Ndzuwani

Ndzuwani, also known as Anjouan, is one of the three main islands of the Union of the Comoros, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of Africa. It lies northeast of Grande Comore and is characterized by a hilly interior, a rugged coast, and a tropical climate. The island’s principal town and historic capital is Mutsamudu, located on the eastern coast; another major town is Domoni in the southeast.

Historically, Ndzuwani was home to autonomous sultanates and Swahili-speaking communities. It came under French colonial rule in the 19th century and joined the independent Comoros in 1975. In the late 1990s the island experienced political instability and a secessionist movement; after a period of crisis, Anjouan’s status was formalized within a new constitutional framework in 2009, granting greater autonomy to the islands while preserving the union.

The population is predominantly Muslim, and the most widely spoken language is Shimaore (a Swahili dialect). French and Arabic are influential in education, administration, and religious life. The economy relies on subsistence farming and fishing, with cash crops such as vanilla, cloves, and ylang-ylang historically important. Tourism remains limited but has potential, contingent on stability and development of infrastructure.

Ndzuwani’s governance operates within the Union of the Comoros, exercising local authority through an autonomous island government while sharing national sovereignty with the other islands.