Land area

1,862 sq km, excluding Mayotte (374 sq km)

Population

691,000 (2010; IMF estimate, excluding Mayotte)

Main towns

Population in 2010 (World Gazetteer estimates)

Moroni (capital; Grande Comore): 48,543

Mutsamudu (Anjouan): 25,471

Fomboni (Mohéli): 17,130

Climate

Tropical; hot and humid in November-May; cooler and drier in May-October; weather at Moroni (altitude 59 metres): hottest month, March, 24-31°C; coldest month, August, 19-27°C; driest month, October, 84 mm average rainfall; wettest month, January, 424 mm average rainfall

Languages

French, Arabic, Comorian (derived from Swahili and Arabic)

Religion

Over 95% of the population is Muslim (mostly Sunni)

Measures

Metric system

Currency

Comorian franc (Cfr) = 100 centimes; pegged to the euro at Cfr492:EUR1

Time

Three hours ahead of GMT

Public holidays

May 1st (Labour Day); July 6th (Independence Day); November 27th (anniversary of President Abdallah's assassination); all Islamic holidays are observed in accordance with the lunar calendar; this may mean that the following dates are approximate: Mawlid al-Nabi (the birthday of the Prophet) February 15th, Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan) August 30th, Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) November 6th, Islamic New Year November 26th