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Autonomous Island of Mohéli[citation needed] Île Autonome de Mohéli[citation needed] Mwali
Flag
Mohéli is the lowermost shown of the Comoros islands.
Capital and largest city	Fomboni
Official languages	Comoriana Arabic French
Government	Autonomous Island within a federal presidential republic
• President	Mohamed Said Fazul
Area
• Total	211 km2 (81 sq mi)
• Water (%)	negligible
Population
• 2006 estimate	38,000
• 2003 census	35,400
• Density	122.07/km2 (316.2/sq mi)
Currency	Comorian franc (KMF)
Time zone	UTC+3 (EAT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (not observed)
Calling code	+269
Internet TLD	.km
Shimwali dialect.

Mohéli, also known as Mwali, is an autonomous island that forms part of the Union of the Comoros.

Location

Mohéli is located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa. It is the smallest of the four major Comoro Islands.

Population

Its population, as of 2006^[update], is about 38,000.

Capital

Its capital city is Fomboni.

Ethnic groups

Its main ethnic group, as on the other Comoros islands Grande Comore and Anjouan as well as the French territory Mayotte, is the Comorian ethnic group, a synthesis of Bantu, Arab, Malay and Malagasy culture, and the main religion is Sunni Islam.

History

Map of Mohéli.

Flag of the Sultanate between 1891 and 1904.

Postage stamps were issued for Mohéli briefly under French rule; this two-centime value dates from 1906.

Until 1830, Mohéli was part of the Ndzuwani Sultanate, which also controlled the neighbouring island of Anjouan. In 1830, migrants from Madagascar led by Ramanetaka, who later changed his name to Abderemane, took over the island and established the sultanate of Mwali. In 1886, France made the island a protectorate.

Until 1889, Mwali had its own French resident, but the island was then subjugated to the residency of Anjouan. The sultanate was crushed in 1909 when the French annexed the island. French colonial stamps inscribed Mohéli were issued from 1906 to 1912.

Comoros

In 1975, Mohéli agreed to join the Comoros nation, along with Grande Comore and Anjouan. Political, economic and social turmoil affected Mohéli and the Comoros in general.

Independence

Separatist flag(1997–1998).

On 11 August 1997, Mohéli seceded from the Comoros, a week after Anjouan. Mohéli's secessionist leaders were Said Mohamed Soefu who became President, and Soidri Ahmed, who became Prime Minister.

Rejoining Comoros

Mohéli rejoined Comoros in 1998. In 2002, Mohéli ratified the new Comorian constitution, which provided for a less centralized federal government and more power to the island governments. It helped settle continuing political turmoil on Comoros and continuing secessionism on Anjouan.

Also in 2002, Mohamed Said Fazul was elected President. His supporters won most seats in Mohéli's delegation to Parliament in the legislative elections of 2004.

Protected areas

On 19 April 2001, the first protected area in this country – Mohéli Marine Park – was gazetted. This was the culmination of a unique process by which the local communities in the ten villages around the park boundaries negotiated a collaborative arrangement with the government for the establishment and management of the park.

Not surprisingly therefore, the marine park programme was among the 27 finalists selected from nearly 500 nominations by the Equator Initiative, a partnership between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), IUCN, the UN Foundation and four other international groups, to promote community-based initiatives aimed at furthering sustainable development.

See also

• Comoros

Coordinates: 12°15′S 43°45′E / 12.250°S 43.750°E / -12.250; 43.750