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Comoros Travel Guide - Travel S Helper

Comoros

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The Comoros, formally the Union of the Comoros, is a sovereign archipelago island country in the Indian Ocean located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel off Africa’s east coast, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar. Tanzania is to the northwest of the Comoros, while the Seychelles is to the northeast. Its capital is Moroni, which is located on Grande Comore.

The Comoros are the third-smallest African nation by area, with 1,660 km2 (640 sq mi) omitting the disputed island of Mayotte. Excluding Mayotte, the population is projected to be 798,000 people. The archipelago is known for its varied culture and history as a country founded at a crossroads of many cultures. The archipelago was initially settled by Bantu speakers from East Africa, who were later joined by Arab and Austronesian immigrants.

It was a part of the French colonial empire in the nineteenth century before gaining independence in 1975. Since its declaration of independence, the country has had more than 20 coups or attempted coups, with numerous leaders of state killed. Along with this continual political instability, the Comoros have the greatest economic inequality of any nation, with a Gini coefficient of more than 60%, and rank in the worst quartile on the Human Development Index. In 2008, almost half of the population was living below the international poverty level of US$1.25 per day.

Comorian, Arabic, and French are the official languages of the Union of the Comoros. The bulk of the population practices Islam.

The country is made up of three large islands and several smaller islands, all of which are part of the volcanic Comoros archipelago. The largest islands are usually known by their French names: Grande Comore (Ngazidja) in the northwest, Mohéli (Mwali), and Anjouan in the southeast (Nzwani). Furthermore, the country claims a fourth major island, southeastern-most Mayotte (Maore), however Mayotte voted against independence from France in 1974, has never been ruled by an independent Comoros government, and remains under French administration (currently as an overseas department). France has blocked UN Security Council proposals that would recognize Comorian sovereignty over the island. In addition, Mayotte became an overseas department and a region of France in 2011 after a resoundingly successful vote.

The Comoros is the only country to be a member of the African Union, Francophonie, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Arab League (of which it is the southernmost member, being the only Arab League member fully within the Southern Hemisphere), and Indian Ocean Commission.

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Comoros - Info Card

Population

850,886

Currency

Comorian franc (KMF)

Time zone

UTC+3 (EAT)

Area

1,861 km2 (719 sq mi)

Calling code

+269

Official language

Comorian - French - Arabic

Comoros - Introduction

Geography

The Comoros Archipelago is comprised of three main islands: Ngazidja (Grande Comore), Mwali (Mohéli), and Nzwani (Anjouan), as well as many smaller islets. Although the islands are officially recognized by their Comorian names, foreign sources continue to use their French names (given in parentheses above). Moroni, the capital and biggest city, is situated on Ngazidja. With no physical boundaries, the archipelago is located in the Indian Ocean, in the Mozambique Channel, between the African coast (nearest to Mozambique and Tanzania) and Madagascar.

It is one of the world’s smallest nations, with an area of 2,034 km2 (785 sq mi). The Comoros also claims 320 square kilometers (120 square miles) of territorial waters. The islands’ innards range from high mountains to modest hills.

Ngazidja is the biggest island in the Comoros Archipelago, with almost the same size as the other islands combined. It is also the most recent island, thus its soil is rocky. The island’s two volcanoes, Karthala (active) and La Grille (dormant), as well as the absence of suitable ports, are distinguishing features. Mwali is the smallest of the four main islands, with its capital at Fomboni. Nzwani, whose capital is Mutsamudu, has a triangle form due to three mountain ranges – Sima, Nioumakélé, and Jimilimé – originating from a central peak, Mount N’Tingui (1,575 m or 5,167 ft).

Volcanic activity created the islands of the Comoros Archipelago. Mount Karthala, an active shield volcano on Ngazidja, is the country’s highest peak, standing at 2,361 meters (7,748 feet) (2,362 m) It is home to the Comoros’ biggest area of vanishing rainforest. Karthala is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, with a small eruption in May 2006 and previous eruptions as recently as April 2005 and 1991. 40,000 people were evacuated during the 2005 eruption, which lasted from April 17 to April 19, and the crater lake in the volcano’s 3 by 4 km (1.9 by 2.5 mi) caldera was devastated.

