2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Age structure

0-14 years: 45% (male 3,822,823; female 3,807,958) 15-64 years: 51.9% (male 4,366,748; female 4,452,686) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 243,411; female 286,118) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Airports

121 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20

total

29

under 914 m

2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

92 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 46

under 914 m

44 (2002) Military Madagascar

Area

land

581,540 sq km

total

587,040 sq km

water

5,500 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Background

Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1886, 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 Madagascar

Birth rate

42.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

revenues

$553 million

Capital

Antananarivo

Climate

tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Coastline

4,828 km

Constitution

19 August 1992 by national referendum

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Madagascar

conventional short form

Madagascar

former

Malagasy Republic

local long form

Republique de Madagascar

local short form

Madagascar

Currency

Malagasy franc (MGF)

Currency code

MGF

Death rate

11.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$4.6 billion (2002)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA

consulate(s) general

New York

Disputes - international

claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

38.1 (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$838 million (1997)

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, which has placed the country on a slow and steady growth path. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for one-fourth of GDP and employing four-fifths of the population. Export earnings primarily are earned in the small industrial sector, which features textile manufacturing and agriculture processing. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel are serious concerns. The separatist political crisis of 2002 undermined macroeconomic stability, with the estimated drop in output being subject to a wide margin of error. Poverty reduction will be the centerpiece of economic policy for the next few years.

Electricity - consumption

772.1 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

830.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

36.1%

hydro

63.9%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Maromokotro 2,876 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran

Exchange rates

Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,831.96 (2002), 6,588.49 (2001), 6,767.48 (2000), 6,283.77 (1999), 5,441.4 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

chief of state

President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)

election results

percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 40.89%, Marc RAVALOMANANA 46.21%; note - on 29 April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner by 51.5% after a recount; RATSIRIKA's prime minister was put under house arrest on 27 May 2002, and SYLLA was appointed the new prime minister by President RAVALOMANANA

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November 2006); prime minister appointed by the president from a list of candidates nominated by the National Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)

Exports

$700 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities

coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products

Exports - partners

France 34%, US 24.6%, Netherlands 6%, Germany 5.9%, Mauritius 4% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 483-7603

[261] (20) 22-345-39

chancery

2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 265-5525, 5526

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Madagascar

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

GDP

purchasing power parity - $12.59 billion (2002)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

25%

industry

12%

services

63% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-11.9% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

20 00 S, 47 00 E

Geography - note

world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel People Madagascar

Government type

republic

Highways

paved

5,780 km

total

49,827 km

unpaved

44,047 km (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

870 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

22,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

29% (1999)

lowest 10%

3%

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 18 December, 2003

Imports

$985 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities

capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Imports - partners

France 17.2%, Iran 11%, Mauritius 10.6%, Bahrain 9.4%, Hong Kong 6.9%, South Africa 5.9%, China 4.1% (2002)

Independence

26 June 1960 (from France)

Industrial production growth rate

3% (2000 est.)

Industries

meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism

Infant mortality rate

female

71.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

88.63 deaths/1,000 live births

total

80.21 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.4% (2001 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Internet country code

.mg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet users

35,000 (2002) Transportation Madagascar

Irrigated land

10,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle

Labor force

7.3 million (2000)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

4.41%

other

94.66% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0.93%

Languages

French (official), Malagasy (official)

Legal system

based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the legislature is scheduled to become a bicameral Parliament with the establishment of a Senate; two-thirds of the seats of this Senate will be filled by regional assemblies whose members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the seats will be appointed by the president; the total number of seats will be determined by the National Assembly; all members will serve four-year terms

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

elections

National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)

Life expectancy at birth

female

58.53 years (2003 est.)

male

53.82 years

total population

56.14 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

62.5% (2003 est.) Government Madagascar

male

75.5%

total population

68.9%

Location

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 NM

continental shelf

200 NM or 100 NM from the 2,500-m deep isobath

exclusive economic zone

200 NM

territorial sea

12 NM

Median age

female

17.6 years (2002)

male

17.2 years

total

17.4 years

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 (2002 est.)

total

11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT

Military branches

People's Armed Forces (comprising Intervention Force, Development Force, Aeronaval [Navy and Air] Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$52.3 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.2% (FY02) Transnational Issues Madagascar

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

3,880,332 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

2,300,587 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

163,864 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Nationality

adjective

Malagasy

noun

Malagasy (singular and plural)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (37257)

Natural hazards

periodic cyclones

Natural resources

graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (37257)

Political parties and leaders

Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [leader vacant]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [leader NA]; National Union or FP [leader NA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Federalist Movement; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM

Population

16,979,744 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

71% (1999 est.)

Population growth rate

3.03% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios

3.05 million (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

732 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

total

732 km

Religions

indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links connect regions

general assessment

system is above average for the region

international

submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Telephones - main lines in use

55,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular

63,100 (2000)

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions

325,000 (1997)

Terrain

narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Total fertility rate

5.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.9% (1998)

Waterways

of local importance only