Category: Comoros

The Comoros Union is an African island country, bathed by the Indian Ocean, in the Mozambique Channel. Its territory is formed by three main islands: Njazidja (Grande Comore), Nzwani (Anjouan) and Mwali (Mohéli). There are 795 thousand residents (2016). The capital is Moroni, in Njazidja. The Comoros Archipelago, which includes Mayotte (France), was dominated by the Arabs in the 12th century. In the 16th century, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to visit these islands. In 1841, France occupied Mayotte and, in 1886, it controlled the other islands of the Archipelago. In 1974, a plebiscite resolved for independence from the Comoros, except Mayotte, which is an overseas department in France. The residents of Mayotte decided to remain French. The new country was formed in 1975, as the Federal and Islamic Republic of the Comoros, currently the Union of the Comoros. But the conflicts continued on the islands for decades to come.