The Comoros Islands are very poor and underdeveloped. The basic diet of the Comorian consists of rice, potatoes, corn, fish, coconuts, and bananas. Other crops that are grown are sweet potatoes, citrus fruits, and pineapples. Although young people wear Western style clothing, traditional clothing is still common among the adults. In town, a Comorian man will typically wear a white cotton garment and a knee-length shirt, sometimes with a white jacket and a white skull cap.
Most women wear long, colorful cotton dresses, with bright shawls as face coverings.
Other women prefer wearing black robes that cover their heads. Children are expected to help with the farming, fishing, and caring of the animals. For recreation, the Nzwani Comorian enjoy dancing, singing, and playing instruments, especially horns and drums. Although French and Arabic are the official languages of the islands, the Nzwani Comorian speak their own Swahili dialect. The Nzwani Comorian are Shafiite Muslims , yet mosque attendance is very low.