Comoros

The struggle

France held the Comoros from 1841 and ran the islands through plantation companies. A 1974 referendum returned an overwhelming yes to independence on three islands, while Mayotte voted to stay French; Paris insisted on counting island by island. The Comoran assembly declared independence unilaterally on 6 July 1975.

One date, a longer story: Mayotte remains under French administration; the Comoros continues to claim it.

Key people

• Ahmed Abdallah

  1919–1989

  Declared independence; first president

• Ali Soilih

  1937–1978

  Radical nationalist leader after independence

• Said Mohamed Cheikh

  1904–1970

  Early nationalist and first Comoran deputy in Paris