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Demographics of the Comoros

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Demographics of the Comoros
Population pyramid of the Comoros in 2020
Population876,437 (2022 est.)
Growth rate1.37% (2022 est.)
Birth rate22.52 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate6.55 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Life expectancy67.2 years
 • male64.93 years
 • female69.54 years
Fertility rate2.78 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate57.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Net migration rate-2.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Age structure
0–14 years36.68%
65 and over4.08%
Sex ratio
Total0.94 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
At birth1.03 male(s)/female
Under 151 male(s)/female
65 and over0.76 male(s)/female
Nationality
NationalityComorian
Language
OfficialArabic, French, Shikomoro
Population, fertility rate and net reproduction rate, United Nations estimates

The Comorians (Arabic: القمري) inhabiting Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli (86% of the population) share African-Arab origins. Islam is the dominant religion, and Quranic schools for children reinforce its influence. Although Islamic culture is firmly established throughout, a small minority are Christian.

The most common language is Comorian, related to Swahili. French and Arabic also are spoken. About 89% of the population is literate.

The Comoros have had eight censuses since World War II:[1][2]

  • 1951
  • 1956
  • 1958-09-07: 183,133
  • 1966-07-06[3]
  • Note: in 1974 Mayotte was removed from the Comoros
  • 1980-09-15: 335,150
  • 1991-09-15: 446,817
  • 2003-09-15: 575,660
  • 2017-12-15: 758,316

The latest official estimate (for 1 July 2020) is 897,219.[4]

Population density figures conceal a great disparity between the republic's most crowded island, Nzwani, which had a density of 772 persons per square kilometer in 2017; Njazidja, which had a density of 331 persons per square kilometer in 2017; and Mwali, where the 2017 population density figure was 178 persons per square kilometer. By comparison, estimates of the population density per square kilometer of the Indian Ocean's other island microstates ranged from 241 (Seychelles) to 690 (Maldives) in 1993. Given the rugged terrain of Njazidja and Nzwani, and the dedication of extensive tracts to agriculture on all three islands, population pressures on the Comoros are becoming increasingly critical.

The age structure of the population of the Comoros is similar to that of many developing countries, in that the republic has a very large proportion of young people. In 1989, 46.4 percent of the population was under fifteen years of age, an above-average proportion even for sub-Saharan Africa. The population's rate of growth was a relatively high 3.5 percent per annum in the mid 1980s, up substantially from 2.0 percent in the mid-1970s and 2.1 percent in the mid-1960s.

In 1983 the Abdallah regime borrowed US$2.85 million from the International Development Association to devise a national family planning program. However, Islamic reservations about contraception made forthright advocacy and implementation of birth control programs politically hazardous, and consequently little was done in the way of public policy.

The Comorian population has become increasingly urbanized in recent years. In 1991 the percentage of Comorians residing in cities and towns of more than 5,000 persons was about 30 percent, up from 25 percent in 1985 and 23 percent in 1980. The Comoros' largest cities were the capital, Moroni, with about 30,000 people, and the port city of Mutsamudu, on the island of Nzwani, with about 20,000 people.

Migration among the various islands is important. Natives of Nzwani have settled in significant numbers on less crowded Mwali, causing some social tensions, and many Nzwani also migrate to Maore. In 1977 Maore expelled peasants from Ngazidja and Nzwani who had recently settled in large numbers on the island. Some were allowed to reenter starting in 1981 but solely as migrant labor.

The number of Comorians living abroad has been estimated at between 80,000 and 100,000; during the colonial period, most of them lived in Tanzania, Madagascar, and other parts of Southeast Africa. The number of Comorians residing in Madagascar was drastically reduced after anti-Comorian rioting in December 1976 in Mahajanga, in which at least 1,400 Comorians were killed. As many as 17,000 Comorians left Madagascar to seek refuge in their native land in 1977 alone. About 100,000 Comorians live in France; many of them had gone there for a university education and never returned. Small numbers of Indians, Malagasy, South Africans, and Europeans (mostly French) live on the islands and play an important role in the economy. Most French left after independence in 1975.

