Comoros Emigration and Immigration

Online Sources

 * 1892-1917 France National Overseas Archives, Comoros, index.

Comoros Emigration and Immigration
"Emigration" means moving out of a country. "Immigration" means moving into a country. Emigration and immigration sources list the names of people leaving (emigrating) or arriving (immigrating) in the country. These sources may be passenger lists, permissions to emigrate, or records of passports issued. The information in these records may include the emigrants’ names, ages, occupations, destinations, and places of origin or birthplaces. Sometimes they also show family groups.

Immigration into Comoros

 * The Portuguese arrived in the Indian Ocean at the end of the 15th century. For much of the 16th century the islands provided provisions to the Portuguese fort at Mozambique and although there was no formal attempt by the Portuguese crown to take possession, a number of Portuguese traders settled.
 * By the end of the 16th century the local rulers were beginning to push back and they began to defeat the Dutch and the Portuguese, increasing Omani Arab influence in the region, moving the administration to nearby Zanzibar.
 * Nevertheless, the Comoros remained independent, and although the three smaller islands were usually politically unified, the largest island, Ngazidja, was divided into a number of autonomous kingdoms.]
 * By the time Europeans showed interest in the Comoros, the islanders were well placed to take advantage of their needs, initially supplying ships of the route to India, particularly the English and, later, slaves to the plantation islands in the Mascarenes.
 * In the last decade of the 18th century, Malagasy warriors started raiding the Comoros for slaves. The islands were repopulated by slaves from the mainland, who were traded to the French in Mayotte and the Mascarenes. On the Comoros, it was estimated in 1865 that as much as 40% of the population consisted of slaves.
 * France first established colonial rule in the Comoros by taking possession of Mayotte in 1841.
 * Meanwhile, Ndzuani (or Johanna as it was known to the British) continued to serve as a way station for English merchants sailing to India and the Far East, as well as American whalers. The British gradually abandoned it following their possession of Mauritius in 1814.
 * French settlers, French-owned companies, and wealthy Arab merchants established a plantation-based economy that used about one-third of the land for export crops. After its annexation, France converted Mayotte into a sugar plantation colony.
 * In 1886, Mwali and Ngazidja were placed under French protection. In 1908 the islands were unified under a single administration ((Colonie de Mayotte et dépendances) under the authority of the French colonial Governor-General of Madagascar.
 * In 1912, the colony and the protectorates were abolished and the islands became a province of the colony of Madagascar.
 * Agreement was reached with France in 1973 for the Comoros to become independent in 1978. Mayotte remains under French administration.
 * Although most French left after independence in 1975, a small Creole community, descended from settlers from France, Madagascar and Réunion, lives in the Comoros.

Emigration From Comoros
KNOMAD Statistics:
 * Most French left after independence in 1975. There are between 200,000 and 350,000 Comorians in France.
 * Although most French left after independence in 1975, a small Creole community, descended from settlers from France, Madagascar and Réunion, lives in the Comoros.