly shot dead in his office by a disgruntled military officer, though later sources claim an antitank missile

6912-597: The archipelago in 1505. Apart from a visit by the French Parmentier brothers in 1529, for much of the 16th century the only Europeans to visit the islands were Portuguese. British and Dutch ships began arriving around the start of the 17th century and the island of Ndzwani soon became a major supply point on the route to the East Indies. Ndzwani was generally ruled by a single sultan, who occasionally attempted to extend his authority to Mayotte and Mwali ; Ngazidja

7020-488: The beginning of May, followed by a relatively short dry season that lasts through September. As characteristic of its climate however, it still sees moderate amounts of precipitation even during this time. Daytime temperatures remain fairly steady throughout the year, hovering around 30 °C (86 °F), while the nights are slightly cooler during the dry season. The island constitutes a department within Diana Region and

7128-453: The coast and islands were frequently visited by Muslims including Persian and Arab merchants and sailors in search of coral , ambergris , ivory , tortoiseshell , gold and slaves. They also brought Islam to the people of the Zanj including the Comoros. As the importance of the Comoros grew along the East African coast, both small and large mosques were constructed. The Comoros are part of

7236-424: The coastal regions. The result was an economy dependent on the exporting of vanilla , ylang-ylang , cloves , cocoa , copra , and other tropical crops. Most profits obtained from exports were diverted to France rather than invested in the infrastructure of the islands. Development was further limited by the colonial government's practice of concentrating public services on Madagascar. One consequence of this policy

7344-496: The council of each island. Around 80 percent of the central government's annual budget is spent on the country's complex administrative system which provides for a semi-autonomous government and president for each of the three islands and a rotating presidency for the overarching Union government. A referendum took place on 16 May 2009 to decide whether to cut down the government's unwieldy political bureaucracy. 52.7% of those eligible voted, and 93.8% of votes were cast in approval of

7452-529: The events did constitute war crimes but did not meet the gravity standards of bringing the case before ICC. Nosy-Be Nosy Be means "big island" in the Malagasy language . The island was called Assada during the early colonial era of the 17th century. Nosy Be has been given several nicknames over the centuries, including "Nosy Manitra" (the scented island). The first human inhabitants of Nosy Be were small bands of Antankarana and Zafinofotsy , before

7560-584: The first century has been postulated. Subsequent settlers came from the east coast of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf , the Malay Archipelago , and Madagascar . Bantu -speaking settlers were present on the islands from the beginnings of settlement , probably brought to the islands as slaves. Development of the Comoros is divided into phases. The earliest reliably recorded phase

7668-434: The first time. Coral reefs around Nosy Be are impacted by urbanization, the discharge of the sugar industry, and unregulated tourism. Nosy Be has a tropical savanna climate . It is most humid in summer (December, January, February). The Tsaratanana massif partially protects the island from the strong north-east winds affecting the region in August or during tropical depressions . The wet season lasts from October until

7776-488: The four Comoro Islands become part of France's colony of Madagascar and not until 1912 did the last sultan abdicate. Then, a colonial administration took over the islands and established a capital at Dzaoudzi on Mahore. Treaties of protectorate status marked a transition point between independence and annexation; such treaties were signed with the rulers of Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mwali in 1886. The effects of French colonialism were mixed, at best. Colonial rule brought an end to

7884-440: The institution of Slavery in the Comoros , but economic and social differences between former slaves and free persons and their descendants persisted. Health standards improved with the introduction of modern medicine, and the population increased about 50 percent between 1900 and 1960. France continued to dominate the economy. Food crop cultivation was neglected as French sociétés (companies) established cash crop plantations in

7992-587: The island of Ngazidja (Grande Comore). King Solomon is also said to have visited the island accompanied by his queen Bilqis . The first attested human inhabitants of the Comoro Islands are now thought to have been Austronesian settlers travelling by boat from islands in Southeast Asia . These people arrived in the area no later than the eighth century AD, the date of the earliest known archaeological site, found on Mayotte , although settlement beginning in

8100-429: The island under French protection in exchange for French support of his claim to the entire island, which he retained until his abdication in 1910. In 1908 the four islands were unified under a single administration ( Colonie de Mayotte et dépendances ) and placed under the authority of the French colonial Governor-General of Madagascar . In 1909, Sultan Said Muhamed of Ndzwani abdicated in favour of French rule and in 1912

8208-457: The island was governed by the French as an internal protectorate within the colony of Madagascar. The outpost became an important trade harbor in the Mozambique channel. During the nineteenth century, the French settlers developed cash crop agriculture (mainly sugar cane) and recruited indentured laborers from East Africa. Though it was difficult for the French to control the littoral, they founded

8316-428: The island's sultan, established a plantation-based economy that used about one-third of the land for export crops. In addition to sugar on Mayotte, ylang-ylang and other perfume plants, vanilla, cloves, coffee, cocoa beans, and sisal were introduced. In 1886, Mwali was placed under French protection by its Sultan Mardjani Abdou Cheikh. That same year, Sultan Said Ali of Bambao , one of the sultanates on Ngazidja, placed

8424-457: The islands every five years. Assoumani stepped down in 2002 to run in the democratic election of the President of the Comoros, which he won. Under ongoing international pressure, as a military ruler who had originally come to power by force, and was not always democratic while in office, Assoumani led the Comoros through constitutional changes that enabled new elections. A Loi des compétences law

8532-452: The islands' administrative ties to Madagascar were severed; Comoros established its own customs regime in 1952. A Governing Council was elected in August 1957 on the four islands in conformity with the loi-cadre (enabling law) of June 23, 1956. A constitution providing for internal self-government was promulgated in 1961, following a 1958 referendum in which Comorans voted overwhelmingly to remain

8640-535: The link between SA and the Comoros. Besides the military, Denard established his own company SOGECOM, for both the security and construction, and seemed to profit by the arrangement. Between 1985 and 1987 the relationship of the PG with the local Comorians became worse. At the end of the 1980s the South Africans did not wish to continue to support the mercenary regime and France was in agreement. Also President Abdallah wanted

8748-505: The mainland. In the 16th century, social changes on the East African coast probably linked to the arrival of the Portuguese saw the arrival of a number of Arabs of Hadrami who established alliances with the Shirazis and founded several royal clans. Over the centuries, the Comoros have been settled by a succession of diverse groups from the coast of Africa, the Persian Gulf , Southeast Asia and Madagascar. Portuguese explorers first visited

8856-483: The maximum hard labour for life over the mob lynching. Nosy Be is located about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the coast of Madagascar in the Mozambique Channel ; several smaller islands are located nearby, including Nosy Komba , Nosy Mitsio , Nosy Sakatia, and Nosy Tanikely. The island's main town is Andoany , commonly known as Hell-Ville . The volcanic island has an area of about 312 km (120 sq mi) - 30 km long, 19 km wide - and its highest peak

8964-459: The mercenaries to leave. Their response was a (third) coup resulting in the death of President Abdallah, in which Denard and his men were probably involved. South Africa and the French government subsequently forced Denard and his mercenaries to leave the islands in 1989. Said Mohamed Djohar became president. His time in office was turbulent, including an impeachment attempt in 1991 and a coup attempt in 1992. On September 28, 1995 Bob Denard and

9072-556: The mercenaries were given key positions in government. In two referendums, in December 1974 and February 1976 , the population of Mayotte voted against independence from France (by 63.8% and 99.4% respectively). Mayotte thus remains under French administration, and the Comorian Government has effective control over only Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli. Later, French settlers, French-owned companies, and Arab merchants established

9180-505: The needs of Europeans, initially supplying the Portuguese in Mozambique, then ships, particularly the English, on the route to India, and, later, slaves to the plantation islands in the Mascarenes . In the last decade of the 18th century, Malagasy warriors, mostly Betsimisaraka and Sakalava , started raiding the Comoros for slaves and the islands were devastated as crops were destroyed and

9288-509: The next day Bob Denard and his mercenaries had surrendered. This (response) operation, codenamed Azalée , was remarkable, because there were no casualties, and just in seven days, plans were drawn up and soldiers were deployed. Denard was taken to France and jailed. Prime minister Caambi El-Yachourtu became acting president until Djohar returned from exile in January, 1996. In March 1996, following presidential elections, Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim ,

9396-479: The northwestern coast of Madagascar, but its potential as a port was limited. In 1841 the governor of Reunion, Admiral de Hell , negotiated with Andrian Souli, the Malagasy ruler of Mayotte , to cede Mayotte to France. Mahore offered a suitable site for port facilities, and its acquisition was justified by de Hell on the grounds that if France did not act, Britain would occupy the island. Although France had established

9504-444: The only place in Madagascar where all-inclusive large resorts can be found. There are no traffic lights on the island, instead roundabouts are used. The island is served by Fascene Airport . The airport is serviced by commercial flights with Air Madagascar , Air Austral , Airlink, Ewa, Ethiopian Airlines , and has direct flights from Europe on Neos . Its main city and harbour, Hell-Ville , can be reached by boat from Ankify . On

9612-568: The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, having few natural resources, and largely neglected by France, the islands were poorly equipped for independence. On September 25, 1942, British forces landed in the Comoros , occupying them until October 13, 1946. In 1946 the Comoro Islands became an overseas department of France with representation in the French National Assembly. The following year,

9720-579: The people were slaughtered, taken into captivity or fled to the African mainland: it is said that by the time the raids finally ended in the second decade of the 19th century only one man remained on Mwali. The islands were repopulated by slaves from the mainland, who were traded to the French in Mayotte and the Mascarenes. On the Comoros, it was estimated in 1865 that as much as 40% of the population consisted of slaves. France first established colonial rule in

9828-443: The policy of "divide and conquer", chequebook politics and a serendipitous affair between a sultana and a French trader that was put to good use by the French, who kept control of the islands, quelling unrest and the occasional uprising. William Sunley, a planter and British Consul from 1848 to 1866, was an influence on Anjouan . France's presence in the western Indian Ocean dates to the early 17th century. The French established

9936-459: The possession of Ranavalona I upon the defeat of Queen Tsiomeko 's army. The French colonized the island from 1840, founding an outpost named Hell-Ville (from French Admiral de Hell ). The 1848 abolition of slavery in the French colonies resulted in a revolt against the French by the Sakalava people, who were extensively involved in the slave trade. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries,

10044-554: The presidency of the African Union . In January 2024, President Azali Assoumani was re-elected with 63% of the vote in the disputed presidential election . Attribution: Comoros The Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros , is an archipelagic country made up of three islands in Southeastern Africa , located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean . Its capital and largest city

10152-512: The protectorates were abolished and the islands administered as a single colony. Two years later the colony was abolished and the islands became a province of the colony of Madagascar . Agreement was reached with France in 1973 for the Comoros to become independent in 1978, despite the deputies of Mayotte voting for increased integration with France. A referendum was held on all four of the islands. Three voted for independence by large margins, while Mayotte voted against. On 6 July 1975, however,

10260-417: The rebellious islands by force failed, and presently the African Union is brokering negotiations to effect a reconciliation. This process is largely complete, at least in theory. According to some sources, Mohéli did return to government control in 1998. In 1999, Anjouan had internal conflicts and on August 1 of that year, the 80-year-old first president Foundi Abdallah Ibrahim resigned, transferring power to

10368-467: The referendum. Following the implementation of the changes, each island's president became a governor and the ministers became councillors. In November 1975, the Comoros became the 143rd member of the United Nations . The new nation was defined as comprising the entire archipelago , although the citizens of Mayotte chose to become French citizens and keep their island as a French territory. The Comoros has repeatedly pressed its claim to Mayotte before

10476-494: The same way Madagascar was. This influx of Austronesian sailors, who had earlier settled nearby Madagascar, arrived in the 8th to 13 centuries CE. They are the source for the earliest archeological evidence of farming in the islands. Crops from archeological sites in Sima are predominantly rice strains of both indica and japonica varieties from Southeast Asia, as well as various other Asian crops like mung bean and cotton . Only