Some Persian Gulf countries started buying Comorian citizenship for their stateless Bedoon residents and deporting them to Comoros.[5][6][7]

Population

[edit]
Demographics of the Comoros, Data of FAO, year 2005; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

UN population projections

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UN medium variant projections[8]
Year Population
2010
734,750
2015
832,400
2020
933,330
2025
1,041,150
2030
1,160,260
2035
1,290,200
2040
1,425,970
2045
1,562,910
2050
1,700,130

Vital statistics

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Statistics as of 2010:[9]

Period Live births per year Deaths per year Natural change per year CBR* CDR* NC* TFR* IMR*
1950–1955 8 000 4 000 4 000 46.8 24.0 22.8 6.00 178
1955–1960 9 000 4 000 5 000 48.9 22.9 26.0 6.60 167
1960–1965 10 000 4 000 6 000 48.0 20.8 27.2 6.91 154
1965–1970 11 000 4 000 6 000 46.8 18.9 27.9 7.05 141
1970–1975 12 000 4 000 8 000 46.8 16.9 29.8 7.05 127
1975–1980 14 000 5 000 10 000 47.9 15.6 32.3 7.05 116
1980–1985 17 000 5 000 12 000 48.6 14.3 34.4 7.05 106
1985–1990 16 000 5 000 11 000 39.6 12.1 27.5 6.00 95
1990–1995 17 000 5 000 12 000 36.6 11.0 25.6 5.30 89
1995–2000 20 000 6 000 15 000 38.6 10.6 28.0 5.30 83
2000–2005 24 000 6 000 18 000 40.2 10.1 30.0 5.30 78
2005–2010 27 000 7 000 20 000 39.0 9.4 29.5 5.08 72
* CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)

Fertility and Births

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Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):[10]

Year Total Urban Rural
CBR TFR CBR TFR CBR TFR
1996 33.9 5.1 (3.7) 28.9 4.1 (3.1) 35.8 5.5 (4.0)
2012 32.3 4.3 (3.2) 27.7 3.5 (2.5) 34.5 4.8 (3.5)

Structure of the population (DHS 2012) (Males 11 088, Females 12 284 = 23 373) :

Age Group Male (%) Female (%) Total (%)
0–4 15.5 13.6 14.5
5–9 15.0 13.8 14.4
10–14 13.9 11.8 12.8
15–19 10.1 11.2 10.7
20–24 6.8 8.6 7.8
25–29 5.4 7.8 6.7
30–34 5.8 6.5 6.2
35–39 6.0 5.4 5.7
40–44 4.5 4.0 4.2
45–49 3.2 2.5 2.9
50–54 2.9 4.9 3.9
55–59 1.7 2.2 2.0
60–64 3.3 2.6 2.9
65–69 1.5 1.3 1.4
70–74 2.3 1.7 2.0
75–79 0.8 0.8 0.8
80+ 1.2 1.3 1.3
Unknown 0.1 0.1 0.1
Age group Male (%) Female (%) Total (%)
0–14 44.4 39.2 41.7
15–64 49.7 55.6 52.7
65+ 5.8 5.1 5.5

Fertility data as of 2012 (DHS Program):[11]

Region Total fertility rate Percentage of women age 15-49 currently pregnant Mean number of children ever born to women age 40-49
Mohéli 5.0 6.8 6.3
Anjouan 5.2 6.7 5.8
Grande Comore 3.5 6.5 4.6

Other demographic statistics

[edit]

Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2022.[12]

  • One birth every 19 minutes
  • One death every 85 minutes
  • One net migrant every 288 minutes
  • Net gain of one person every 27 minutes

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook.[13]

Population

[edit]
876,437 (2022 est.)
821,164 (July 2018 est.)
690,948 (July 2006 est.)

Religions

[edit]

Sunni Muslim 98%, other (including Shia Muslim, Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant) 2% note: Sunni Islam is the state religion

Age structure

[edit]
Population pyramid of Comoros in 2020
0-14 years: 36.68% (male 154,853/female 155,602)
15-24 years: 20.75% (male 85,208/female 90,422)
25-54 years: 33.99% (male 136,484/female 151,178)
55-64 years: 4.49% (male 17,237/female 20,781)
65 years and over: 4.08% (male 15,437/female 19,079) (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 38.54% (male 157,764 /female 158,676)
15-24 years: 19.89% (male 79,133 /female 84,181)
25-54 years: 33.25% (male 129,645 /female 143,408)
55-64 years: 4.34% (male 15,957 /female 19,690)
65 years and over: 3.98% (male 14,881 /female 17,829) (2018 est.)
0–14 years: 42.7% (male 148,009/female 147,038)
15–64 years: 54.3% (male 185,107/female 190,139)
65 years and over: 3% (male 9,672/female 10,983) (2006 est.)

