One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is
made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a
young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources.
The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a
subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy
dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture,
including fishing, hunting, and forestry, is the leading sector of the
economy. It contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force,
and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient
in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of
imports. The government is struggling to upgrade education and
technical training, to privatize commercial and industrial
enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify exports, to
promote tourism, and to reduce the high population growth rate.
Continued foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP
growth is to be met.

purchasing power parity - $410 million (1998 est.)

0% (1998 est.)

purchasing power parity - $725 (1998 est.)

agriculture: 40%
industry: 5%
services: 55% (1997 est.)

NA%

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

4% (1998)

144,500 (1996 est.)

agriculture 80%, government 3%

20% (1996 est.)

revenues: $48 million
expenditures: $53 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997)

tourism, perfume distillation, textiles, furniture,
jewelry, construction materials, soft drinks

NA%

15 million kWh (1998)

fossil fuel: 86.67%
hydro: 13.33%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)

14 million kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra,
coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)

$9.3 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil,
copra

France 43%, US 43%, Germany 7% (1997)

$49.5 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods;
petroleum products, cement, transport equipment

France 59%, South Africa 15%, Kenya 6% (1997)

$197 million (1997 est.)

$28.1 million (1997)

1 Comoran franc (CF) = 100 centimes

Comoran francs (CF) per US$1 - 485.44 (January 2000),
461.77 (1999), 442.46 (1998), 437.75 (1997), 383.66 (1996), 374.36
(1995)
note: prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged to the
French franc at 75 CFs per French franc; since 1 January 1999, the CF
is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro

calendar year