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  • Title: [Population of Comoros].
    Author: Tallon F.
    Journal: Demogr Afr; 1985; (48-49):8-18. PubMed ID: 12341246.
    Abstract:
    The 3 islands administered by the Federal Islamic Republic of Comoros had a total population of 335,150 in the 1980 census. The population grew at an annual rate of 3.3% after the 1966 census, but growth rates were slower on Grand Comoros than on the other 2 islands. 54.5% of the population lived in villages of less than 2000 inhabitants. There is not much rural-urban migration because of the lack of employment opportunities in urban areas. The age structure of Comoros is poorly known, and ages ending in 5 and especially in 0 are greatly overrepresented in the census. The proportion under age 15 has increased from 44.0% in 1966 to 47.2% in 1980. 96% of men and 98% of women marry. The average age at 1st marriage is 20.0 for women and 26.8 for men. The proportion of polygamous men has decreased from 24.9% in 1966 to 19.1% in 1980. Polygamy is more common among older men. Marriage is unstable because of the ease of divorce. 48.8% of persons aged 12 and over are illiterate. The active population numbered 99,463 in 1980, or 29.7% of the total. 73.6% of the active population was male, but female activity rates were probably underestimated. 13.3% of the population was unemployed. 65.3% of the active population was engaged in agriculture, 5.7% in fishing, and 4.1% in construction. The economic development of the 3 islands is uneven; Anjouan seems to be the poorest and least developed. Because of the poor quality of age and other data in the census, the method of Brass was used to estimate fertility levels. The resulting fertility rates per 1000 women were 134.5 for ages 15-19, 327.4 for those 20-24, 337.9 for those 25-29, 276.6 for those 30-34, 178.8 for those 35-39, 80.6 for those 40-44, and 74.7 for those 45-49. The general fertility rate was 219/1000, the crude birth rate was 46.0/1000, the total fertility rate was 7.05, and the crude reproduction rate was 3.41. Indirect methods yielded estimates for males, females, and the total population respectively of 16.4, 15.1, and 15.7 for general mortality, 132.4, 110.4, and 127.1 for infant mortality, and 54.2, 53.9, and 54.0 for life expectancy. Migration from 1 island to another is increasing, but is still relatively unimportant. Short-term population projections indicate total populations of 395,410 in 1985 and 466,277 in 1990. Long-term demographic prospects are bleak because of the young age structure and lack of employment opportunities. A population policy with a family planning component should be put in place if future economic and demographic disaster is to be averted.
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