Comoros Geography - 2023

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

Geographic coordinates

12 10 S, 44 15 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 2,235 sq km

land: 2,235 sq km

water: 0 sq km

comparison ranking

Area - comparative

slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

total: 0 km

Coastline

340 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Terrain

volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Elevation

highest point: Karthala 2,360 m

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

Natural resources

fish

Land use

agricultural land: 84.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 46.7% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 29.6% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 8.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 1.4% (2018 est.)

other: 14.2% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land

1.3 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

the capital city of Maroni, located on the western side of the island of Grande Comore, is the country's largest city; however, of the three islands that comprise Comoros, it is Anjouan that is the most densely populated as shown in this population distribution map

Natural hazards

cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); volcanic activity on Grand Comore

volcanism: Karthala (2,361 m) on Grand Comore Island last erupted in 2007; a 2005 eruption forced thousands of people to be evacuated and produced a large ash cloud

Geography - note

important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel; the only Arab League country that lies entirely in the Southern Hemisphere

NOTE: The information regarding Comoros on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Comoros 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Comoros 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.