10584-540: The terms of the Fomboni Accords, signed in December 2001 by the leaders of all three islands, the official name of the country was changed to the Union of the Comoros; the new state was to be highly decentralised and the central union government would devolve most powers to the new island governments, each led by a president. The Union president, although elected by national elections, would be chosen in rotation from each of

10692-595: The time he arrived there, the Islamic prophet Muhammad had died. Nonetheless, after a stay in Mecca, he returned to Ngazidja, where he built a mosque in his home town of Ntsaweni, and led the gradual conversion of the islanders to Islam. In 933, the Comoros was referred to by Omani sailors as the Perfume Islands. Among the earliest accounts of East Africa, the works of Al-Masudi describe early Islamic trade routes, and how

10800-584: The two major seasons are distinguishable by their raininess. The temperature reaches an average of 29–30 °C (84–86 °F) in March, the hottest month in the rainy season (called kashkazi/kaskazi [meaning north monsoon], which runs from November to April), and an average low of 19 °C (66 °F) in the cool, dry season (kusi (meaning south monsoon), which proceeds from May to October). The islands are rarely subject to cyclones . The Comoros constitute an ecoregion in their own right, Comoros forests . It had

10908-499: Was re-elected president to serve the first of potentially two five-year terms. In January 2020, the legislative elections in Comoros were dominated by President Azali Assoumani's party, the Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros , CRC. It took an overwhelming majority in the parliament. In 2021, Comoros signed and ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons , making it

11016-530: Was created. Strong points armed with heavy machine guns were set up around the island, particularly around the island's two airports. On October 3, 1995, 11 p.m., the French deployed 600 men against a force of 33 mercenaries and a 300-man dissident force. Denard however ordered his mercenaries not to fight. Within 7 hours the airports at Iconi and Hahaya and the French Embassy in Moroni were secured. By 3:00 p.m.

11124-532: Was destroyed. The Comoros also lays claim to the Îles Éparses or Îles éparses de l'océan indien (Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean) – Glorioso Islands , comprising Grande Glorieuse , Île du Lys , Wreck Rock , South Rock , Verte Rocks  [ fr ] (three islets) and three unnamed islets – one of France's overseas districts. The Glorioso Islands were administered by the colonial Comoros before 1975, and are therefore sometimes considered part of

11232-522: Was launched into his bedroom and killed him. Although Denard was also injured, it is suspected that Abdallah's killer was a soldier under his command. A few days later, Bob Denard was evacuated to South Africa by French paratroopers. Said Mohamed Djohar , Soilihi's older half-brother, then became president, and served until September 1995, when Bob Denard returned and attempted another coup. This time France intervened with paratroopers and forced Denard to surrender. The French removed Djohar to Reunion, and

11340-461: Was more fragmented, on occasion being divided into as many as 12 small kingdoms. Sir James Lancaster 's voyage to the Indian Ocean in 1591 was the first attempt by the English to break into the spice trade, which was dominated by the Portuguese. Only one of his four ships made it back from the Indies on that voyage, and that one with a decimated crew of 5 men and a boy. Lancaster himself was marooned by

11448-440: Was passed in early 2005 that defines the responsibilities of each governmental body, and is in the process of implementation. The elections in 2006 were won by Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi , a Sunni Muslim cleric nicknamed the "Ayatollah" for his time spent studying Islam in Iran. Assoumani honoured the election results, thus allowing the first peaceful and democratic exchange of power for the archipelago. Colonel Mohammed Bacar ,

11556-465: Was removed from office in an armed coup and replaced with United National Front of the Comoros (FNUK) member Said Mohamed Jaffar . Months later, in January 1976, Jaffar was ousted in favour of his Minister of Defence Ali Soilihi . The population of Mayotte voted against independence from France in three referendums during this period. The first , held on all the islands on 22 December 1974, won 63.8% support for maintaining ties with France on Mayotte;

11664-456: Was the migration of large numbers of Comorans to Madagascar, where their presence would be a long-term source of tension between Comoros and its giant island neighbor. The Shirazi elite continued to play a prominent role as large landowners and civil servants. On the eve of independence, Comoros remained poor and undeveloped, having only one secondary school and practically nothing in the way of national media. Isolated from important trade routes by

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