Country : COMORO ISLANDS
Population	509,000
Peoples	Comorian 96.9%. Mixed Arab, African and Malagasy ancestry. Minorities 3.1%. Makua 7,000; French 1,700; Malagasy 700; Arab 500; Réunionese 500.
Literacy	46%. Official languages: Arabic, French. Three dialects of Comorian Swahili are widely spoken. Languages with Scriptures 2Bi 2por.
Cities	Capital: Moroni 23,000. Urbanization 27%.
Economy	Underdeveloped and poor. Vanilla and perfume oils are virtually the only exports, but the collapse of world prices for these commodities has further depressed economic life. Unemployment over 36%. Public debt/person $370. Income/person $460 (2% of USA).
Politics	A one-party state until 1990, when multi-party democratic government was instituted. There have been numerous coups and attempted coups since independence, some involving foreign mercenaries and French military intervention.
Religion	All open witness is forbidden in this Islamic state. Muslim 98%. Indigenous Comorians are almost entirely Muslim, also some Bantu Makua and Malagasy. There are 780 mosques. Non-religious/other 1.4%. Christian 0.6%. Protestant 0.16%. Mainly Malagasy in several groups. About 120 Comorian believers. Roman Catholic 0.46%. Mainly French, Malagasy and Réunionese.
1. The islanders were completely unevangelized before 1973. They are strong Muslims, but also deeply involved in occult practices and spirit possession. Yet many young people are disillusioned with life in Islamic society which offers so little hope. Even today, open Christian witness is forbidden, so intercede for the opening of this land for God's Word.
2. The quiet witness of 29 AIM medical and veterinary workers in the Republic and on Mayotte has won credit and public honour as well as opportunities to quietly share the Lord Jesus with the people. Pray for continued and increased opportunities for witness and that such may bear fruit.
3. Comorian believers have steadily increased in numbers through the witness and leadership of the first convert. The believers have suffered periods of intense persecution and are not legally permitted to meet openly. Pray for other leaders to be raised up for the several groups of believers. Pray also for the witness of Malagasy and other believers from minority groups.

 

Country : THE TERRITORIAL COLLECTIVITY OF MAYOTTE
Population	98,000
Peoples	Comorian 94.7%. Mainly Maore. European 2.5%. Mainly French. Other 2.8%. Mainland African (3) 1,100; Malagasy 1,000.
Literacy	32%. Official language: French; shiMaore (the local Swahili dialect) and Malagasy widely used.
Cities	Capital: Dzaoudzi 5,400. Mamoudzou (capital designate) 7,325. Urbanization 60%.
Economy	Limited natural resources or exportable commodities, yet more prosperous than the rest of the Comoros through French aid and military base.
Politics	French rule is challenged by the Comorian government, but neither the local people nor the French administration have shown much enthusiasm for change.
Religion	There is freedom of religion. Muslim 96.9%. Almost all Comorians, most of the Africans and some Malagasy are Sunni Muslim, but mosque attendance is low. Non-religious/other 0.4%, mainly French. Christian 2.7%. Affil 2%. Growth 6.7%. Protestant 0.4%. Affil 0.17%. Growth 3.7%. Evangelicals 0.04% of population. Missionaries to Comoros and Mayotte 37 (1:14,000 people) in 4 agencies. Roman Catholic 2.2%. Affil 1.7% Growth 6.6%. Missionaries to Comoros and Mayotte 10 (1:61,000 people). Marginal 0.1%. Jehovah's Witnesses.
1. Direct evangelism is permitted, but not necessarily well received by the Muslim majority. Pray for the witness of AIM missionaries on Mayotte and other islands, and for an increase in their numbers to expand both their evangelistic efforts and offers of social help through medicine and teaching.
2. The only organized Protestant churches in the four islands are two evangelical groups among the Malagasy on Grand Comore and Mayotte, and isolated Christians elsewhere. Pray for their witness. The few Comorian believers are culturally so different that they cannot easily integrate into these groups. Pray for the right church-planting strategy to be applied.
3. Christian help ministries are more easily based on Mayotte. Pray for ongoing Bible translation programmes into two of the Comorian dialects. AIM also runs a literacy programme on Mayotte. FEBA-Seychelles broadcasts to the islands for ten hours a week in French and three in Swahili.