The four islands
Who decides what in the archipelago? Institutions of the Union of the Comoros and of Mayotte, religious and customary authorities, sport and associations: the voices people really listen to.
The archipelago lives under two frameworks: the Union of the Comoros (Grande Comore, Anjouan, Mohéli), an independent state since 1975, and Mayotte, a French department since 2011, a status disputed by the Union. Alongside the official institutions, authorities with no legal status — notables of the grand marriage, cadis, fundi, brotherhoods, village associations — often count just as much in daily life. See also: Mayotte: contrasting views.
Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli: the shared institutions, based in Moroni.
Beit-Salam Palace, Moroni
Elected by universal suffrage for five years, the president is both head of state and head of government. The constitutional revision approved by referendum on 30 July 2018 (92.7% “yes”) abolished the three vice-presidencies, one per island, and adjusted the rotating presidency introduced in 2001: the president may now serve two consecutive terms.
Moroni
The Parliament of the Comoros has a single chamber. Its deputies are elected in constituencies on the three islands; the 2018 Constitution also provides for representation of Comorians living abroad. It passes the laws and the budget of the Union.
Moroni
It issues the Comorian franc, whose parity with the euro is fixed (€1 = 491.96775 KMF) thanks to a monetary cooperation agreement with France. A welcome stability for travellers as for the families who receive money from the diaspora.
Moroni
The highest court of the Union. Since 2018, a constitutional and electoral section has taken over the powers of the former Constitutional Court: it proclaims election results and rules on whether laws comply with the Constitution.
Moroni
Sunni Islam, of the Shafi'i school, is the state religion. Appointed by the president, the Grand Mufti is the highest religious authority and advises the government on the practice of Islam. With the Council of Ulema, the Grand Mufti publishes, among other things, the guidelines for the month of Ramadan each year.
Mvouni, near Moroni
Founded in 2003, it has its headquarters in Mvouni and university centres in Patsy, on Anjouan (opened in 2009), and on Mohéli (Fomboni and Wanani). Many Comorian students also continue their studies abroad.
Moroni
The National Centre for Documentation and Scientific Research, founded in 1979, brings together the National Museum, the National Archives and Library, the Karthala volcano observatory and research laboratories (oral traditions, archaeology, Arab-Muslim civilisation). It is the country's scholarly memory.
Moroni
Founded in 1985, Al-Watwan is the state newspaper; the Comoros Radio and Television Office (ORTC) broadcasts in Comorian, French and Arabic. Newspapers, private radio stations and online media, often run from the diaspora, complete the landscape.
Malouzini multi-sports stadium, near Iconi
The national team, nicknamed the Coelacanths, pulled off a feat at AFCON 2021 in Cameroon: a 3–2 win against Ghana and qualification for the round of 16, lost 2–1 to the host nation with an outfield player in goal. It then qualified unbeaten for AFCON 2025 in Morocco, where it was knocked out in the first round with two draws and a defeat by the host nation. Each island has its own championship; the best clubs meet in the national final stage. International matches are played at the Malouzini stadium (about 10,700 seats), opened in 2019. Source: Foot Africa, final group standings at AFCON 2025 and beIN Sports, 26 December 2025 (accessed 18/10/2026).
In every village, and in France
Almost every village has its association, in the Comoros and in France, where many Comorians live, especially in Marseille and the Paris region. They fund schools, mosques, water supply, roads and clinics, and carry weight in village decisions. Village sports and cultural associations also organise tournaments and festivities.
Zawiyas in towns and villages
Established mainly in the 19th and 20th centuries — the Shadhiliyya, the most widespread, marked by the figure of Sheikh Saïd Mohamed al-Maarouf, the Qadiriyya, the Rifa'iyya, then others — the brotherhoods set the rhythm of religious life: dhikr, maoulida, gatherings in the zawiyas, often built around a master's tomb. Their sheikhs are listened to well beyond the circle of followers.
In every village
The fundi teaches the Koran to children from a very young age, before or alongside state school. Imams and scholars, consulted on marriages, inheritances and disputes, are highly respected figures on all four islands.
Moroni
Each island of the Union is run by an elected governor, responsible for the island's own affairs in liaison with the government of the Union. The island councils were abolished by the 2018 constitutional revision.
Moroni and municipal seats
Planned since independence, the municipalities only elected their first municipal councils on 22 February 2015. Grande Comore has 28 of them; the mayors were elected by the councillors, with the involvement of neighbourhood and village chiefs.
The public square of every town
Every town has its public square, the bangwe, the seat of customary power. Decisions there rest with the wandruwadzima, the “accomplished men” who have celebrated the grand marriage (anda): they form the council of notables, choose the imams and arbitrate the life of the town. Their authority is written into no law, but it remains highly respected.
In every town
Men are ranked by generation: several age groups among the young (wanamdji), then among the accomplished men. They organise collective work, festivities and the upkeep of the town, and each is attached to its rank.
The whole island
Coin Nord of Mitsamiouli (founded in 1960, the country's most successful club with seven championships), Volcan Club of Moroni, Élan Club of Mitsoudjé, Ngaya Club of Mdé and Djabal Club of Iconi: every town supports its team with fervour.