The Comoros also claims the Îles Éparses or Îles éparses de l’océan Indien – Glorioso Islands, which include Grande Glorieuse, Île du Lys, Wreck Rock, South Rock, Verte Rocks (three islands), and three unidentified islets – as one of France’s overseas districts. Before 1975, the Glorioso Islands were governed by the colonial Comoros and are therefore sometimes considered part of the Comoros Archipelago. Banc du Geyser, a former island in the Comoros Archipelago that is now underwater, is physically situated in the Îles Éparses but was acquired by Madagascar as unclaimed territory in 1976. The Comoros and France continue to see the Banc du Geyser as part of the Glorioso Islands and therefore as part of their respective exclusive economic zones.

Climate

The climate is typically tropical and moderate, with the two primary seasons distinguished by the amount of rain they get. The average temperature in March, the hottest month in the rainy season (called kashkazi/kaskazi [meaning north monsoon], which runs from December to April), is 29–30 °C (84–86 °F), and an average low of 19 °C (66 °F) in the cool, dry season (kusi (meaning south monsoon), which runs from May to November). Cyclones are uncommon in the islands.

Demographics

The Comoros, with a population of less than a million people, is one of the world’s least populous nations, but it is also one of the most densely inhabited, with an average of 275 persons per square kilometer (710/sq mi). In 2001, 34 percent of the population was classified as urban, although this figure is projected to rise as rural population growth slows and total population growth remains relatively strong.

Almost half of the Comoros’ population is under the age of 15. Moroni, Mutsamudu, Domoni, Fomboni, and Tsémbéhou are major urban hubs. In France, there are between 200,000 and 350,000 Comorians.

Ethnic groups

The Comoros islands are mostly of African-Arab heritage. There are also Malagasy (Christian) and Indian (primarily Ismaili) minorities, as well as minorities derived from early French immigrants. Chinese people may also be found in certain areas of Grande Comore (especially Moroni). The Comoros are home to a tiny white minority of French with additional European (Dutch, British, and Portuguese) heritage. Following independence in 1975, the majority of French people fled.

Religion

Sunni Islam is the main religion, with up to 98 percent of the people practicing it. Roman Catholicism is practiced by a minority of the Comoros’ population, mostly by immigrants from metropolitan France.

Visa & Passport

To visit the Comoros, all visitors must get a visa, which is granted upon arrival. A standard visa costs €61. It is payable in Comorian francs, US dollars, British pounds, or Euros. A visa is valid for 45 days and, although it may be extended, the authorities are unlikely to do so unless you have a compelling cause. All tourists must go to the immigration office in Moroni or Mutsamudu to get a new passport stamp. Failure to do so will result in complications upon leaving.

How To Travel To Comoros

By plane

  • Kenya Airways currently flies straight from Nairobi three times each week, connecting with flights to London, Dubai, Mumbai, and Paris.
  • Air Austral operates flights from Paris and Marseilles, with an aircraft change at Saint Denis, Reunion.
  • Inter Iles Air operates numerous weekly flights from Mayotte to Anjouan and Moroni.
  • Yemenia Airways operates four flights each week to Sana’a, Yemen, with connections to all important cities.
  • The African Express links Mombasa and Dubai.
  • Precision Air operates three flights each week from Tanzania.
  • Air Madagascar operates almost daily flights from Madagascar.

By boat

Freighters depart from both Zanzibar and Madagascar. These are generally less expensive than flying, although they take longer and have fewer predictable departure times. To capture them, you must first locate the boat captain in the harbor and negotiate costs. If you negotiate hard enough, you may be able to obtain passage for €100.

How To Travel Around Comoros

By plane

Inter Iles Air operates daily flights between Moroni, Anjouan, and Moheli. Their Moroni office is located near the Volo Volo Market.

By car

Cars may be rented for around €30 (about KMF15,000) per day on Grand Comore. It is also feasible to use cabs (the usual cost from the airport to Moroni is about €15) or hitchhike. If you hitchhike, particularly as a Caucasian tourist, you may be asked to pay a charge. Because the residents do not have access to public transportation and children must walk to and from school, visitors with a vehicle may want to consider assisting hitchhikers. The price of a bottle of petrol is less than €10.

By bus

There are no public buses on Grand Comore. The most popular form of public transportation is shared cabs.

By boat

There is a boat that runs from Chindini on Grand Comore’s southern shore to Hoani on Moheli’s northern coast. These are tiny fiberglass fishing boats with varying degrees of boat and motor condition. They should only be used on calm days, since people have been forced to dump their luggage into the water, and there have been reports of boats being lost. On calm days, though, these boats are usually safe to use. As of March 2008, the price is KMF8,500, although starting bids for foreigners will be KMF15,000. There is an extra KMF500 departure tax levied by the council.

