Referred to by the French as Anjouan and by early English visitors as Johanna, Nzwani has been called the "pearl" of the Indian Ocean. With forested hillsides and rivers tumbling to the sea it is a beautiful island. It is essentially a triangle with approximately 50 kilometers on each side and a total area of 424 square kilometers (164 square miles).

With a population of more than 210,000 people it is the most densely populated island in the Comoro archipelago (over 1,280 persons per square mile). Most live in small communities found throughout the island. The major towns are Mutsamudu on the western side of the island and Domoni on the eastern shore. Mutsamudu is the present capital and site of the seaport for the island. Domoni is an ancient capital and seaport. Other ancient communities are Sima and Ouani.

Its volcanic peak, Mount Ntingi, 1,575 meters high, is covered with vegetation, including large ferns, tropical mahoganies, and wild orchids, in contrast with the three points of the triangle, which are less luxuriant due to centuries of cultivation. Anjouan is the premiere producer of essential oils including ylang-ylang, jasmine, cassis, basilic, palmarosa, and orange flower.

Arabic-style sultanates developed in Anjouan as early as the sixteenth century with different areas of the island first ruled by chiefs known as Fani. Later, the chiefs were involved in conflicts and appealed to Europeans to intercede on their behalf. Eventually, in 1886, the island became a French protectorate and was formally annexed by France to its possessions in 1909.

In 1975, Anjouan was one of the three islands to make up the newly formed independent republic of the Comoro Islands. The first president of the independent country, Ahmed Abdallah, was from Anjouan and his shrine is in his hometown of Domoni, the ancient walled community on the east coast of the island. Other presidents have also been from the island. A group of secessionists on the island declared, in 1997, the Island's independence from the Comoro Republic and hoped to reattach the island to France, like Mayotte. Presently, the island is part of the recently formed (2001) Union of the Comoro Islands and the current President of the Union, Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi, is from Anjouan.

Click here for current weather conditions at Ouani, on the northwest coast of Anjouan, where the airport is located.

The south shore of Anjouan, between Sima and Moya.