1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
Coastline
4,828 km
Comparative area
slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Disputes
claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island (all administered by France)
Environment
subject to periodic cyclones; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Land area
581,540 km2
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land 4%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 58%; forest and woodland 26%; other 11%; includes irrigated 2%
Natural resources
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish
Note
world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel
Terrain
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
587,040 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
46 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
14 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
basic split between highlanders of predominantly Malayo-Indonesian origin (Merina and related Betsileo) on the one hand and coastal tribes, collectively termed the Cotiers, with mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry (Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), on the other; there are also small French, Indian, Creole, and Comoran communities; no current, accurate assessment of tribal numbers is available
Infant mortality rate
93 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
4,900,000; 90% nonsalaried family workers engaged in subsistence agriculture; 175,000 wage earners - agriculture 26%, domestic service 17%, industry 15%, commerce 14%, construction 11%, services 9%, transportation 6%, other 2%; 51% of population of working age (1985)
Languages
French and Malagasy (official)
Life expectancy at birth
51 years male, 55 years female (1992)
Literacy
80% (male 88%, female 73%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Nationality
noun - Malagasy (singular and plural); adjective - Malagasy
Net migration rate
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
4% of labor force
Population
12,596,263 (July 1992), growth rate 3.2% (1992)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian about 41%, Muslim 7%
Total fertility rate
6.8 children born/woman (1992)
Government
Administrative divisions
6 provinces (plural - NA, singular - faritanin'); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliary
Capital
Antananarivo
Chief of State
President Adm. Didier RATSIRAKA (since 15 June 1975)
Constitution
21 December 1975; note - a new constitution is to be in place before 1993
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Pierrot Jocelyn RAJAONARIVELO; Chancery at 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-5525 or 5526; there is a Malagasy Consulate General in New York US: Ambassador Howard K. WALKER; Embassy at 14 and 16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo (mailing address is B. P. 620, Antananarivo); telephone [261] (2) 212-57, 209-56, 200-89, 207-18
Executive branch
president, prime minister, Council of Ministers
Flag
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side
Head of Government
Prime Minister Guy RASANAMAZY (since 8 August 1991)
Independence
26 June 1960 (from France; formerly Malagasy Republic)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme), High Constitutional Court (Haute Cour Constitutionnelle)
Legal system
based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral Popular National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale Populaire); note - the National Assembly has suspended its operations during 1992 in preparation for new legislative and presidential elections. In its place, an interim High Authority of State and a Social and Economic Recovery Council have been established
Long-form name
Democratic Republic of Madagascar
Member of
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
National holiday
Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
Political parties and leaders
some 30 political parties now exist in Madagascar, the most important of which are the Advance Guard of the Malagasy Revolution (AREMA), Didier RATSIRAKA; Congress Party for Malagasy Independence (AKFM), RAKOTOVAO-ANDRIATIANA; Congress Party for Malagasy Independence-Revival (AKFM-R), Pastor Richard ANDRIAMANJATO; Movement for National Unity (VONJY), Dr. Marojama RAZANABAHINY; Malagasy Christian Democratic Union (UDECMA), Norbert ANDRIAMORASATA; Militants for the Establishment of a Proletarian Regime (MFM), Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA; National Movement for the Independence of Madagascar (MONIMA), Monja JAONA; National Union for the Defense of Democracy (UNDD), Albert ZAFY
Popular National Assembly
last held on 28 May 1989 (next to be held 1992); results - AREMA 88.2%, MFM 5.1%, AKFM 3.7%, VONJY 2.2%, other 0.8%; seats - (137 total) AREMA 120, MFM 7, AKFM 5, VONJY 4, MONIMA 1
President
last held on 12 March 1989 (next to be held NA 1992); results - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 62%, Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA (MFM/MFT) 20%, Dr. Jerome Marojama RAZANABAHINY (VONJY) 15%, Monja JAONA (MONIMA) 3%
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
republic
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for 40% of GDP; cash crops - coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa; food crops - rice, cassava, beans, bananas, peanuts; cattle raising widespread; almost self-sufficient in rice
Budget
revenues $390 million; expenditures $525 million, including capital expenditures of $240 million (1990 est.)
Currency
Malagasy franc (plural - francs); 1 Malagasy franc (FMG) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $136 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $3,125 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $491 million
Electricity
125,000 kW capacity; 450 million kWh produced, 35 kWh per capita (1991)
Exchange rates
Malagasy francs (FMG) per US$1 - 1,943.4 (March 1992), 1,835.4 (1991), 1,454.6 (December 1990), 1,603.4 (1989) , 1,407.1 (1988), 1,069.2 (1987)
Exports
$290 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: coffee 45%, vanilla 15%, cloves 11%, sugar, petroleum products partners: France, Japan, Italy, Germany, US
External debt
$4.4 billion (1991)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
exchange rate conversion - $2.4 billion, per capita $200; real growth rate -3.8% (1991 est.)
Illicit drugs
illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption
Imports
$436 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: intermediate manufactures 30%, capital goods 28%, petroleum 15%, consumer goods 14%, food 13% partners: France, Germany, UK, other EC, US
Industrial production
growth rate 5.2% (1990 est.); accounts for 16% of GDP
Industries
agricultural processing (meat canneries, soap factories, breweries, tanneries, sugar refining plants), light consumer goods industries (textiles, glassware), cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
10% (1991)
Overview
Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the mainstay of the economy, accounting for over 40% of GDP, employing about 80% of the labor force, and contributing to more than 70% of total export earnings. Industry is largely confined to the processing of agricultural products and textile manufacturing; in 1990 it accounted for only 16% of GDP and employed almost 5% of the labor force. In 1986 the government introduced a five-year development plan that stressed self-sufficiency in food (mainly rice) by 1990, increased production for exports, and reduced energy imports. After mid-1991, however, output dropped sharply because of protracted antigovernment strikes and demonstrations for political reform.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
148 total, 103 usable; 30 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 34 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
8 major transport aircraft
Highways
40,000 km total; 4,694 km paved, 811 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil, 34,495 km improved and unimproved earth (est.)
Inland waterways
of local importance only; isolated streams and small portions of Canal des Pangalanes
Merchant marine
14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 59,255 GRT/81,509 DWT; includes 9 cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 petroleum tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1 liquefied gas
Ports
Toamasina, Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toliara
Railroads
1,020 km 1.000-meter gauge
Telecommunications
above average system includes open-wire lines, coaxial cables, radio relay, and troposcatter links; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and broadcast stations - 17 AM, 3 FM, 1 (36 repeaters) TV
Military and Security
Branches
Popular Armed Forces (including Intervention Forces, Development Forces, Aeronaval Forces - including Navy and Air Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $37 million, 2.2% of GDP (1989 est.)
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 2,730,713; 1,625,335 fit for military service; 114,687 reach military age (20) annually