Which African country is nicknamed the “Perfume Isles”?

With heavenly beaches, an active volcano with an impressive crater, and the ever-present scents of ylang-ylang, vanilla and clove, Comoros is an island archipelago located in the Indian Ocean between Africa and Madagascar, which is also known as the “Perfume Isles”.

The economy of the Comoros is primarily agricultural, and it earned its nickname due to the abundance of fragrant crops; copra, vanilla, cloves, and especially the ylang ylang flower. Comoros exports about 80% of the world’s supply of ylang ylang essential oils. The oils, once distilled from the flowers, are used in the production of perfumes, scented candles, soaps and more.

Other major crop exports include citronella, and pepper plants; both of which add to the islands’ fragrance. The principal food crops exported from the Comoros are coconut, cassava, and bananas. However, food demand is not met by domestic production, so the archipelago is highly dependent on imported foods, especially rice.

There are four major islands in the chain; Anjouan, Grande Comore, Mohéli and Mayotte. The Comoros archipelago has the most active volcanoes in the world. The volcanoes along with the capital (Moroni) are located on the largest island, Grande Comore.