Comoros

Comoros is a group of four volcanic islands in the Indian Ocean, about 200 miles off the coast of Mozambique. The capital is Moroni, and it has roughly 790,000 people. Comoros is 719 square miles in area, making it half the size of Rhode Island. The main religion is Sunni Islam, and the languages spoken are Comorian, Arabic, and French. Agriculture accounts for 50% of the GDP, and employs 80% of the labor force. The main exports are vanilla, ylang-ylang (an ingredient used in making essential oils) and cloves. 29% of the GDP comes from remittances of migrant workers abroad.

The earliest archeological discoveries on Comoros date back to the 4th century, but there is some speculation that the islands may have been inhabited as far back as the 1st century. The first inhabitants were Bantu speakers from Africa, and later Arabs and Austronesians settled there. Comoros became a French colony in the 19th century, and it remained so until independence in 1975. Of the islands comprising Comoros, Mayotte, is still under French administration, having voted against independence in 1975, when the rest of Comoros became independent.

FUN FACTS: Comoros is the world's largest producer of ylang-ylang, and second largest producer of vanilla.

some videos:
Daily Nabil
CNN on vanilla production in Comoros.