HOME WEB NEWS IMAGES CLASSIFIEDS YELLOW PAGESPOLLS - SURVEYS WIKI COUNTRIES PHOTOS US UK INDIA
Cities Stocks Weather Movies Coupons Travel Blogs Health Horoscope Maps ASIA EUROPE Classifieds Yellow Pages
 1
|
| Ile Autonome d\'Anjouan Ndzuwani Autonomous Island of Anjouan |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
||||
|
||||
| Capital (and largest city) | Mutsamudu | |||
| Official languages | Comorian (Shindzuan dialect), Arabic, French | |||
| Government | Autonomous Island | |||
| - | President | Dhoihirou Halidi | ||
| Area | ||||
| - | Total | 424 km² 863 sq mi |
||
| - | Water (%) | negligible | ||
| Population | ||||
| - | 1991 estimate | 240,000 | ||
| Currency | Comorian franc (KMF) |
|||
| Time zone | EAT (UTC+3) | |||
| - | Summer (DST) | not observed (UTC+3) | ||
| Internet TLD | .km | |||
| Calling code | +269 | |||
Anjouan (also known as Ndzuwani or Nzwani) is an island and autonomous Republic of the Union of Comoros. The island is located in the Indian Ocean. Its capital is Mutsamudu and its population as of 1991 is about 240,000. The total area of the Island is 424 sq. kilometers.
Contents |
The highs on the island range from 27 to 32 degrees Celsius year-round. The weather is warm and humid from December to April and slightly cooler from May to November.
 map.jpg/58px-Anjouan (Comoros) map.jpg)
Map of Anjouan
Anjouan is part of the Comoros Islands located in the Mozambique Channel.
African mainlanders, Creoles, Arabs, Malay-Polynesians, Antalotes and Shirazi Persians make up the population of Anjouan. The main religion is Sunni Islam. Although the Island is filled with large numbers of Mosques, religious observance is not as strict as it is in many other countries observing Islam. Alcohol is forbidden on the island. Because of the French influence on the Island much of the Island\'s cuisine is similar to French food.
The first inhabitants of the island were explorers and immigrants from Indonesia and Polynesia. After that people all around the Indian Ocean began to come to Anjouan and the Comoros Islands. In about 1500 the sultanate of Ndzuwani was founded, which took over the entire island (for further information see: List of sultans on the Comoros). The Sultanate of Anjouan was the most powerful of all the Comorian sultanates. In 1816 Sultan Alawi bin Husein first requested French assistance against the Sultanate of Zanzibar which was threatening his domain. The island came under French protection in 1886 and was formally annexed by France in 1912. The strictly republican annexation was opposed by the last reigning sultan but his meagre forces were crushed when they offered resistance. Anjouan joined the Comoros nation when it became independent in 1975.
In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Mohéli declared their independence from Comoros. However, the islands were reunified with Comoros again in 2002, a new constitution mandated the election of a President of Anjouan along with presidents for the other two islands and a federal president. Mohamed Bacar, who had lead the separatist government since 2001, was elected for a 5-year term as President of Anjouan. His term expired 14 April 2007, and the president of the assembly, Houmadi Caambi, became acting president from 15 April 2007 to 10 May 2007.
Citing irregularities and intimidation in the run-up to voting, the African Union (AU) and the Union government postponed the polls on Anjouan, but Bacar defiantly printed his own ballots, held elections anyway in June 2007 and claimed a landslide victory of 90 percent.[1] In July 2007 he once again declared the island of Anjouan to be independent of the Comoros.[citation needed]
In February 2008, the Comoros rejected the African Union\'s extended sanctions against Anjouan and instead opted for a military solution.
"We have negotiated over and over and now this idea is no longer in fashion. We have come to understand that the only language that Mohamed Bacar will understand is the language of weapons" - Lieutenant Colonel Salimou Mohamed Amiri, Comoros Army
In early March the Comoros armed forces were joined by around 400 international reinforcements from the African Union made up of contingents from Tanzania, Senegal, Libya and Sudan. They have been stationed on the island of Mohéli which is closest to Anjouan. Vows of resistance from the self declared president of Anjouan have been met with stern words from the African Union envoy [2]:
"He will be overwhelmed...I am afraid to say that if he tries to do that, it will be the end of him physically, if necessary." - Francesco Madeira, Envoy, African Union\'
On March 11, there was an armed incursion on the island, in which three members of the Anjouan Militia loyal to President Bacar were captured and taken to Mohéli for interrogation.
"A group of soldiers entered on the 11th in Anjouan\'s Sima region and arrested three of Mohamed Bacar\'s militia, this is not the first time that the National Development Army has made such an intrusion."[3] - Lieutenant Colonel Salimou Mohamed Amiri
Responding to these events President Bacar gave a defiant interview to AFP on March 12 where he restated his position regarding his autonomous government in Anjouan but also let it be known that the opportunity for a negotiated settlement was still there:
"I am ready to die to defend the right to democracy in Anjouan, we are ready to fight the invaders and to defend Anjouan! We are only calling for the law to be respected. It is never too late for peace and to do the right thing. What we need is to organise a round table on the real problems of the Comoros, between Comorians, to put everything on the table and discuss it."[4] - President Mohamed Bacar of Anjouan
The island uses the Comorian franc as its currency. The economy of the island is dependent on agriculture and related industries. These industries employ over 80% of the work force. The island\'s main food staple is rice, most of which must be imported. Anjouan is the world\'s primary exporter of ylang-ylang oil, an ingredient in almost all perfumes.
Anjouan have invested heavily in its national security. Main components are the Gendarmerie commanded by Commander Abdou, the younger brother of Col. Mr. Bacar, the strongman of Anjouan. A battalion size militia of approx. 500 backs the Gendarmerie. The readiness status of Anjoun defence forces is unknown as is the armament and equipment status. However, The Anjouan defence forces outweigh the neighbouring Comoran defence forces and are regarded as somewhat more proffessional than the oponent (Comorian defence forces).
The Anjouan defence forces is not known to have any air defence or naval warfare capacity.
The main strategic area is the airfield with its 1,5 KM runway and the bay with the costal road from the Capital Mutsamudu out to the City of Sima.
See: Postage stamps of Anjouan
| Autonomous Islands of Comoros | |
|---|---|
| Anjouan · Grande Comore · Mohéli |  |
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia
