Happy independence day Comoros

The Comoro Islands, or Comoros, gained independence from France on 6 July 1975.

Things you may not know about Comoros:
– The Comoros archipelago comprises of four major islands – Grand Comoros (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), Moheli (Mwali) – all parts of Comoro Islands, and Mayotte (still a french territory).
– Stars on the flag symbolise four islands located in the territory of the Comoros.
– Most of the Comoros islands are volcanic.
– Grande Comore contains about half of the country’s population, Anjouan about two-fifths, and Mohéli less than one-tenth.
– Moroni is the largest city, the federal capital, and seat of the government of the Comoros. In the native language, the word ‘Moroni’ translates to ‘in the heart of fire’. This is probably due to its proximity to the active volcanic Mt. Karthala.
– Moroni has its own medina (old Arabic town) which resembles the Arabic Zanzibar architecture.
– A unique thing about Comoros is that instead of one official language, it has three; French, Arabic and Comorian.
– Comorians are strong followers of Islam, and religious celebrations are widely observed.
– The local culture is a hodgepodge of Arab, French and African influences. The residents have a strong regard for music and other performance arts and local artisans are skilled in sculpture, pottery, embroidery, and basketry.
– Comoros is the largest producer of ylang-ylang. This is an ingredient in many fragrant oils and perfumes.
– Comoros is second only to Madagascar when it comes to vanilla production, making it the second-largest vanilla producer in the entire world.
– Comoros has 146 different bird species. Each of the major islands has its own unique owl: Anjouan Scops-owl, the Mohéli Scops-owl and the Grand Comoro Scops-owl.

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