Fomboni
The smallest island of the Union is run by an elected governor based in Fomboni. It has six municipalities.
The whole island
Mohélian society is divided between two halves, mdjaume and mdjawashe, and matrilineal “houses” (madzuwe), which measure themselves against one another in ceremonial exchanges: meals, gifts, grand marriages. Notables who have completed these stages carry great weight. Read: The sentinels of Djando.
Nioumachoua
Created on 19 April 2001, the first protected area in the Comoros, the park was negotiated with the villages: ten marine reserves within it are managed together with the communities. Extended in 2015 to three quarters of the island's land, it earned Mohéli recognition as a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 2020.
Itsamia
Founded in 1991 by the villagers, the Itsamia Association for Socio-Economic Development protects the turtle nesting beaches, trains guides and runs bungalows: a model of community ecotourism.
Fomboni
Several times champion of the Comoros, Fomboni Club carries the colours of Mwali in the national final stage, against the clubs of the two larger islands.
Mutsamudu
The most densely populated island of the archipelago is run by an elected governor based in Mutsamudu. It has 20 municipalities, with elected municipal councils since 2015.
Mutsamudu, Domoni
Two brotherhoods have Anjouanese roots: the Rifa'iyya, introduced in the 19th century by Salim ibn Ahmed al-Himidi, from Mutsamudu, and the Qadiriyya, spread in particular by Muhammad ibn Ahmed, a native of Domoni. Their ceremonies still bring together many of the faithful.
Medinas and villages
The grand marriage also exists on Anjouan, but it structures society less rigidly than on Grande Comore. In the medinas of Mutsamudu and Domoni, old scholarly and merchant families long formed the urban elite; in the villages, the elders keep a respected role as arbiters.
Ouani, Nyumakele
Nkoma in Ouani, trimba in Nyumakele: these festivals inherited from before Islam are organised by the founding families and the elders, who keep their rules and secrets. Read: The pact of Basra and The Trimba.
Domoni, Sima…
Chirazienne of Domoni (founded in 1950), Komorozine of Domoni, Steal Nouvel of Sima: Domoni and Sima are strongholds of Anjouanese football.
Villages, especially during Ramadan
A traditional form of boxing practised to the sound of drums, mrengué livens up the evenings, especially during Ramadan. Several prefectures have banned it to prevent trouble.
Mamoudzou
The prefect represents the State: security, immigration, state services. French since 1841, Mayotte became a department on 31 March 2011; it elects two deputies and two senators to Parliament.
Mamoudzou
Since 1 January 2026, Mayotte has been a Department-Region: as a single local authority, it exercises the powers of both a department and a region, and its departmental council has become the Assembly of Mayotte. Its 26 members, elected in pairs in 13 cantons since 2015 and now called councillors of the Assembly of Mayotte, will number 52 from the next general election, scheduled for 2028, as provided for by the organic law of 11 August 2025. Source: Légifrance, Decree no. 2025-1427 of 30 December 2025 on the Department-Region of Mayotte (accessed 18/10/2026).
From Mamoudzou to Mtsamboro
Mamoudzou, the most populous, Dzaoudzi-Labattoir and Pamandzi on Petite-Terre, Koungou, Bandrélé, Sada… The municipalities, grouped into inter-municipal bodies, run schools, roads and local services.
Mamoudzou
Justice is administered in the name of the French people by the tribunal judiciaire of Mamoudzou; appeals are heard by an appeal chamber attached to the court of appeal of Saint-Denis, Réunion.
One per municipality, a Grand Cadi in Mamoudzou
Muslim judges for centuries, the cadis lost their judicial and notarial powers in 2010 (ordinance of 3 June 2010). Still paid by the Department, there are about twenty of them — one per municipality and a Grand Cadi in Mamoudzou — and they act as mediators, called on to calm family and neighbourhood disputes.
In every village
The manzaraka, the last stage of the traditional wedding, sometimes brings together hundreds of guests who bring gifts and money; the shungu is a meal offered by the newly-weds to their age group and to the village, according to a strict rule of equality. These obligations weave the solidarity — and the hierarchy — of the villages.
Mayotte
Created on 18 January 2010, the first marine natural park in France's overseas territories, it covers 69,000 km² — the lagoon, the territorial waters and the whole exclusive economic zone — including a 1,300 km² lagoon surrounded by a double coral barrier, a very rare phenomenon.
Dembéni
The former university centre for training and research became a full university on 1 January 2024. It has about 2,000 students.
Mamoudzou
Founded in 1979 and affiliated to the French Football Federation, the Mahoran League organises the championship and the Coupe de Mayotte; every season, Mahoran clubs play in the Coupe de France. Basketball is the island's other passion: Basket Club de M'tsapéré (BCM) is one of its leading clubs.
Villages and seafront
Mrengué, traditional boxing to the sound of drums, livens up Ramadan evenings; some municipalities have banned it because of incidents. Since 2022, the town of Mamoudzou has held a traditional canoe (laka) race every year. See Traditional sports and games.
In every village
Mothers come together in associations that raise help and money for weddings; the shikowa, women's rotating savings groups, fund family and business projects. Heirs to the Chatouilleuses, figures of the Mahoran political struggle of the 1960s and 1970s, women hold a central place in public life.
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