| Comoros ((ar)جزر القمر) | |
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| Satellite view of the Comoros | |
| Flag | |
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| Information | |
| Capital city | Moroni |
|---|---|
| Area | 2 612 km² |
| Population | 813 912 hab. (2017) |
| Density | 311,6 inhab./km² |
| Nice | Comorian |
| Sea | mozambique channel |
| Minimum altitude | 0 m (Mozambique channel) |
| Maximum altitude | 2 361 m (Karthala volcano) |
| Form of State | federal Republic |
| Official language | French comorian Arab |
| Change | Comorian franc (KMF) |
| Religions | Sunnism 98% Catholicism 2% |
| Electricity | 220 V/50 Hz, europlugs |
| Telephone prefix | 269 |
| Internet suffix | .km |
| Flow direction | Right-hand drive |
| Spindle | UTC 3 |
| Location | |
 11 ° 49 ′ 1 ″ S 43 ° 51 ′ 58 ″ E | |
| Government site | |
| Touristic site | |
The Comoros, in long formUnion of the Comoros (in Comorian Udzima wa Komori and in Arabic الاتحاد القمري), is a country ofIndian Ocean.
Understand
The capital of the Union of the Comoros Moroni located on the island of Grande Comore. The Comoros are a former colony until 1976. The inhabitants speak their native language which is Comorian, but they also speak French and (in some villages) Arabic. The religion practiced in the Comoros is Islam. Grande Comore is made up of 26 municipalities, each with several villages.
Regions
 Comoros Map | The Comoros archipelago is made up of four main islands and a multitude of small islands and islets shared by two countries:
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Cities
- 1 Moroni – the capital of the Union of the Comoros and Grande Comore.
- 2 Fomboni – the capital of Mohéli.
- 3 Nioumachoua – the second town of Mohéli, located in the south of the island, in the middle of the “Mohéli marine park”.
- 4 Mutsamudu – the capital of the island of Anjouan.
- 5 Ouani (Wani) – the second city of Anjouan.
Other destinations
- Mayotte is a destination close to the Comoros and more precisely the island of Anjouan from where this important wave of immigration towards Mayotte. Myth or reality, the inhabitants of Mayotte went regularly by outrigger canoe to Anjouan to say Friday prayers ...
To go
Formalities
All visitors to the Comoros are required to have a Visa. Nationals of all countries can obtain a visa on arrival. All visitors must hold a passport valid for 6 months.
At customs, there is a counter for foreigners. If you come by your own means (dry ticket), plan to pay a tourist tax of 30 € or 50 dollars Americans for a maximum stay of 45 days. Payable by adults and children under 16. For longer stays, you will need to request an extension of the stay visa from the island's immigration authorities (in Moroni for Grande Comore / Ngazidja - in Mustamudu for Anjouan / Ndzouani - in Fomboni for Mohéli / Mwali). It is possible to obtain the entry visa at Said Ibrahim international airport in Grande Comore (Hahaya - Moroni), at Anjouan regional airport in Ouani (Ouani - Mutsamudu) and at Bandar regional airport Es Salam de Mohéli (Fomboni).
By plane
- Air Austral (Since Paris, Lyon and Marseilles via The meeting).
- Ethiopian airlines
- Kenya Airways three times a week (from Nairobi, connection for Paris to Nairobi)
- Air Tanzania from Dar Es Salaam (3 flights per week)
- Air Madagascar from Antananarivo and Majunga (2 flights per week)
- Interiles-air: (from Mayotte) regular flight every day (the most economical [1]
Consult the links and other information on international connections with the Comoros on [2]
Other international companies occasionally make direct flights to France, check with the hotel where you are staying.
On a boat
There is a regular boat line between Mayotte and Anjouan: the Maria Galanta (price varies depending on the season, round trip around 150 €).
Circulate
On a boat
It is possible to travel by boat between the islands. In addition to the duration of the trip, it should be noted that boats, often overloaded, regularly sink between the islands.
By car
No traffic problems for the Big Island, except in case of shortage. There are a lot of inexpensive "house" taxis, because we share the race with several people. Make a sign on the side of the road, there will always be someone to help you.We can go around the Big Island during the day. Watch out for trucks, the principle is that the biggest is always right.
