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This page was last updated on 19 June 2008
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| Introduction | Madagascar | Top of Page

Background: | Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 but regained independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. RAVALOMANANA is now in his second term following a landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential elections of 2006.

| Geography | Madagascar | Top of Page

Location: | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: | 20 00 S, 47 00 E
Map references: | Africa
Area: | total: 587,040 sq km land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 4,828 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m isobath
Climate: | tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
Terrain: | narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
Natural resources: | graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower
Land use: | arable land: 5.03% permanent crops: 1.02% other: 93.95% (2005)
Irrigated land: | 10,860 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources: | 337 cu km (1984)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): | total: 14.96 cu km/yr (3%/2%/96%) per capita: 804 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards: | periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation
Environment - current issues: | soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna unique to the island
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: | world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel

| People | Madagascar | Top of Page

Population: | 20,042,551 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 43.7% (male 4,408,615/female 4,349,862) 15-64 years: 53.2% (male 5,298,805/female 5,371,764) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 275,087/female 338,418) (2008 est.)
Median age: | total: 17.9 years male: 17.7 years female: 18.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate: | 3.005% (2008 est.)
Birth rate: | 38.38 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: | 8.32 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate: | NA
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 55.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 60.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 50.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 62.52 years male: 60.58 years female: 64.51 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 5.19 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 1.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 140,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 7,500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: | degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, malaria, and plague water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)
Nationality: | noun: Malagasy (singular and plural) adjective: Malagasy
Ethnic groups: | Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
Religions: | indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%
Languages: | English (official), French (official), Malagasy (official)
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.9% male: 75.5% female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

| Government | Madagascar | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar conventional short form: Madagascar local long form: Republique de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara local short form: Madagascar/Madagasikara former: Malagasy Republic
Government type: | republic
Capital: | name: Antananarivo geographic coordinates: 18 55 S, 47 31 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions: | 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Independence: | 26 June 1960 (from France)
National holiday: | Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
Constitution: | 19 August 1992 by national referendum
Legal system: | based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: | chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Charles RABEMANANJARA (25 January 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote - Marc RAVALOMANANA 54.8%, Jean LAHINIRIKO 11.7%, Roland RATSIRAKA 10.1%, Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO 9.1%, Norbert RATSIRAHONANA 4.2%, Ny Hasina ANDRIAMANJATO 4.2%, Elia RAVELOMANANTSOA 2.6%, Pety RAKOTONIAINA 1.7%, other 1.6%
Legislative branch: | bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (127 seats - reduced from 160 seats by an April 2007 national referendum; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a Senate or Senat (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies; the remaining one-third of seats appointed by the president; to serve four-year terms) elections: National Assembly - last held 23 September 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TIM 106, LEADER/Fanilo 1, independents 20
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle
Political parties and leaders: | Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot RAJAONARIVELO]; Democratic Party for Union in Madagascar or PSDUM [Jean LAHINIRIKO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Party or FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM
International organization participation: | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Jocelyn Bertin RADIFERA chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526 FAX: [1] (202) 265-3034 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador R. Niels MARQUARDT embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101 mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56 FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39
Flag description: | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side

| Economy | Madagascar | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $18.12 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $7.322 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 6.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $1,100 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 26.8% industry: 15.8% services: 57.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force: | 7.3 million (2000)
Population below poverty line: | 50% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 36.6% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 47.5 (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 10.3% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 25.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $1.227 billion expenditures: $1.629 billion (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products: | coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products
Industries: | meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: | 6% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production: | 1.046 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption: | 973.2 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production: | 92.18 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 17,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports: | 363.9 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports: | 17,830 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance: | -$1.106 billion (2007 est.)
Exports: | $989 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities: | coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products
Exports - partners: | France 32.2%, US 25.3%, Germany 6%, Italy 5%, UK 4.1% (2006)
Imports: | $1.933 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities: | capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food
Imports - partners: | France 14.5%, China 12%, Iran 9.3%, Mauritius 5.6%, Hong Kong 4.7% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient: | $929.2 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $821 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external: | $4.6 billion (2002)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $NA
Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA
Currency (code): | ariary (MGA)
Exchange rates: | Malagasy ariary per US dollar - 1,880 (2007), 2,161.4 (2006), 2,003 (2005), 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

| Communications | Madagascar | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 129,800 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 1.046 million (2006)
Telephone system: | general assessment: system is above average for the region; Antananarivo's main telephone exchange modernized, but the rest of the analogue-based telephone system is poorly developed; planning to add 50,000 new private-subscriber fixed lines beginning in 2005 domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile telephone density only about 7 per 100 persons international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)
Television broadcast stations: | 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)
Internet country code: | .mg
Internet hosts: | 9,734 (2007)
Internet users: | 110,000 (2006)

| Transportation | Madagascar | Top of Page

Airports: | 104 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 27 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 77 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 41 under 914 m: 34 (2007)
Railways: | total: 854 km narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Roadways: | total: 49,827 km paved: 5,780 km unpaved: 44,047 km (2000)
Waterways: | 600 km (2006)
Merchant marine: | total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,896 GRT/18,466 DWT by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2 (2007)
Ports and terminals: | Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

| Military | Madagascar | Top of Page

Military branches: | People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie
Military service age and obligation: | 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service; 18-month conscript service obligation (either military or equivalent civil service) (2006)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 4,443,341 females age 16-49: 4,441,124 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 3,034,600 females age 16-49: 3,271,732 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: | males age 16-49: 230,088 females age 16-49: 229,932 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1% (2006)

| Transnational Issues | Madagascar | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)
Illicit drugs: | illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin

This page was last updated on 19 June 2008