2021 Edition

Background

Madagascar was one of the last major habitable landmasses on earth settled by humans. While there is some evidence of human presence on the island in the millennia B.C., large-scale settlement began between A.D. 350 and 550 with settlers from present-day Indonesia. The island attracted Arab and Persian traders as early as the 7th century, and migrants from Africa arrived around A.D. 1000. Madagascar was a pirate stronghold during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and served as a slave trading center into the 19th century. From the 16th to the late 19th century, a native Merina Kingdom dominated much of Madagascar. The island was conquered by the French in 1896 who made it a colony; independence was regained 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, 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 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. RAVALOMANANA won a second term in 2006 but, following protests in 2009, handed over power to the military, which then conferred the presidency on the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA, in what amounted to a coup d'etat. Following a lengthy mediation process led by the Southern African Development Community, Madagascar held UN-supported presidential and parliamentary elections in 2013. Former de facto finance minister Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA won a runoff election in December 2013 and was inaugurated in January 2014. In January 2019, RAJOELINA was declared the winner of a runoff election against RAVALOMANANA; both RATSIRAKA and RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA also ran in the first round of the election, which took place in November 2018.

Area

land

581,540 sq km

total

587,041 sq km

water

5,501 sq km

Area - comparative

almost four times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Climate

tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Coastline

4,828 km

Elevation

highest point

Maromokotro 2,876 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

615 m

Geographic coordinates

20 00 S, 47 00 E

Geography - note

world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel; despite Madagascar’s close proximity to the African continent, ocean currents isolate the island resulting in high rates of endemic plant and animal species; approximately 90% of the flora and fauna on the island are found nowhere else

Irrigated land

10,860 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

71.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 64.1% (2018 est.)

forest

21.5% (2018 est.)

other

7.4% (2018 est.)

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 infestationvolcanism: 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

Population distribution

most of population lives on the eastern half of the island; significant clustering is found in the central highlands and eastern coastline as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Age structure

0-14 years

38.86% (male 5,278,838/female 5,196,036)

15-24 years

20.06% (male 2,717,399/female 2,689,874)

25-54 years

33.02% (male 4,443,147/female 4,456,691)

55-64 years

4.6% (male 611,364/female 627,315)

65 years and over

3.47% (male 425,122/female 509,951) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

29.22 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

26.4% (2018)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

44.4% (2018)

Current Health Expenditure

4.8% (2018)

Death rate

6.09 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Madagascar’s youthful population – just over 60% are under the age of 25 – and high total fertility rate of more than 4 children per women ensures that the Malagasy population will continue its rapid growth trajectory for the foreseeable future. The population is predominantly rural and poor; chronic malnutrition is prevalent, and large families are the norm. Many young Malagasy girls are withdrawn from school, marry early (often pressured to do so by their parents), and soon begin having children. Early childbearing, coupled with Madagascar’s widespread poverty and lack of access to skilled health care providers during delivery, increases the risk of death and serious health problems for young mothers and their babies.Child marriage perpetuates gender inequality and is prevalent among the poor, the uneducated, and rural households – as of 2013, of Malagasy women aged 20 to 24, more than 40% were married and more than a third had given birth by the age of 18. Although the legal age for marriage is 18, parental consent is often given for earlier marriages or the law is flouted, especially in rural areas that make up nearly 65% of the country. Forms of arranged marriage whereby young girls are married to older men in exchange for oxen or money are traditional. If a union does not work out, a girl can be placed in another marriage, but the dowry paid to her family diminishes with each unsuccessful marriage.Madagascar’s population consists of 18 main ethnic groups, all of whom speak the same Malagasy language. Most Malagasy are multi-ethnic, however, reflecting the island’s diversity of settlers and historical contacts (see Background). Madagascar’s legacy of hierarchical societies practicing domestic slavery (most notably the Merina Kingdom of the 16th to the 19th century) is evident today in persistent class tension, with some ethnic groups maintaining a caste system. Slave descendants are vulnerable to unequal access to education and jobs, despite Madagascar’s constitutional guarantee of free compulsory primary education and its being party to several international conventions on human rights. Historical distinctions also remain between central highlanders and coastal people.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.5

potential support ratio

18.3 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

75.9

youth dependency ratio

70.5

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 36.3% of population

improved: total

total: 55.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 87.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 63.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 44.5% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 12.1% of population

Education expenditures

2.9% of GDP (2019)

