Long-form name: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros

Type: independent republic

Capital: Moroni

Administrative divisions: none

Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France)

Constitution: 1 October 1978, amended October 1982 and January 1985

Legal system: French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Branches: presidency; 38-member legislature (Federal Assembly)

Leader: @m5Chief of State and Head of Government--President Ahmed ABDALLAH ABDEREMANE (since 22 October 1978)

Suffrage: universal adult

Elections: Abdallah Abderemane won 1984 presidential election with 99% majority; Federal Assembly elected in March 1982

Political party: sole legal political party is Comoran Union for Progress (UCP)

Voting strength: UCP holds 37 seats in the Federal Assembly

Member of: AfDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, ILO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Amini Ali MOUMIN; Chancery (temporary) at the Comoran Permanent Mission to the UN, 336 East 45th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 972-8010; US--Ambassador Patricia Gates LYNCH, resides in Antananarivo (Madagascar); Embassy at address NA, Moroni (mailing address B. P. 1318, Moroni); telephone 73-12-03

Flag: green with a white crescent placed diagonally (closed side of the crescent points to the upper hoist-side corner of the flag); there are four white five-pointed stars placed in a line between the points of the crescent; the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago--Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (which is a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by the Comoros)

NOTE: The information regarding Comoros on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Comoros Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Comoros Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.