Editing Comoros (section)

== Economy ==
{{Main|Economy of the Comoros}}
[[File:Historical economic growth of the Comores.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|GDP per capita development, since 1950]]

The level of [[poverty]] in the Comoros is high, but "judging by the [[Poverty threshold|international poverty threshold]] of $1.9 per person per day, only two out of every ten Comorians could be classified as poor, a rate that places the Comoros ahead of other [[low-income countries]] and 30 percentage points ahead of other countries in [[Sub-Saharan Africa]]."<ref name=2018WorldBank>[https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/comoros/publication/latest-report-on-poverty-in-the-comoros Latest Report on Poverty in the Comoros] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129213150/https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/comoros/publication/latest-report-on-poverty-in-the-comoros |date=29 January 2020 }}, World Bank (14 June 2018).</ref> Poverty declined by about 10% between 2014 and 2018, and living conditions generally improved.<ref name=2018WorldBank/> [[Economic inequality]] remains widespread, with a major gap between rural and urban areas.<ref name=2018WorldBank/> [[Remittance]]s through the sizable Comorian diaspora form a substantial part of the country's GDP<ref name=CSIS>[https://www.csis.org/analysis/comoros-big-troubles-some-small-islands Comoros: Big Troubles on Some Small Islands] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129222939/https://www.csis.org/analysis/comoros-big-troubles-some-small-islands |date=29 January 2020 }}, Center for Strategic and International Studies (14 April 2008).</ref> and have contributed to decreases in poverty and increases in living standards.<ref name=2018WorldBank/>

According to [[ILO]]'s ILOSTAT statistical database, between 1991 and 2019 the [[unemployment rate]] as a percent of the total labor force ranged from 4.38% to 4.3%.<ref>[http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190612090355/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS |date=12 June 2019 }}, International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in December 2019.</ref> An October 2005 paper by the Comoros Ministry of Planning and Regional Development, however, reported that "registered unemployment rate is 14.3 percent, distributed very unevenly among and within the islands, but with marked incidence in urban areas."<ref name="Office of the General Commissioner for Planning, Ministry of Planning and Regional Development">{{cite web |title=Union of the Comoros: Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy Paper (Updated Interim Paper) |publisher=Office of the General Commissioner for Planning, Ministry of Planning and Regional Development |date=October 2005 |url=http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTPRS1/Resources/Comoros_IPRSP(Oct2005).pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061231121817/http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTPRS1/Resources/Comoros_IPRSP(Oct2005).pdf |archive-date=31 December 2006 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2019, more than 56% of the labor force was employed in agriculture, with 29% employed in industry and 14% employed in services.<ref>[https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/comoros/economy Comoros: Economy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129213148/https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/comoros/economy |date=29 January 2020 }}, globalEDGE, Michigan State University (29 January 2020).</ref> The islands' agricultural sector is based on the export of [[spice]]s, including [[vanilla]], [[cinnamon]], and [[cloves]], and thus susceptible to price fluctuations in the volatile world [[commodity market]] for these goods.<ref name=CSIS/> The Comoros is the world's largest producer of [[ylang-ylang]], a plant whose extracted [[essential oil]] is used in the [[perfume]] industry; some 80% of the world's supply comes from the Comoros.<ref>Sarah Graingerm [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3652780.stm Comoros seeks sweet smell of success] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129213845/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3652780.stm |date=29 January 2020 }}, BBC News (14 September 2004).</ref>

High population densities, as much as 1000 per square kilometre in the densest agricultural zones, for what is still a mostly rural, agricultural economy may lead to an environmental crisis in the near future, especially considering the high rate of population growth. In 2004 the Comoros' real GDP growth was a low 1.9% and real GDP per capita continued to decline. These declines are explained by factors including declining investment, drops in consumption, rising inflation, and an increase in trade imbalance due in part to lowered cash crop prices, especially vanilla.<ref name="Office of the General Commissioner for Planning, Ministry of Planning and Regional Development" />

Fiscal policy is constrained by erratic fiscal revenues, a bloated civil service wage bill, and an external debt that is far above the [[Heavily indebted poor countries|HIPC]] threshold. Membership in the franc zone, the main anchor of stability, has nevertheless helped contain pressures on domestic prices.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mfw4a.org/comoros/comoros-financial-sector-profile.html |title=Comoros: Financial Sector Profile |publisher=mfw4a.org |access-date=15 January 2011|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513113341/http://www.mfw4a.org/comoros/comoros-financial-sector-profile.html |archive-date=13 May 2011}}</ref>

The Comoros has an inadequate transportation system,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.carkomori.com/en/blog/enhancing-comoros-transport-network-a-road-to-sustainable-progress |title=Enhancing Comoros' Transport Network: A Road to Sustainable Progress |website=carkomori.com |date=20 September 2024 |access-date=13 May 2025}}</ref> a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labour force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high [[unemployment]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Comoros/Youth_unemployment/ |title=Comoros: Youth unemployment
|website=theglobaleconomy.com |date=2023 |access-date=13 May 2025}}</ref> and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture contributes 40% to [[GDP]] and provides most of the exports.

The government is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, to privatise commercial and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population growth rate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/country/home/tags/comoros |title=Rural Poverty Portal |work=ruralpovertyportal.org |access-date=7 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118042213/https://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/country/home/tags/comoros |archive-date=18 January 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Comoros is a member of the Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa ([[OHADA]]).<ref name="ohada.com">
{{cite web |title=OHADA.com: The business law portal in Africa |url=http://www.ohada.com/index.php |access-date=22 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326033744/http://www.ohada.com/index.php |archive-date=26 March 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>