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

0.3% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,800 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

42,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.2 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

36.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

43.06 deaths/1,000 live births

total

39.82 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Malagasy (official) 99.9%, French (official) 23.6%, English 8.2%, other 0.6% (2018 est.)

note

note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

Life expectancy at birth

female

69.22 years (2021 est.)

male

66.54 years

total population

67.86 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

75.1% (2018)

male

78.4%

total population

76.7%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

3.532 million ANTANANARIVO (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

335 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

20.5 years (2020 est.)

male

20.1 years

total

20.3 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.5 years (2008/09 est.)

note

note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

adjective

Malagasy

noun

Malagasy (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5.3% (2016)

Physicians density

0.18 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

27,534,354 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

most of population lives on the eastern half of the island; significant clustering is found in the central highlands and eastern coastline as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

2.31% (2021 est.)

Religions

Christian, indigenous, Muslim

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 16.6% of population

improved: total

total: 26.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 42.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 83.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 73.9% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 57.5% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

10 years (2018)

male

10 years

total

10 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.01 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.83 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.7 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

3% (2015 est.)

male

3.9%

total

3.4%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

39.2% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

the name, which means "City of the Thousand," was bestowed by 17th century King Adrianjakaking to honor the soldiers assigned to guard the city

geographic coordinates

18 55 S, 47 31 E

name

Antananarivo

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Madagascar; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

unknown

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic in consultation with the cabinet or supported by a least two thirds of both the Senate and National Assembly membership; passage requires at least three-fourths approval of both the Senate and National Assembly and approval in a referendum; constitutional articles, including the form and powers of government, the sovereignty of the state, and the autonomy of Madagascar’s collectivities, cannot be amended

history

previous 1992; latest passed by referendum 17 November 2010, promulgated 11 December 2010

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Madagascar

conventional short form

Madagascar

etymology

the name "Madageiscar" was first used by the 13th-century Venetian explorer Marco POLO, as a corrupted transliteration of Mogadishu, the Somali port with which POLO confused the island

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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Amy J. HYATT (since June 2021)

email address and website

antanACS@state.govhttps://mg.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Lot 207A, Andranoro, Antehiroka, 105 Antananarivo

FAX

[261] 20-23-480-35

mailing address

2040 Antananarivo Place, Washington  DC 20521-2040

telephone

[261] 20-23-480-00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Amielle Pelenne NIRINIAVISOA MARCEDA (since 31 October 2019)

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

contact@us-madagascar-embassy.orghttps://www.us-madagascar-embassy.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 265-3034

telephone

[1] (202) 265-5525

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister 

chief of state

President Andry RAJOELINA (since 21 January 2019)

election results

Andry RAJOELINA elected President in second round; percent of vote - Andry RAJOELINA (TGV) 55.7%, Marc RAVALOMANANA 44.3% (TIM)

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 November and 19 December 2018 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly, appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Christian NTSAY (since 6 June 2018 and re-appointed 19 July 2019) 

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

semi-presidential republic

Independence

26 June 1960 (from France)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest courts

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 11 members; addresses judicial administration issues only); High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle (consists of 9 members); note - the judiciary includes a High Court of Justice responsible for adjudicating crimes and misdemeanors by government officials, including the president

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court heads elected by the president and judiciary officials to serve 3-year, single renewable terms; High Constitutional Court members appointed - 3 each by the president, by both legislative bodies, and by the Council of Magistrates; members serve single, 7-year terms

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance

Legal system

civil law system based on the old French civil code and customary law in matters of marriage, family, and obligation

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate or Antenimieran-Doholona (reestablished on 22 January 2016, following the December 2015 senatorial election) (63 seats; 42 members indirectly elected by an electoral college of municipal, communal, regional, and provincial leaders and 21 appointed by the president of the republic; members serve 5-year terms); note - in December 2020 Pres RAJOELINA ordered that the senate now have only 18 seats, 6 of which are appointed by the president, the remaining 12 indirectly elected by an electoral college of municipal, communal, regional, and provincial leaders; opposition parties' boycotted this legislative election National Assembly or Antenimierampirenena (151 seats; 87 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 64 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - HVM 34, TIM 3, MAPAR 2, LEADER-Fanilo 1, independent 2, appointed by the president 21; composition - men 51, women 12, percent of women 19%National Assembly - percent of vote by party -Independent Pro-HVM 18%, MAPAR 17%, MAPAR pro-HVM 16%, VPM-MMM 10%, VERTS 3%, LEADER FANILO 3%, HIARAKA ISIKA 3%, GPS/ARD 7%,  INDEPENDENT 9%, TAMBATRA 1%, TIM 13%;  composition - men 120, women 31, percent of women 20.5%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 20.1%

