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| Country | Comoros | | | Flag |  | | | Capital | name: Moroni geographic coordinates: 11 42 S, 43 14 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) | | | Population | 752,438 (July 2009 est.) | | | GMT | +3 | | | Location | Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
see map | | | Area | total: 2,170 sq km land: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km | | | Ethnic groups | Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava | | | Religions | Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% | | | Languages | Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) | | | Government type | republic | | | National holiday | Independence Day, 6 July (1975) | | | Constitution | 23 December 2001 | | | Legal system | French and Islamic law in a new consolidated code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | | | Background | Comoros has endured more than 20 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power in a bloodless coup, and helped negotiate the 2000 Fomboni Accords power-sharing agreement in which the federal presidency rotates among the three islands, and each island maintains its own local government. AZALI won the 2002 Presidential election, and each island in the archipelago elected its own president. AZALI stepped down in 2006 and President SAMBI was elected to office. In 2007, BACAR effected Anjouan's de-facto secession from the Union, refusing to step down in favor of fresh Anjouanais elections when Comoros' other islands held legitimate elections in July. The African Union (AU) initially attempted to resolve the political crisis by applying sanctions and a naval blockade on Anjouan, but in March 2008, AU and Comoran soldiers seized the island. The move was generally welcomed by the island's inhabitants. | | Internet country code | .km | |
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