In Mohéli only a few "bush taxis" circulate each day between the main villages of the island and they are often overcrowded or full. If you choose to drive yourself with a rental car for example, you are strongly advised to drive very carefully and very slowly as the roads of Mohéli are in some places just enough to allow a single car to pass. The state of the roads is quite bad and the surroundings are not maintained which makes visibility very limited.
Board, ride to 30 km / h max and honk before each turn.
Speak
The official language of the Comoros is Shikomor which is a mixture of Swahili and Arabic. French is also spoken and understood by Comorians but Arabic is more common due to its Islamic influence.
Buy
The currency of the Comoros is the Comorian franc (FC, franc, فرنك قمري, KMF)
It is possible to pay everything in euros (banknotes), the Comorian francs and the euro having an official fixed parity of approximately 1 € = 491.968 Comorian francs. Traders will change the change for you without problems, in most cases at 1 € = 490 Comorian francs.
Eat
Avoiding meat that is imported frozen causes a break in the cold chain. If not for the big island, you can eat very well typical dishes "country" based on fish.
Have a drink / Go out
For the Big Island, there is a "nightclub" on the seafront, but it is quite creepy. Few problems of insecurity if you are accompanied by a Comorian.
Housing
For Grande Comore (Ngazidja): it is possible to stay in small, simple and relatively comfortable guesthouses for less than large hotels. Not very luxurious, these pensions are sometimes very typical and exotic. Water tanks are used to compensate for water cuts. Mosquito nets are most often provided.
Learn
To work
The French school Henri Matisse regularly recruits for a few teaching positions. The living conditions are such that it is necessary for the candidate to be highly motivated. Expatriate positions in various international organizations are also and regularly available.
Communicate
For the big island: there are internet cafes that work slowly. There has recently been optical fiber in the Comoros (March 2011): possibility of connecting with 3G keys in the big cities (Moroni, Mutsamudu, Fomboni).
security
 | Emergency telephone number: Police :17 Firefighter :18 |
From July 2008, for all islands: no security problems. Very warm welcome and great hospitality from the Comorians. Possibility of driving day and night without risk. Some army checks in the evening, but without constraints.
Government travel advice
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Belgium (Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) 
Canada (Government of Canada) 
France (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 
Swiss (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs)
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Health
Malaria is endemic and therefore preventive drugs must be taken. In 2007 there were a few cases of dengue and cholera. In 2008, the health situation was better. AT Moheli Chinese cooperation has been carrying out a successful malaria eradication campaign since 2007. According to the doctors on this team, the prevalence of malaria in Mohéli has fallen from more than 80% to less than 1%. Mohéli airport has a health team that will require you to take a preventive medicine based on artesunate-mefloquine. The opinions of specialists are divided on the effectiveness of this campaign in the long term, taking into account the lack of control of visitors from other islands such as fishermen from Anjouan and Grande Comore. If you say you are taking another prevention product like Lariam, Malarone or the like, you will not be required to take Artequick.
There are a few dispensaries (in Moroni, the Catholic mission dispensary, run by sisters, has a good reputation) and hospitals on the three islands. Visits cause a shock from which we never really recover. If they are to be avoided for a healthy person, what can be said for a sick person? In 2008, strikes by the medical profession posed enormous problems.
For travelers, it is strongly advised to carry a basic pharmacy and have insurance that covers the cost of medical evacuation in the event of a major problem. The closest quality hospitals are in Mayotte.
Respect
Ramadan date
Majority of Muslims insist on local sighting of the crescent moon to mark the start of Ramadan, but others insist on calculating the new moon or declaring it saudi to determine the start of the month. Since the first crescent after the new moon is not visible everywhere at the same time, the start and end dates of the month depend on what is visible in each location. Therefore, the dates vary from country to country, but usually only one day. |
Not to shake the hand of a woman from the island, for religious reasons. Possibility of kissing young girls from the diaspora outside the island freer. Do not drink alcohol in public! Dance the few dances!