elections

Senate - last held 29 December 2015 (next to be held in 2021)National Assembly - last held on 27 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Pasteur RAHAJASON/Norbert RAHARISOA

name

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

note

note: adopted 1959

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

National symbol(s)

traveller's palm, zebu; national colors: red, green, white

Political parties and leaders

Economic liberalism and democratic action for national recovery or LEADER FANILO [Jean Max RAKOTOMAMONJY]FOMBA [Ny Rado RAFALIMANANA]Gideons fighting against poverty in Madagascar (Gedeona Miady amin'ny Fahantrana eto Madagascar) or GFFM [Andre Christian Dieu Donne MAILHOL]Green party or VERTS (Antoko Maintso) [Alexandre GEORGET]I Love Madagascar (Tiako I Madagasikara) or TIM [Marc RAVALOMANANA]Malagasy aware (Malagasy Tonga Saina) or MTS [Roland RATSIRAKA]Malagasy raising together (Malagasy Miara-Miainga) or MMM [Hajo ANDRIANAINARIVELO]New Force for Madagascar (Hery Vaovao ho an'ny Madagasikara) or HVM [Hery Martial RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA Rakotoarimanana]Total Refoundation of Madagascar (Refondation Totale de Madagascar) or RTM [Joseph Martin RANDRIAMAMPIONONA]Vanguard for the renovation of Madagascar (Avant-Garde pour la renovation de Madagascar) or AREMA [Didier RATSIRAKA]Young Malagasies Determined (Malagasy: Tanora malaGasy Vonona) or TGV [Andry RAJOELINA]and MAPAR [Andry RAJOELINA], and IRD (We are all with Andy Rajoelina) [Andry RAJOELINA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

rice, sugar cane, cassava, sweet potatoes, milk, vegetables, bananas, mangoes/guavas, tropical fruit, potatoes

Budget

expenditures

2.136 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

1.828 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

$57 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$35 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$4.107 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$3.085 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

Madagascar is a mostly unregulated economy with many untapped natural resources, but no capital markets, a weak judicial system, poorly enforced contracts, and rampant government corruption. The country faces challenges to improve education, healthcare, and the environment to boost long-term economic growth. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing roughly 80% of the population. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by bushfires, slash-and-burn clearing techniques, and the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are serious concerns to the agriculture dependent economy.After discarding socialist economic policies in the mid-1990s, Madagascar followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization until a 2009 coup d’état led many nations, including the United States, to suspend non-humanitarian aid until a democratically-elected president was inaugurated in 2014. The pre-coup strategy had placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low starting point. Exports of apparel boomed after gaining duty-free access to the US market in 2000 under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA); however, Madagascar's failure to comply with the requirements of the AGOA led to the termination of the country's duty-free access in January 2010, a sharp fall in textile production, a loss of more than 100,000 jobs, and a GDP drop of nearly 11%.Madagascar regained AGOA access in January 2015 and ensuing growth has been slow and fragile. Madagascar produces around 80% of the world’s vanilla and its reliance on this commodity for most of its foreign exchange is a significant source of vulnerability. Economic reforms have been modest and the country’s financial sector remains weak, limiting the use of monetary policy to control inflation. An ongoing IMF program aims to strengthen financial and investment management capacity.

Exchange rates

currency

Malagasy ariary (MGA) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

2,414.8 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

2,933.5 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

3,176.5 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

3,176.5 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

3,116.1 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2017

$4.839 billion (2017 est.)

Exports 2018

$4.41 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$4.09 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports - commodities

vanilla, nickel, gold, clothing and apparel, gemstones (2019)

Exports - partners

United States 19%, France 18%, United Arab Emirates 7%, China 6%, Japan 6%, Germany 5%, India 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

31.5% (2017 est.)

government consumption

11.2% (2017 est.)

household consumption

67.1% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-33.7% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

15.1% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

8.8% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

24% (2017 est.)

industry

19.5% (2017 est.)

services

56.4% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$13.964 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2010

42.7 (2010)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2012

42.6 (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

34.7% (2010 est.)

lowest 10%

2.2%

Imports

Imports 2017

$5.796 billion (2017 est.)

