Comoros Franc
Comoros uses the Comorian franc as its currency. Each franc is then divided into 100 centimes, as is standard for a franc currency unit. The franc is printed by the Banque de France but is issued and regulated by the Banque Centrale des Comores (the Comorian Central Bank).
The currency is actually only issued in francs, with the centimes being a theoretical sub-division only. Coins are in the form of 25, 50 and 100 francs, with the lower denominations of 1, 2, 5 and 10 francs rarely seen.
Banknotes are issued in the form of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10,000 francs.
The currency is identified by the code KMF and it is pegged to the euro. The currency is not of a high value, since almost 500 Comorian francs are required to buy just one euro!
History of the Comorian Franc
The Comoros islands (there are three islands that make up the Comoros) have had a long association with France, hence why the franc is still used. The French took over the Comoros as a protectorate in 1886 and at this point, they used the French franc on the islands. Then in 1891 the Sultan of the Comoros, issued their own currency, this time a franc, which was used in conjunction with the French franc.
Then in 1912, the Comoros became part of Madagascar, which was also French and French currency was in use until the year 1925, when the Malagasy franc was introduced. This currency continued until 1945, when the Comoros became separate from Madagascar and was a French territory in its own right. As part of this process, the currency was again altered and it became the Madagascar-Comores CFA franc.
In 1979, France and the Comoros signed an agreement which effectively pegged the French franc to the CFA franc. This effectively created the Comorian franc and the two countries, France and Comoros, work closely to ensure economic stability within Comoros. When the French franc was no longer in circulation, the currency was then pegged to the euro, as it still is today.
Getting Hold of Comorian Francs
The best way to get hold of Comorian francs is to take in travellers cheques in the form of euros, since this is the preferred currency within all three of the islands that make up the Comoros.
There is one bank on Grande Comore, that will exchange different types of foreign currency. This bank is really the only bank where this facility exists in terms of the range of currency this bank will exchange. Another bank the BFI will exchange money, but not British pounds, although, if you have euros, then you should be able to exchange these.
Some of the larger hotels will also accept credit cards, but they charge very high rates of commission and this will push up costs, so it is best exchanging notes at the bank. Larger hotels may also accept either US dollars or euros, but again, the exchange rate may be very poor.
The Islands
The island group known as the Comoros are made up of three islands, all towards the eastern part of Africa. The islands are Anjouan, Moheli and
Grande Comore, which is sometimes referred to as Ngadiza. The main tourist facilities are on Grande Comore, since Anjouan has very limited facilities for tourists as does Moheli.
Travellers who may be considering visiting all three of the islands, need to check out the political situation first. In 2008, significant problems in terms of security were experienced in Anjouan, when troops invaded. This was as a result of a Presidential election that effectively was denounced by the rest of the world as being little more than a sham.
Whilst this situation was reportedly eased by the end of March 2008, it is likely that the violence may flare up again at any time and as such, travellers are advised to check that the political situation is stable before they make plans to visit this particular island.
Travellers should also be aware that this is a rather isolated country and due to the fact that it is very small, there are no foreign embassies on Comoros, they are mainly administered by the Embassies in Mauritius, so if anything does go awry, then you really are pretty much on your own, since assistance may not be immediate and even then the person who comes to your assistance will not be wholly familiar with the country, they will simply be visiting it.
This makes checking out the situation in Anjouan even more important, before you finalise any travel plans.
Travelling Between the Islands
Note that if you intend to travel by air between the islands, even if only between Moheli and Grande Comore, then Air Service Comores, is banned by the EU with the only exception being the aircraft LET 410 UVP, so if you do intend to travel, make sure that you are not getting on an Air Service Comores plane that is one of a type other than the LET 410 UVP.
The EU does not ban air services lightly, so consider your safety before you embark on a flight with Air Service Comores! An Airline is only banned if it is thought to be unsafe. The other airline that operates services, the Comores Aviation service has not been banned by the EU, so it is safe to travel on this service.
If the thought of a flight is suddenly not so appealing, then you can also travel by boat. However, before you simply get on a boat, you should be aware that there are some things that you should be mindful of. Firstly, check that the boat is not overloaded (this can sometimes happen) and if it is overloaded, do not travel on it, since there will not be enough lifejackets if there is an accident. Next check that there are life jackets, since some boats do not have them. Whilst it may all seem like part of the adventure, overloaded boats have capsized due to carrying too much weight, in Comoran waters and as a result there has been significant loss of life.
