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Signal verified · updated 2026-09-03

Grande Comore

Largest island of the Comoros, dominated by the active volcano Mount Karthala and home to the capital Moroni.

11.600° S43.330° E
site access marine
Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport (HAH), Hahaya
Mount Karthala
Moroni medina and Badjanani mosque
Itsandra beach
Formation
volcanic; two shield volcanoes (Karthala active, La Grille extinct); porous young soils, no permanent rivers
Population
379,367
Water
Indian Ocean
Access
moderate

Every required movement

The passage
to Grande Comore.

Fly to Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport (HAH) at Hahaya; inter-island ferries link Moroni with Anjouan and Moheli.

  1. 01
    Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport (HAH), Hahaya

    Nearest recorded air access

    Schedule or condition may change · verify
  2. 02
    Water crossing

    Inter-island passenger ferries from Moroni port to Mutsamudu (Anjouan) and Fomboni (Moheli).

    Schedule or condition may change · verify
  3. 03
    Entry check

    Visa on arrival for most nationalities (Comoros).

    Schedule or condition may change · verify

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What the chart cannot hold

What becomes visible when you follow mount karthala beyond the familiar map?

Grande Comore (Ngazidja) is the westernmost and largest island of the Comoros, built from two shield volcanoes. Its capital Moroni is the political and economic centre of the country; the island grows vanilla, cloves and ylang-ylang on fertile volcanic slopes.

Settled by Austronesian and Bantu peoples; Shirazi sultanates from the Middle Ages; French protectorate 1886, colony 1912; independent Comoros since 1975 with Moroni as capital.

Field ledger

The useful
details.

Coordinates
11.60° S · 43.33° E
Sovereignty
Comoros · part of country
Nearest mainland
Mozambique (~300 km west); Madagascar (~400 km southeast)
Best recorded window
May–October (cool dry season).
Permits / entry
Visa on arrival for most nationalities (Comoros).
Languages
Comorian (Shingazidja), Arabic, French

Community intelligence

Notes from
the crossing.

Share firsthand conditions, access changes, respectful observations, or a question for someone who has been.

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The empty ledger is part of the mystery—and an invitation to be useful.

Travel information changes quickly. This field file was last revised 2026-09-03. Confirm all transport and permit details before booking.