1946-1975







Independence, since 1975



In 1975, the Republic of the Comoros declared independence. Before French rule, the Comoros have not been a political unit; under French rule, the indigenous population was largely excluded from the political process. The young republic was characterized by a political instability. When the referenda were held on the topic of independence in 1974, the inhabitants of Grand Comore, Anjouan and Moheli opted for independence, while those of Mayotte had opted to stay with France. The Republic of the Comoros thus is formed of 3 out of the 4 major islands of the archipelago; it claims Mayotte as well.
Coups in 1975 and 1978 brought in new governments, a third coup in 1983 failed. The official name was ETAT COMORIEN (Comorian State) 1975-1978, REPUBLIQUE FEDERALE ISLAMIQUE DES COMORES (Federal Islamic Republic) since 1978.
In 1993, the Comoros joined the Arab League.
In 1997, the islands of ANJOUAN (188,900 inhabitants) and MOHELI (Mwali, 24,300 inhabitants) declared their secession. Comorian troops invaded Anjouan (Nzwani) without success. While the OAU recognizes neither the independence of Anjouan nor of Moheli, both islands are de facto independent.





EXTERNAL
FILES 		Articles from Infoplease : Comoros
Histoire de l'Archipelago, from mwezi.net in French
Comoros History, from Arabic German Consulting
DOCUMENTS Banknotes of the Comoros, from Ron Wise's World Paper Money
Documents on the Comoros' recent history, from World History Archives and from Africa Intelligence : Dossiers : the Anjouan Crisis
Flag files from FOTW : current flag, historical flags 1963-1992, Anjouan, Moheli
REFERENCES Article Comoro Islands, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1976 p. 203 (on events of 1975) [G]
Article Comoro Islands, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1977 p. 207 (on events of 1976) [G]
Article Comoro Islands, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1978 p. 257 (on events of 1977) [G]
Article Comoros, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1979 pp. 260-261 (on events of 1978) [G]
Article Comoros, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1980 p. 258 (on events of 1979) [G]
Article Comoros, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1981 p. 254 (on events of 1980) [G]
Article Comoros, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1982 p. 252 (on events of 1981) [G]
Article Comoros, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1983 pp. 248-249 (on events of 1982) [G]
Article Comoros, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1984 p. 245 (on events of 1983) [G]
Article Comoros, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1985 pp. 463, 660 (on events of 1984) [G]
Article Comoros, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1986 pp. 458, 656 (on events of 1985) [G]
Article Comoros, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1988 pp. 387, 577 (on events of 1987) [G]
Article Comoros, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1989 pp. 386-387, 577 (on events of 1988) [G]
Article Comoros, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1990 pp. 403-404, 592 (on events of 1989) [G]
Article Comoros, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1993 pp.358-359, 587 (on events of 1992) [G]
Article Comoros, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1994 pp.356-357, 587 (on events of 1993) [G]
Article Comoros, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1995 pp.395-396, 587 (on events of 1994) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1978-1979 pp.357-359 (data of 1977-1978) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1980-1981 pp.360-361 (data of 1979-1980) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1983-1984 pp.369-370 (data of 1982-1983) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1984-1985 pp.367-369 (data of 1983-1984) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1985-1986 pp.369-371 (data of 1984-1985) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1987-1988 pp.374-376 (data of 1986-1987) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1988-1989 pp.376-378 (data of 1987-1988) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1989-1990 pp.379-381 (data of 1988-1989) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1991-1992 pp.378-380 (data of 1990-1991) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1992-1993 pp.441-443 (data of 1991-1992) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1993-1994 pp.447-449 (data of 1992-1993) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1994-1995 pp.437-439 (data of 1993-1994) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1995-1996 pp.430-433 (data of 1994-1995) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1996-1997 pp.369-371 (data of 1995-1996) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1997-1998 pp.378-381 (data of 1996-1997) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 1998-1999 pp.414-417 (data of 1997-1998) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 2000 pp.479-482 (data of 1998-1999) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 2001 pp.465-468 (data of 1999-2000) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 2002 pp.485-488 (data of 2000-2001) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 2003 pp.483-486 (data of 2001-2002) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 2004 pp.484-487 (data of 2002-2003) [G]
Article : Comoros, in : Statesman's Yearbook 2005 pp.481-484 (data of 2003-2004) [G]
Article : Comoro Islands, in : The World in Figures 1st ed. 1976 p.63 [G]
Article : Comoros, in : The World in Figures 2nd ed. 1978 pp.62-63 [G]
Article : Comoros, in : The World in Figures 4th ed. 1984 pp.62-63 [G]
Entry : Travel Warnings - Comoros, pp.452-453, in : Countries of the World and their Leaders Yearbook, 2000, Supplement [G]
Entry : Federal Islamic Republic of Comoros, Cabinet, p.27; Background Notes, pp.434-436, in : Countries of the World and their Leaders Yearbook, 2003 [G]
Entry : Comoros, pp.370-373 in : IMF, International Financial Statistics Yearbook 2001 [G]
Article : Comoro Islands, in : Americana Annual 1976 p.72 (on events of 1975) [G]



This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2001, last revised on October 20th 2006

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