The Perfume Islands capital — ylang-ylang, coelacanths and carved wooden doors
Moroni is the capital of the Comoros, a volcanic archipelago in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and the coast of Mozambique — the Perfume Islands, known for their ylang-ylang, jasmine, and clove production that supplies a significant fraction of the world's perfume industry (including Chanel No. 5). The old medina of Moroni is one of the best-preserved Arab-influenced old towns in the Indian Ocean world, with intricately carved wooden doorways, narrow alley-streets, and ancient djambe drum rhythms marking Friday prayers at the Friday Mosque. The coelacanth — thought extinct for 65 million…
The Comoros were settled by Bantu Africans, Arab traders, and Malagasy settlers between the 6th and 15th centuries, developing into independent Shirazi sultanates with a culture blending African, Arab, and South Asian influences. The French colonised all four islands in the 19th century, but Mayotte (the fourth island) voted to remain French in 1974 while the other three declared independence in 1975. The Comoros have since experienced more than 20 coups or coup attempts — more than any other country — despite their small size. The islands' unique matrilineal culture (among the Comorian elite…