Large ferries (two or three per week) from Moroni to Foumboni on Moheli are more convenient. Prices are set at KMF8,000 and are somewhat adjustable.

There are also two big catamaran boats that run many times a week between Moroni on the west coast of Grand Comore and Mutsamudu on Anjouan.

Food & Drinks in Comoros

Visitors are warned not to consume any of the native cuisine until it has been thoroughly prepared. The jackfruit, a big, green fruit (approximately 50 cm in length) with a lychee-like flavor, is one of the island’s specialties.

Alcohol may be purchased in Moroni from Indian and Chinese vendors near Volo Volo. Castle beer from South Africa and inexpensive boxed wine from France are also popular. Most shops will provide black plastic bags to ensure that no one notices you purchased alcohol… except that they only provide black bags to clients who purchase alcohol.

Alcohol is also served in European eateries.

Money & Shopping in Comoros

Handicrafts are often of poor quality, but Mayotte women and a few women in Grand Comore produce high-quality baskets. CDs, colorful women’s clothing (KMF500 for a numbawani and KMF750 for a nicer shawl), gorgeous scarves (KMF2,000), and other imports are available.

The majority of the handicrafts and tourist trinkets for sale at Moroni’s Volo Volo market are produced in Madagascar and sold by Malagasy expats. Local crafts are difficult to come by, although some may be found at CNAC in Itsandra. Other sections of the Volo Volo market sell one-of-a-kind Comorian goods. Consider using locally grown spices and essential oils, making your own lamps and vegetable peelers, or using coconut goods.

Do not purchase shells from beach sellers.

Prices In Comoros

Prices in the Comoros tend to be higher than in the rest of East Africa due to the islands’ isolation. The cheapest motels or bungalows in Moroni (the Comoros’ most costly lodging area) may cost as little as €20 if you haggle hard. Hotel Moroni, on the other hand, may cost hundreds of dollars. Imported products are less expensive on Grand Comore than on Moheli, while fruits and vegetables are less expensive, although less plentiful, on Moheli.

Meals at a brochetterie (a low-priced restaurant serving fried pork with bananas, manioc, taro, or breadfruit) may cost up to KMF1500 (€3) on Grand Comore and as little as KMF250 (€0.50) on Moheli. Cakes (sweet bread) sold by ladies on the street often cost between KMF50 and KMF100. For food and accommodation, one might get by with KMF6,000-10,000 (€12-20) per day.

Things To See in Comoros

  • Trek to the Karthala volcano crater (8 hours walk one way) guides available for €100.
  • Lac Sale – lake adjacent to the beach beyond Mytsamiouli in Grand Comore
  • Dolphins off the coast beyond Hahaya
  • Livingstone Bats at Moheli
  • Giant Sea Turtles laying eggs at Moheli
  • Swahili-inspired architecture with arcades
  • Beaches

Traditions & Customs in Comoros

Despite the fact that the Comoros is a rather liberal Muslim nation, it is considered impolite for women to show their shoulders, much of their breast, knees, and, particularly, their stomach and lower back. Cover these regions with shirts or shawls. Foreign, non-Muslim women will not be expected to cover their heads. Local ladies are completely clothed while swimming. Foreigners are not required to do this, however swimming in shorts and a swimming shirt is more polite than swimming in a bikini or topless. Men should wear shorts that fall below the knee, but shorter shorts on a guy are less objectionable than shorter shorts on a woman. Public displays of love between men and women are frowned upon, but one may sometimes witness a Comorian man and woman momentarily holding hands (in the nightclubs some locals seem to ignore Muslim convention).

Non-Muslim religious proselytizing is prohibited, as is the distribution of Bibles to locals. Locals are extremely tolerant and kind to non-Muslims, but avoid seeming to be attempting to convert them.

Drinking alcohol in public is considered impolite, even if it is common in nightclubs. Unless they cater to foreigners, most restaurants do not offer alcohol.

“Kwesi” is used to welcome an elder. When the elder says anything like “mbona, mkana baraka,” you reply with “salaama.”

Giving candy to youngsters on the street is a terrible idea. Because locals are used to visitors, this seldom happens, and they are generally content to converse with you, children included. When visitors start giving out presents and money, locals will see Westerners as wealthy and carefree with money, eliminating many chances for personal connection with them. Children will pester visitors for candy and money. Tourists that do this demonstrate contempt for locals by thinking that money/sweets are what they want from tourists and placing that between them rather than making an effort to get to know locals, and by being unaware of the repercussions of their behavior.

