from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Madagascar
Introduction
Background: Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a
French colony in 1896, but regained its 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.
Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Mozambique
Geographic 20 00 S, 47 00 E
coordinates:
Map Africa
references:
Area: total: 587,040 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km
water: 5,500 sq km
Area - slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 4,828 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m
deep isobath
Climate: tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
Terrain: narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in
center
Elevation lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
Natural graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar
resources: sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 5.03%
permanent crops: 1.02%
other: 93.95% (2005)
Irrigated 10,860 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation
hazards:
Environment - soil erosion results from deforestation and
current overgrazing; desertification; surface water
issues: contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes;
several endangered species of flora and fauna unique to
the island
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
agreements: Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along
note: Mozambique Channel
People
Population: 18,595,469 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.8% (male 4,171,821/female 4,158,288)
15-64 years: 52.2% (male 4,809,173/female 4,900,675)
65 years and over: 3% (male 249,414/female 306,098)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 17.5 years
male: 17.3 years
female: 17.7 years (2006 est.)
Population 3.03% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 41.41 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 11.11 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 75.21 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 83.34 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 66.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 57.34 years
expectancy at male: 54.93 years
birth: female: 59.82 years (2006 est.)
Total 5.62 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 1.7% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 140,000 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 7,500 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Major degree of risk: high
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal
diseases: diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks
in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2005)
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: 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
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 republic
type:
Capital: name: Antananarivo
geographic coordinates: 18 52 S, 47 30 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana,
divisions: Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Independence: 26 June 1960 (from France)
National Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
holiday:
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 chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6
branch: May 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27
May 2002)
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 16 December 2001 (next to be held December
2006); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: percent of vote - Marc RAVALOMANANA
(TIM) 50.5%, Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 37.7%
Legislative bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly
branch: or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats; members are directly
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 whose members will be
elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the
seats appointed by the president; all members will
serve four-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December
2002 (next to be held December 2006)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA
3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD 5, others 3, independents 22
Judicial Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional
branch: Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle
Political Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA
parties and [Pierrot RAJAONARIVO]; Economic Liberalism and
leaders: 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 Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR;
pressure Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert
groups and Zafy]; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM
leaders:
International ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
organization ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
participation: IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA
representation chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
in the US: 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
FAX: [1] (202) 265-3034
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador James D. MCGEE
representation embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
from the US: 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 two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with
description: a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side
Economy
Economy - Having discarded past socialist economic policies,
overview: 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 United States.
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 $16.05 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $4.719 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 5.1% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $900 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 27.6%
composition by industry: 16.5%
sector: services: 55.9% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 7.3 million (2000)
Population 50% (2004 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 3%
income or highest 10%: 29% (1999)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 47.5 (2001)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 15% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 26.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $703.6 million
expenditures: $853 million; including capital
expenditures of $331 million (2005 est.)
Agriculture - coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice,
products: cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock
products
Industries: meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar,
textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant,
paper, petroleum, tourism
Industrial 3% (2000 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 825.4 million kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 36.1%
production by hydro: 63.9%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 767.7 million kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 89.27 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 15,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 0 bbl (1 January 2002)
reserves:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (1 January 2002)
proved
reserves:
Current $-438 million (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $951 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth,
commodities: chromite, petroleum products
Exports - France 30.9%, US 30.3%, Germany 8.6% (2005)
partners:
Imports: $1.4 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food
commodities:
Imports - France 16.6%, China 10.6%, Iran 7.9%, Mauritius 6.5%,
partners: South Africa 5.9%, Hong Kong 5% (2005)
Reserves of $572 million (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $4.6 billion (2002)
external:
Economic aid - $354 million (2001)
recipient:
Currency Madagascar ariary (MGA)
(code):
Currency code: MGF
Exchange Malagasy ariary per US dollar - 2,003 (2005), 1,868.9
rates: (2004), 1,238.3 (2003), 1,366.4 (2002), 1,317.7 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 66,900 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 504,700 (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: system is above average for the
system: region
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave
radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links connect
regions
international: country code - 261; submarine cable to
Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian
Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Radio AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9,
broadcast shortwave 6 (2001)
stations:
Radios: 3.05 million (1997)
Television 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 325,000 (1997)
Internet .mg
country code:
Internet 1,504 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 2 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 90,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 116 (2006)
Airports - total: 29
with paved over 3,047 m: 1
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - total: 87
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 42
under 914 m: 43 (2006)
Railways: total: 854 km
narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 49,827 km
paved: 5,780 km
unpaved: 44,047 km (1999)
Waterways: 600 km (2005)
Merchant total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,896 GRT/18,466 DWT
marine: by type: cargo 5, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 2
(2006)
Ports and Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
terminals:
Military
Military People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development
branches: Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National
Gendarmerie
Military 18-50 years of age; conscript service obligation - 18
service age months (either military or equivalent civil service)
and (2004)
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 3,542,797
available for females age 18-49: 3,551,447 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 2,218,662
for military females age 18-49: 2,408,810 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 187,000
reaching females age 18-49: 184,833 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $329 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 7.2% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso
international: 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