Median age

[edit]
year total male female country comparison to the world
2006 est. 18.6 years 18.4 years 18.9 years
2018 est. 20.2 years 19.5 years 20.8 years 188th
2020 est. 20.9 years 20.2 years 21.5 years 188th

Population growth rate

[edit]
1.37% (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 70th
1.57% (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 66th
2.87% (2006 est.)

Birth rate

[edit]
22.52 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 55th
25.3 births/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 49th

Death rate

[edit]
6.55 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 135th
7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 125th

Net migration rate

[edit]
-2.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 172nd
-2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) Country comparison to the world: 168th

Total fertility rate

[edit]
2.78 children born/woman (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 56th
3.21 children born/woman (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 46th

Mother's mean age at first birth

[edit]
23 years (2012 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-49

Contraceptive prevalence rate

[edit]
19.4% (2012)

Dependency ratios

[edit]

total dependency ratio: 75.5 (2015 est.) youth dependency ratio: 70.5 (2015 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.1 (2015 est.) potential support ratio: 19.7 (2015 est.)

Urbanization

[edit]
urban population: 29.9% of total population (2022)
rate of urbanization: 2.97% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 29% of total population (2018)
rate of urbanization: 2.87% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Sex ratio

[edit]
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

[edit]
total population: 67.2 years. Country comparison to the world: 192nd
male: 64.93 years
female: 69.54 years (2022 est.)
Total population: 62.33 years
Male: 60 years
Female: 64.72 years (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS

[edit]
Adult prevalence rate: 0.12% (2001 est.)
People living with HIV/AIDS: NA
Deaths: NA

Nationality

[edit]
Noun: Comorian(s)
Adjective: Comorian

Languages

[edit]
Main article: Languages of the Comoros
Arabic (official), French (official), Comorian (official)[14]

Literacy

[edit]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58.8%
male: 64.6%
female: 53% (2018)
Definition: age 15 and over who can read and write
total population: 77.8% (2015 est.)
male: 81.8% (2015 est.)
female: 73.7% (2015 est.)
Total population: 56.5%
Male: 63.6%
Female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

[edit]
total: 11 years (2014)
male: 11 years (2014)
female: 11 years (2014)

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Demographics of the Comoros.
  1. ^ "Comoros population statistics". GeoHive. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011.
  2. ^ Population census of the Comoro Islands, 1951, 1956 and 1958 (mircofilm). New Haven, Connecticut: Research Publications. 1977. OCLC 3659638.
  3. ^ Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (1966). Recensement de la population des Comores 1966: résultats par village, sexe et groupe d'âge. Paris: Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques. OCLC 13015378.
  4. ^ Institut Nationale de la Statistique et Etudes Economiques et Démographiques, Comoros (web).
  5. ^ "Stateless and for Sale in the Gulf". 11 July 2016.
  6. ^ "Kuwait trying to sell its Bidoon population to Comoros". 20 May 2016.
  7. ^ "The bizarre scheme to transform a remote island into the new Dubai | Atossa Araxia Abrahamian". TheGuardian.com. 11 November 2015.
  8. ^ "World Population Prospects, the 2010 Revision". Esa.un.org. 2011-06-28. Retrieved 2011-12-21.
  9. ^ World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision Archived May 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "MEASURE DHS: Demographic and Health Surveys". microdata.worldbank.org.
  11. ^ "Enquête Démographique et de Santé et à Indicateurs Multiples (EDSC-MICS II) 2012" (PDF). Dhsprogram.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-07-11. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  12. ^ "Comoros Population 2022", World Population Review
  13. ^ Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: "The World FactBook - Comoros", The World Factbook, July 12, 2018
  14. ^ "Africa :: COMOROS". CIA The World Factbook. 6 December 2023.

Attribution: Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook (2024 ed.). CIA. (Archived 2006 edition.) Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Indian Ocean : five island countries. Federal Research Division.

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