Since it was reportedly found that a Western guy, a 14-year resident of Grand Comore, had been producing pornographic films and pictures, as well as abusing children on the islands, the inhabitants are very opposed to being recorded or photographed. Person responses to being photographed may vary, but taking illegal pictures of locals would, at best, insult an individual and may result in violent reactions by the subject.

Culture Of Comoros

Kinship and social structure

A bilateral descent system exists in Comorian culture. Inheritance of immovable assets (land, houses) is matrilineal, handed down via the maternal line, comparable to many Bantu peoples, whereas other goods and patronymics are passed down through the male line. There are variations across the islands, with Ngazidja’s matrilineal aspect being greater.

Music

Taarab music from Zanzibar is still the most popular in the islands, and a Comorian variant known as twarab is also popular.

Media

Al-Watwan, a government-owned national newspaper of Comoros, is published in Moroni. The national radio station is Radio Comoros, while the national television service is Comoros National TV.

Language & Phrasebook in Comoros

French and Arabic are the official languages. The majority of Comorians speak Shikomor (Comorian), a collection of Swahili dialects, as their first language and French as a second. Some people are also fluent in Arabic.

Each island has its own language. The greetings below are not always literal translations.

Greetings almost usually follow the same pattern:

Grand Comore

  • Yedje? (How are you?), response: Ndjema (good)
  • Bariza? (News?), response: Ndjema
  • Mahabari (News?), response: Salimina (peaceful)
  • Hufanyiha dje? (How are you?), response: Ndjema
  • Na kozazidi? (And problems?), response: Raha (Not yet)
  • E ngawe mnono? (Your health?), response: Alhamdulilah (Thanks to Allah)

Moheli

  • Jeje? (how are you?)
  • Ndjema (good)
  • Gushindu? (your health is good?)
  • Ewa (yes)
  • Kumnono? (you feel good?)
  • Ewa (yes)
  • Habari (you are well?)
  • Salaama (at peace)

Any sequence of words including the term habari necessitates a salaama answer. Shikomor uses habarizaho or habarizasobwuhi as expansions of the habari greeting to denote the time of day.

Other necessary words:

  • Ewa (yes)
  • A-a (no)
  • Marahaba (thank you)
  • Marahaba menji (thank you very much)
  • Swamahani (Sorry/pardon me)
  • Pvapvo (there; used to tell a taxi driver where you want them to stop)
  • Pvano (here; same as above, but the driver will likely slam on the brakes)

History Of Comoros

Precolonial peoples

The Comoro Islands’ earliest human occupants are believed to have been Arab, African, and Austronesian immigrants who arrived by boat. These people came no later than the sixth century AD, according to the oldest documented archaeological site, which was discovered on Nzwani, but habitation may have begun as early as the first century.

A series of peoples from the African coast, the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf, the Malay Archipelago, and Madagascar inhabited the Comoros islands. Bantu-speaking immigrants arrived to the islands as part of a larger Bantu expansion that occurred across Africa throughout the first millennium.

A jinni (spirit) dropped a diamond, creating a vast circular fire, according to pre-Islamic legend. This erupted as the Karthala volcano, which gave rise to the Comoros island.

The Comoros’ development was split into stages. The Dembeni period (ninth to tenth centuries), when each island had a single, central town, is the oldest securely documented phase. Trade between the island of Madagascar and merchants from the Middle East thrived from the eleventh to the fifteenth century, resulting in the formation of smaller settlements and the expansion of larger cities. Many Comorians may trace their origins back to Yemen, particularly Hadhramaut, and Oman.

Medieval Comoros

Legend has it that after hearing about Islam, islanders sent an envoy, Mtswa-Mwindza, to Mecca in 632—but before the time he arrived, the Islamic prophet Muhammad had dead. Despite this, he returned to Ngazidja after a visit to Mecca and oversaw the gradual conversion of his islanders to Islam.

Al-writings Masudi’s are among the oldest descriptions of East Africa, describing early Islamic trade routes and how Muslims, notably Persian and Arab merchants and sailors, frequented the coast and islands in quest of coral, ambergris, ivory, tortoiseshell, gold, and slaves. They also introduced Islam to the Zanj people, including the Comoros. As the Comoros’ significance increased along the East African coast, modest and big mosques were built. Despite its distance from the shore, the Comoros is located on East Africa’s Swahili Coast. It was a significant commercial center and part of a network of trading cities that included Kilwa in modern-day Tanzania, Sofala in Mozambique (a port for Zimbabwean gold), and Mombasa in Kenya.