Safety Issues
The crime rate on all the islands is low and if you stay away from Anjouan, if there is still unrest there, then you should be quite safe. However, you should ensure that you have a good insurance policy before you travel to the islands. The facilities on the islands are all very basic and if anything serious happens you may have to be airlifted out. At this point, you want an insurance policy that will definitely pay out, so spend that extra money and get a good one. Healthcare on the islands is generally private, so you will need funds to pay for any medical bills that you incur.
Malaria is common in Comoros, as is cholera, so make sure that you have taken precautions against catching these.
Finally on safety issues be aware that the cyclone season is January to April and Comoros lies in the cyclone belt, so avoid travelling to the country at this time.
Spending Comorian Francs
Comoros is one of the poorest countries in the world. So it is relatively inexpensive to Westerners and yet it is more expensive than other parts of eastern Africa, because so much of the food has to be imported and this pushes up the cost of everything.
If you stay in some of the better hotels it can cost considerably more than if you manage to negotiate a fair price in some of the cheaper hotels, although the amenities will not be as good in the more expensive hotels.
Generally, Grande Camore has more hotels available than in Moheli, but some of the hotels such as the Hotel Moroni, can almost command western style prices.
Food is available at around 3 euros or so for a really nice meal, but you do need to ensure that any food you eat is properly cooked through, to help avoid any unpleasant stomach bugs!
Although a Muslim country, there is no shortage of alcohol on Comoros, but like anywhere in this region, make sure that you don't put any ice in your drinks, or else you risk stomach upsets again.
The country is generally regarded as quite liberal, especially with regard to alcohol, but women should dress very modestly when on the islands and not show off too much of their bodies. Shoulders are seen as being quite offensive when displayed.
Travellers should also be aware that there have been some problems with an alleged western paedophile, who reputedly molested many children on
Grande Comore and as a result, many islanders do not like to have their photo taken by a westerner, so be sensitive about this. If you do see someone that you want to photograph then approach them and ask permission. If they refuse, simply politely acknowledge their refusal.
Overview
Comoros really is a place that has not yet caught up with the rest of the world and for this reason it is a fascinating place to visit. If you want designer shops, boutique and chic hotels as well as lying semi-naked on the beach all day, then Comoros will drive you mad. However, if you want to travel to a bit of the world that is isolated, remote and yet proud of its culture, its roots and with a people who are warm and friendly, then this is a country where you will find a warm welcome and people who have survived, almost against all the odds.
Undoubtedly the future does look uncertain for this group of three little islands. Indeed there has been disharmony in the ranks since the early 1970's and since Comoros gained independence there have been 20 attempted or successful coups and indeed in 1997, Moheli and Anjouan stated that they were now 'independent' from Comoros and although they are now back in the fold, it is uncertain for how long, particularly given the problems in Anjouan.
If they do split, they may well simply become economically unviable and disappear and since Comoros as a whole has an economic pact with the French, it is unlikely that each individual country would be able to have this, which again, may impact on their capacity to survive.
So if you do want to see the Comoros, it is better not to leave it too long. For safety advice, prior to arranging travel to this area, visit a website such as http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1091.html for up to date safety news.
Wow my geography is even worse than I thought it was. I have never heard of Comoros before, and judging by the end of the article they don’t look likely to be there for much longer anyway. I wonder what would happen – would they just become uninhabited and go back to just being there and looking nice? It seems strange thinking of islands being deserted after people have lived on them for so long.
Maybe the people who live there could find a way to survive without all the problems and issues that seem to be there with them. I would say it is interesting to see what happens, but since it involves people’s lives it doesn’t seem right to say that. Hopefully it will all work out for the best.
— Kate · Mar 29, 01:35 PM · #
Isn’t it amazing how many currencies we have simply never heard of? I know we’re all familiar with the franc but I thought it was only France that had that currency. Obviously this is a different version of it but I suppose it is still nice to see the franc is around somewhere in the world.
Mind you having said that, the Euro doesn’t look to be in such hot shape at the moment. Maybe the future will see the French franc coming back into force again. That will be a huge return and a huge job logistically as well I bet! I hope it does come back – it would be nice to see it back again. I have a feeling we might just see it as well.
— Allison · Jun 29, 07:50 PM · #