Figure 1.--The Comoros is amult-ethnic and multi-cultural society, but Africas are the orimary group and the islanders are mostly Muslim. |
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The Commoro Islands are volcanic in origin set north of the Mozambique Channel in the wesern Indin Ocean to the east of Mozambique and northwest of Madagascar. There are four major islands. Mayotte is the oldest and thus has eroded montains and meandering streams. Grand Comore is much younger and two thirds of the island is covered y an active volcano. Anjouan and Moheli have wooded mountains. Human habitation may date to about 2000 BC, but such early haitation is based primarily on leged. The position of the Islands near the northern entrance to the Mozambique gives them a strategic importance. Thus the islands had an important role in Indian Ocean maritime commerce. This is reflected in the multi-ethnic and culture of the Islands (Africa, Arab, Asian, European, and Persian). The primary ethnic input are African, Arab, and Malay, illustrating the importance of commerce in shaping the islands. The Indian Ocean trade included animals, gems, ivory, lumber, slaves, and spices. Domoni on Anjouan is mentioned in medieval records (12th century). The Sultanate of Ndzuwani (Anjouan) was founded about the time the Europeans entered the Indian Ocean (about 1500). The Ndzuwani sultanate became the most powerful of all the Comorian sultanates. Sultan Alawi bin Husein requested French assistance against the Sultanate of Zanzibar which was threatening his domain (1816). This was just after the Napoleonic Wars. The islands became a French colony following the Berlin conference (1887). The Comoros chose to remain part of the French Republic (1958). They remained a part of France until three of the islands: Ngazidja (Grande Comore), Mwali (Moheli), and Nzwani (Anjouan), declared independence from France (1975). Since then the history of the islands has been stormy. There have been more than 20 coups or attempted coups and declations of independence by individual islands. Eventually most of the islanders chose independence and chanhed their names to the local language. The fourth, Mayptte, chose to remain a part of France. They have formed the Union of Comoros, but each of the three islands have substantial autonomy. The fourth major island, Maore (Mayotte)voted to fully integrate with France (2009). The Comoros Union government which claims the island and labels the referendum null and void. Thus Mayote is administered as part of France. The economy was based on trade, agriculture and lumbering. Much of the exotic wood forests have now been cut down, but tourism bsed on picture-perfect beaches has become very important. Mayote is particularly popular with tourists because of the stability France provides.
The Commoro Islands are volcanic in origin set north of the Mozambique Channel in the wesern Indin Ocean to the east of Mozambique and northwest of Madagascar. There are four major islands. Mayotte is the oldest and thus has eroded montains and meandering streams. Grand Comore is much younger and two thirds of the island is covered y an active volcano. Anjouan and Moheli have wooded mountains.
Human habitation may date to about 2000 BC, but such early haitation is based primarily on leged. Persians are belieed to have establishing Islam as the dominant religion. Persian sultanates established trade relations with ports all along the Indian Ocean which led to a thriving economy based on trade. Gradually Arab traders displaced the Persians. Spices and slaves were especually important. The Sultanate of Ndzuwani (Anjouan) was founded about the time the Europeans entered the Indian Ocean (about 1500). The Ndzuwani sultanate became the most powerful of all the Comorian sultanates. Sultan Alawi bin Husein requested French assistance against the Sultanate of Zanzibar which was threatening his domain (1816). This was just after the Napoleonic Wars. The islands was recognized as within the French zone of influence by the Great Powers following the Berlin Conference which played an important role in the Scramble for Africa (1887). The Comoros chose to remain part of the French Republic (1958). They remained a part of France until three of the islands: Ngazidja (Grande Comore), Mwali (Moheli), and Nzwani (Anjouan), declared independence from France (1975). Since then the history of the islands has been stormy. There have been more than 20 coups or attempted coups and declations of independence by individual islands. Eventually most of the islanders chose independence and chanhed their names to the local language. The fourth, Mayptte, chose to remain a part of France. They have formed the Union of Comoros, but each of the three islands have substantial autonomy. The fourth major island, Maore (Mayotte) voted to fully integrate with France (2009). The Comoros Union Government which claims the island and labels the referendum null and void. Thus Mayote is administered as part of France.
The Comoros were once important in the Indian Ocean trade between East Africa, Middle Eastern, and Asian ports, including India and China. The Indian Ocean trade included animals, gems, ivory, lumber, slaves, and spices. Domoni on Anjouan is mentioned in medieval records (12th century). The economy was based on trade, agriculture, and lumbering.
The opening of the Suez Canal (1867) substantially lessened the islands’ economic importance, especially as a entrepôt, but they still had a strtegic value.
Much of the exotic wood forests have now been cut down, but tourism bsed on picture-perfect beaches has become very important.
The Comoros has many natural attractions for tourism, especially beaches and marine environment. It has not develoed the industry like Réunion, Mauritius, and Seychelles. The weak tourist industry is primarily because of the insecure political climate. Islam may also be a factor. Grand Comore has an international airport and most of the Comoros' few hotels.
The position of the Islands near the northern entrance to the Mozambique gives them a strategic importance. Thus the islands had an important role in Indian Ocean maritime commerce. This is reflected in the multi-ethnic and culture of the Islands (Africa, Arab, Asian, European, and Persian). The primary ethnic input are African, Arab, and Malay, illustrating the importance of commerce in shaping the islands.
Islam is virtually the onlr religion practiced by Comorians Some 99 percent of Comorians are Muslims, almost all Sunnis following the Shafi'i School of law. The Shafi'i School was founded Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi'i (9th century). The Comoros
are perhaps the most uniformily religious country in the world other than Saudi Arabia, but the Islamic tradition is much lese austere. One source claims that fewer than 400 Comorians are Christian. Apparently vrtually all of this small group converted to Christianity in the last half of the 1990s. We are not sure why, perhaps in preparation to emigrate to France. There are also small groups of foreigners, including Hindus or Christians. Apparantly local clrics were disturbed about even small numbers of conversions. A 1999 military coup promulgated a new constitution (May 2000). There was no provision for freedom of religion. Another constitution (December 2001) did provide for freedom of religion but also made Islam the country's state religion. The Comoro Government discourages the practice of other religions, especially Christianity. There are two Roman Catholic churches and one Protestant church. The government restricts the use of these churches to foreigners, both tourists and foreign residents. There are reports of both harassment and social discrimination of Christians. Proselytizing Christianity is prohibited. The chief religous figure is the Grand Mufti. He is nominated by the president to lead the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. He is the Government's principal counsel on Islamic faith and law.
The Comoros came out number one in a survey of women's rights in 21 Arab League countries. The poll by the Thomson Reuters Foundation surveyed 336 gender experts knowledgeable about the Arab world. .
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