2010 Edition

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 achieved a second term following a landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential elections of 2006. In early 2009, protests over increasing restrictions on opposition press and activities resulted in RAVALOMANANA stepping down and the presidency was conferred to the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA. Following negotiations in July and August of 2009, a power-sharing agreement with a 15-month transitional period was established, but has not yet been implemented.

Area

land

581,540 sq km

total

587,041 sq km

water

5,501 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Climate

tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Coastline

4,828 km

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 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

804 cu m/yr (2000)

total

14.96 cu km/yr (3%/2%/96%)

Geographic coordinates

20 00 S, 47 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

10,860 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

5.03%

other

93.95% (2005)

permanent crops

1.02%

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 isobath

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation

volcanism

Madagascar's volcanoes have not erupted in historical times

Natural resources

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

Terrain

narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Total renewable water resources

337 cu km (1984)

Age structure

0-14 years: 43.5% (male 4,523,033/female 4,460,473) 15-64 years: 53.5% (male 5,483,684/female 5,557,098) 65 years and over: 3% (male 280,677/female 348,591) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

37.89 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

7.97 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

2.9% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

14,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

47.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

57.69 deaths/1,000 live births

total

52.84 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

French (official), Malagasy (official), English

Life expectancy at birth

female

65.3 years (2010 est.)

male

61.27 years

total population

63.26 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

62.5% (2003 est.)

male

75.5%

total population

68.9%

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 (2009)

Median age

female

18.3 years (2010 est.)

male

17.8 years

total

18.1 years

Nationality

adjective

Malagasy

noun

Malagasy (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

Population

21,281,844 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

2.993% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

10 years (2008)

male

10 years

total

10 years

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: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.09 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

29% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

18 55 S, 47 31 E

name

Antananarivo

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

passed by referendum 17 November 2010; promulgated 11 December 2010 (2010)

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Madagascar

conventional short form

Madagascar

former

Malagasy Republic

local long form

Republique de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara

local short form

Madagascar/Madagasikara

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador R. Niels MARQUARDT

embassy

14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101

FAX

[261] (20) 22-345-39

mailing address

B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo

telephone

[261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Eulalie N. RAVELOSOA

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 265-3034

telephone

[1] (202) 265-5525 through 5526

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Andry RAJOELINA (since 18 March 2009)

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%; note - RAVALOMANANA stepped down on 17 March 2009 note:: on 17 March 2009, democratically elected President Marc RAVALOMANANA stepped down handing the government over to the military, which in turn conferred the presidency on opposition leader and Antananarivo mayor Andry RAJOELINA, who will head the High Transition Authority; a power-sharing agreement reached in August 2009 established a 15-month transition period, concluding in general elections in 2010; as of December 2009 the agreement had not been fully implemented

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 3 December 2006 (next to be held on 4 May 2011); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Albert Camille VITAL (since 18 December 2009)

Flag description

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side; by tradition, red stands for sovereignty, green for hope, white for purity

Government type

republic

Independence

26 June 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature consists of a Senate or Senat (100 seats; two-thirds of the members appointed by regional assemblies; the remaining one-third appointed by the president; members to serve four-year terms) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (127 seats - reduced from 160 seats by an April 2007 national referendum; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TIM 106, LEADER/Fanilo 1, independents 20

elections

National Assembly - last held on 23 September 2007 (next to be held on 16 March 2011); note - a power-sharing agreement in the summer of 2009 established a 15-month transition, concluding in general elections

National anthem

lyrics/music

Pasteur RAHAJASON/Norbert RAHARISOA note: adopted 1959

name

"Ry Tanindraza nay malala o" (Oh, Our Beloved Fatherland)

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate

45% (31 December 2009 est.) 45% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$600 million (2010 est.) -$561 million (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$2.973 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $2.261 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

47.5 (2001) 38.1 (1999)

Economy - overview

After discarding socialist economic policies in the mid-1990s, Madagascar followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization that has been undermined since the start of the political crisis. 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. However, Madagascar's failure to comply with the requirements of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) led to the termination of the country's duty-free access in January 2010. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are serious concerns. Former President RAVALOMANANA worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. The current political crisis which began in early 2009 has dealt additional blows to the economy. Tourism dropped more than 50% in 2009, compared with the previous year, and many investors are wary of entering the uncertain investment environment.

Electricity - consumption

971.4 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

1.045 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

Malagasy ariary (MGA) per US dollar - 2,062.5 (2010), 1,956.21 (2009), 1,654.78 (2008), 1,880 (2007), 2,161.4 (2006)

Exports

$1.412 billion (2010 est.) $1.309 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

France 28.9%, US 20.49%, Germany 5.89%, China 4.36% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

26.5%

industry

16.7%

services

56.8% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,000 (2010 est.) $1,000 (2009 est.) $1,000 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

1.5% (2010 est.) -1% (2009 est.) 7% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$8.33 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$20.73 billion (2010 est.) $20.42 billion (2009 est.) $20.63 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 41.5% (2005)

Imports

$1.958 billion (2010 est.) $1.893 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Imports - partners

China 12.99%, Thailand 11.93%, Bahrain 7.1%, France 6.89%, US 4.13% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.1% (2010 est.) 9% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

34.6% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

9.504 million (2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

21,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

365 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

16,940 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

50% (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.038 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.136 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$2.012 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.994 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$1.02 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $997.6 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$1.233 billion (31 December 2010 est) $1.228 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Broadcast media

state-owned Radio Nationale Malagasy (RNM) and Television Malagasy (TVM) have an extensive national network reach; privately-owned radio and TV broadcasters in cities and major towns; state-run radio predominates in rural areas; relays of 2 international broadcasters are available in Antananarivo (2007)

Internet country code

.mg

Internet hosts

27,606 (2010)

Internet users

319,900 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity about 30 per 100 persons

general assessment

system is above average for the region; Antananarivo's main telephone exchange modernized in the late 1990s, but the rest of the analogue-based telephone system is poorly developed; have been adding fixed line connections since 2005

international

country code - 261; SEACOM undersea fiber-optic cable and the Lion undersea cable connecting to Reunion and Mauritius; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

181,200 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

5.997 million (2009)

Airports

84 (2010)

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 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

57 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 35 under 914 m: 20 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 4, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2 (2010)

total

8

Ports and terminals

Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara (Tulear)

Railways

narrow gauge

854 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

total

854 km

Roadways

paved

7,617 km

total

65,663 km

unpaved

58,046 km (2003)

Waterways

600 km note: 432 km navigable (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 4,745,274 females age 16-49: 4,750,188 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 3,268,291 females age 16-49: 3,541,256 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

241,359 (2010 est.)

male

242,334

Military branches

People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie

Military expenditures

1% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for male-only voluntary military service; no conscription; service obligation - 18 months (either military or equivalent civil service); 20-30 years of age for National Gendarmerie recruits (35 years of age for those with military experience) (2010)

Disputes - international

claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France); the vegetated drying cays of Banc du Geyser, which were claimed by Madagascar in 1976, also fall within the EEZ claims of the Comoros and France (Glorioso Islands, part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands)

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================