Imports 2018

$4.82 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$4.7 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, rice, cars, packaged medicines, clothing and apparel (2019)

Imports - partners

China 24%, France 11%, United Arab Emirates 9%, India 7%, South Africa 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

5.2% (2017 est.)

Industries

meat processing, seafood, soap, beer, leather, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism, mining

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

8.5% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

8.6% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

5.6% (2019 est.)

Labor force

13.4 million (2017 est.)

Population below poverty line

70.7% (2012 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

38.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

36% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$41.81 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$43.65 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$41.82 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

3.1% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

4.2% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

4.2% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$1,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$1,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$1,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$1.076 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$1.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2016

1.8% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate 2017

1.8% (2017 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

3% (2015 est.)

male

3.9%

total

3.4%

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

1.587 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

74% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

24% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

675,400 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

1.706 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

23% (2019)

electrification - total population

39% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

64% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

18,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

18,880 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2018 est.)

total

27,211 (2018)

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 dominates in rural areas; relays of 2 international broadcasters are available in Antananarivo (2019)

Internet country code

.mg

Internet users

percent of population

9.8% (2019 est.)

total

5.45 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

less than 1 per 100 for fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity about 41 per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

penetration rates below African average; competition among mobile service providers has spurred recent growth in the mobile market and reduced consumer costs; 3G and LTE services available; fiber backbone connects major cities with wireless networks upgraded to LTE; government committed to free WiFi hotspots to ensure universal access; telecom service tax raised to 10%; investment in submarine cable to South Africa and Mauritius; importer of broadcasting and video equipment from China (2020)

international

country code - 261; landing points for the EASSy, METISS, and LION fiber-optic submarine cable systems connecting to numerous Indian Ocean Islands, South Africa, and Eastern African countries; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

69,046 (2018)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

40.57 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

10,654,710 (2018)

Airports

total

83 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

6

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

914 to 1,523 m

16

over 3,047 m

1

total

26

under 914 m

1 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

38

total

57

under 914 m

18 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

5R

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 14, oil tanker 2, other 11 (2021)

total

27

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

16.25 million mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

541,290 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

18

number of registered air carriers

4 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

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

Railways

narrow gauge

836 km 1.000-m gauge (2018)

total

836 km (2018)

Roadways

total

31,640 km (2018)

Waterways

600 km (432 km navigable) (2011)

Military - note

one of the military’s duties is assisting the gendarmerie with maintaining law and order in rural areas, particularly in areas affected by cattle rustling and banditry (2021)

Military and security forces

People's Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force; National Gendarmerie (operates under the Ministry of Defense); Ministry of Public Security: National Police (2021)

note

note - the National Gendarmerie is responsible for maintaining law and order in rural areas at the village level, protecting government facilities, and operating a maritime police contingent; the National Police is responsible for maintaining law and order in urban areas; the military is also active in rural areas, particularly in maintaining order in areas affected by cattle rustling and banditry

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Peoples Armed Forces (PAF) have approximately 13,000 personnel (12,000 Army; 500 Navy; 500 Air Force); est. 10,000 Gendarmerie (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the PAF's inventory consists mostly of aging Soviet-era equipment; since 2010, it has received limited amounts of second-hand equipment from France, South Africa, and UAE (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

0.6% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

0.6% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

0.6% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

0.6% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

Madagascar has an all-volunteer military; 18-25 years of age for males; service obligation 18 months; women are permitted to serve in all branches (2021)

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 Southwest Asian heroin

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

3.91 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

10.14 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

21.44 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Environment - current issues

erosion and soil degredation results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; agricultural fires; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; wildlife preservation (endangered species of flora and fauna unique to the island)

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity

due to drought in southern areas and limited income-earning opportunities - an estimated 1.14 million people are food insecure in southern and southeastern regions and require urgent humanitarian assistance; the effects of a severe drought on agricultural production in 2021 and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the loss of incomes due to the economic slowdown, are the key drivers of food insecurity (2021)

Land use

agricultural land

71.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 64.1% (2018 est.)

forest

21.5% (2018 est.)

other

7.4% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

4.34% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

337 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

13 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

161.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

395 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

39.2% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

3,768,759 tons (2016 est.)