The strong Omani Sultan Saif bin Sultan started to fight the Dutch and Portuguese with the advent of the Portuguese and the fall of East African sultanates. Said bin Sultan, his successor, strengthened Omani Arab dominance in the area by relocating his administration to neighboring Zanzibar, which was ruled by the Omani. The Comoros, however, remained independent, and although the three smaller islands were typically formally united, the biggest island, Ngazidja, was split into many separate kingdoms (ntsi).

When Europeans became interested in the Comoros, the islanders were ideally positioned to take advantage of their requirements, first providing ships on the way to India and, subsequently, slaves to the Mascarenes plantation islands.

European contact and French colonization

The archipelago was first seen by Portuguese explorers in 1503. Throughout the 16th century, the islands supplied supplies to the Portuguese fort in Mozambique.

Malagasy warriors from Madagascar began attacking the islands for slaves in 1793. In 1865, it was believed that slaves made up as much as 40% of the population of the Comoros. In 1841, France established colonial authority in the Comoros. The Treaty of April 1841, which surrendered the island to the French authorities, was signed by Andriantsoly (also known as Andrian Tsouli, the Sakalava Dia-Ntsoli, the Sakalava of Boina, and the Malagasy King of Mayotte).

Until the Suez Canal opened, the Comoros functioned as a stopover for merchants traveling to the Far East and India. The Suez Canal substantially decreased trade flowing via the Mozambique Channel. Coconuts, cattle, and tortoiseshell were among the Comoros’ natural exports. Plantation-based economies were created by French settlers, French-owned businesses, and rich Arab merchants, with approximately one-third of the land utilized for export crops. Mayotte was an annexation of France, which turned it into a sugar plantation colony. The main crops of ylang-ylang, vanilla, coffee, cocoa bean, and sisal were soon introduced to the other islands as well.

The Sultan Mardjani Abdou Cheikh put Mohéli under French protection in 1886. Sultan Said Ali of Bambao, one of the sultanates on Ngazidja, put the island under French protection the same year, although having no power to do so, in return for French backing of his claim to the whole island, which he maintained until his abdication in 1910. The islands were united under a single administration (Colonie de Mayotte et dépendances) in 1908, and the French colonial governor general of Madagascar was given responsibility over them. Sultan Said Muhamed of Anjouan abdicated in 1909 to make way for French control. The colony and protectorates were dissolved in 1912, and the islands became a province of Madagascar’s colony.

In 1973, the Comoros and France struck an agreement for the Comoros to gain independence in 1978. Mayotte’s deputies did not vote. On all four islands, referendums were conducted. Three of the islands voted overwhelmingly for independence, but Mayotte voted no and remains under French control. The Comorian parliament, on the other hand, approved a unilateral resolution proclaiming independence on July 6, 1975. Ahmed Abdallah declared the Comorian State (État comorien; ) independent and was elected its first president.

Independence (1975)

The next 30 years were marked by political upheaval. In an armed coup on August 3, 1975, President Ahmed Abdallah was deposed and replaced by United National Front of the Comoros (FNUK) member Prince Said Mohamed Jaffar. In January 1976, Jaffar was deposed in favor of Ali Soilih, his Minister of Defense.

In two referendums held at the time, the people of Mayotte decided against independence from France. The first, on December 22, 1974, received 63.8 percent support for keeping relations with France, and the second, in February 1976, received an astounding 99.4 percent. President Soilih, who governed the three surviving islands, implemented a variety of socialist and isolationist measures that strained ties with France. Bob Denard returned on May 13, 1978, with the backing of the French, Rhodesian, and South African governments, to depose President Soilih and restore Abdallah. During Soilih’s short reign, he was subjected to seven more coup attempts before being deposed and murdered.

Abdallah’s presidency, in contrast to Soilih’s, was characterized by authoritarian control and greater devotion to traditional Islam, and the nation was renamed the Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros (République Fédérale Islamique des Comores; ). Fearing a coup d’état, Abdallah remained president until 1989, when he issued a proclamation ordering the Presidential Guard, commanded by Bob Denard, to disarm the armed forces. Abdallah was reportedly shot dead in his office by an angry military officer shortly after the decree was signed, but subsequent reports say an antitank missile was fired into his bedroom and killed him. Despite the fact that Denard was wounded, it is believed that Abdallah’s murderer was a soldier under his command.

