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 320,000 people it is the most densely populated island in the Comoro archipelago (over 1951 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. Agricultural products include essential oils such as ylang-ylang, jasmine, cassis, basilic, palmarosa, and orange flower. Vanilla, cloves, and copra are also exported while a large variety of fruits, root crops, legumes, spices, herbs, and grains are grown for domestic use.

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 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. This attempt failed, ending with the ousting of a renegade president in 2008 by a combined effort of the Federal Comorian and Organization of African Unity military force. Presently, the island is part of the Union of the Comoro Islands with a duly elected President. The current President of the Union, Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi, is from Mutsamudu, Anjouan.

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

Near Moya