Bob Denard was airlifted to South Africa by French paratroopers a few days later. The president was subsequently Said Mohamed Djohar, Soilih’s elder half-brother, who ruled until September 1995, when Bob Denard returned and tried another coup. Denard was forced to surrender when France intervened with paratroopers. Djohar was deported to Reunion by the French, and Mohamed Taki Abdoulkarim, who was supported by Paris, was elected president. He was the country’s leader from 1996 until his death in November 1998, during a period marked by labor unrest, government repression, and separatist wars. Interim President Tadjidine Ben Said Massounde took over as his successor.

In an effort to reclaim French sovereignty, the islands of Anjouan and Mohéli proclaimed independence from the Comoros in 1997. However, France turned against their request, resulting in violent clashes between federal forces and insurgents. Colonel Azali Assoumani, the Army Chief of Staff, overthrew Interim President Massounde in a bloodless coup in April 1999, claiming poor leadership in the face of the crisis. Since independence in 1975, the Comoros have seen 18 coups or attempted coups.

Azali’s failure to consolidate authority and restore control over the islands drew worldwide condemnation. The African Union, led by South African President Thabo Mbeki, placed penalties on Anjouan to aid in the mediation and reconciliation process. The country’s formal name was changed to the Union of the Comoros, and a new system of political autonomy for each island was established, as well as a union administration for the three islands.

Azali stood aside in 2002 to compete for President of the Comoros in a democratic election, which he won. As a military dictator who had first risen to power by force and was not always democratic while in government, Azali led the Comoros through constitutional revisions that allowed fresh elections, despite continuing international criticism. A Loi des compétences legislation, which specifies the duties of each governmental entity, was enacted in early 2005 and is now being implemented. Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi, a Sunni Muslim cleric dubbed “Ayatollah” for his years studying Islam in Iran, won the 2006 elections. Azali accepted the election results, enabling the archipelago’s first peaceful and democratic transfer of power.

Colonel Mohammed Bacar, a former gendarme educated in France, took control in Anjouan in 2001. In June 2007, he held a referendum to affirm his leadership, which the Comoros federal government and the African Union both condemned as unconstitutional. Hundreds of troops from the African Union and the Comoros invaded rebel-held Anjouan on March 25, 2008, to the delight of the local population: hundreds, if not thousands, of people were tortured under Bacar’s reign. Some rebels were killed or wounded, but no official numbers are available. At least 11 people were injured in the attack. A number of officials have been imprisoned. Bacar escaped to Mayotte, a French Indian Ocean enclave, on a speedboat to seek refuge. In the Comoros, anti-French demonstrations erupted.

More than 20 coups or attempted coups have occurred in the Comoros since independence from France.

On May 26, 2011, former Vice-President Ikililou Dhoinine was sworn in as President after elections in late 2010. Dhoinine, a member of the governing party, was backed in the election by President Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi. Dhoinine, a pharmacist by profession, is the Comoros’ first President, hailing from the island of Mohéli.

Stay Safe & Healthy in Comoros

Stay Safe in Comoros

During the rainy season, cyclones are a possibility (December to April).

On Grand Comore, there is an active volcano known as Le Kartala.

Civil war is a possibility, with Anjouan Island being the most vulnerable (clashes between rebel and African Union forces).

Stay Healthy in Comoros

Malaria is common in the Comoros, particularly cerebral malaria. Take an anti-malarial and sleep beneath a permethrin-treated mosquito net. The finest medical infrastructure is in Grand Comore and Anjouan, and malaria testing is available in most large cities. It’s a good idea to be checked if you develop a fever, particularly if it doesn’t react to paracetamol or doesn’t go away. Moheli has a hospital in Fomboni and another in Nioumachoua that has just reopened and is sometimes accessible.

It is not difficult to obtain nutritious food. Consume a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as grains. Vegetables may only be accessible in limited numbers in Moheli during certain times of the year. Madaba, crushed and cooked manioc leaves, is a nutritious and tasty native meal. Madaba, on the other hand, takes hours to make and may not be available in restaurants. You may get the opportunity to taste madaba if you stay or dine with a local family. Vegetarians should be informed that on Grand Comore, the madaba contains fish, while on Moheli, it does not. If women remain in the Comoros for many months or more, their menstrual cycle may stop or change as a result of inadequate nutrition.

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