2024 Edition Primary

Background

Madagascar was one of the last major habitable landmasses on earth to be 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 French conquered the island in 1896 and made it a colony; independence was regained in 1960. Free presidential and National Assembly elections were held in 1992-93, 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 RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing half the country to secede. In 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. He 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. After a lengthy mediation process, Madagascar held UN-supported presidential and parliamentary elections in 2013. Former de facto finance minister Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA won in a runoff and was inaugurated in 2014. In 2019, RAJOELINA was declared the winner against RAVALOMANANA. In 2023, RAJOELINA won another term in an election that most of the opposition boycotted, including RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA and RAVALOMANANA, who claimed it was rigged in favor of RAJOELINA. International observers, however, saw no evidence of systemic fraud, leading the international community to accept the election results.

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

37% (male 5,507,847/female 5,400,551)

15-64 years

59.1% (male 8,720,012/female 8,673,880)

65 years and over

3.9% (2024 est.) (male 532,642/female 617,782)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.89 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

27.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

11.2% (2021 est.)

women married by age 15

12.7%

women married by age 18

38.8%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

22.6% (2021)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

49.7% (2020)

Current health expenditure

3.9% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

60.1% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.8 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Demographic profile

Madagascar’s youthful population – nearly 60% are under the age of 25 as of 2020 – and moderately high total fertility rate of more than 3.6 children per woman 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 2018, 40% of Malagasy women aged 20 to 24 were married. 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 approximately 60% 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

5.8

potential support ratio

17.4 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

74.5

youth dependency ratio

68.8

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 38% of population

improved: total

total: 56.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 85% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 62% of population

unimproved: total

total: 43.9% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 15% of population

Education expenditures

3.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

1.71 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.2 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

34 deaths/1,000 live births

male

40.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

37.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

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

70.3 years

male

67.3 years

total population

68.8 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

75.8% (2021)

male

78.8%

total population

77.3%

Major urban areas - population

3.872 million ANTANANARIVO (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

392 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

21.5 years

male

21.1 years

total

21.3 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.5 years (2021 est.)

note

note: data represents 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 (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5.3% (2016)

Physician density

0.2 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

female

14,692,213 (2024 est.)

male

14,760,501

total

29,452,714

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

2.18% (2024 est.)

Religions

Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar/Malagasy Lutheran Church/Anglican Church 34%, Roman Catholic 32.3%, other Christian 8.1%, traditional/Animist 1.7%, Muslim 1.4%, other 0.6%, none 21.9% (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 22.1% of population

improved: total

total: 32.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 49.2% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 77.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 67.4% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 50.8% 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

15-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.86 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

12.8% (2020 est.)

male

42.7% (2020 est.)

total

27.8% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.47 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

40.6% of total population (2023)

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 ADRIANJAKA 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

République de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara

local short form

Madagascar/Madagasikara

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Claire PIERANGELO (since 2 May 2022)

email address and website

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

embassy

Lot 207A, Andranoro, Antehiroka, 105 Antananarivo - Madagascar

FAX

[261] 33-44-320-35

mailing address

2040 Antananarivo Place, Washington DC 20521-2040

telephone

[261] 33-44-320-00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

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

email address and website

madagascar.embassy.dc@gmail.comhttps://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 16 December 2023)

election results

2023: Andry RAJOELINA reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Andry RAJOELINA (TGV) 59.0%, Siteny Thierry RANDRIANASOLONIAIKO 14.4%, Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 12.1%, other 14.5%2018: Andry RAJOELINA elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Andry RAJOELINA (TGV) 39.2%, Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 35.4%, other 25.4%; percent of vote in second round - Andry RAJOELINA 55.7%, Marc RAVALOMANANA 44.3%

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 16 November 2023 (next to be held in November 2028); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly, appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Christian NTSAY (since 6 June 2018)

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 court(s)

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); High Court of Justice (consists of 11 members; addresses cases brought against the president of Madagascar and high officials for high treason, grave violations of the Constitution, or breach of  duties incompatible with the exercise of the presidential mandate)

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; High Court of Justice members include: first president of the Supreme Court; 2 presidents from the Court of Cassation; 2 presidents from the Court of Appeal; 2 deputies  from the National Assembly; 2 senators from the Senate; 2 members from the High Council for the Defense of Democracy and the State of law

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal; Court of Cassation; Courts of First Instance; military courts; traditional (dina) courts; Trade Court

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 Antenimierandoholona (18 seats; 12 members indirectly elected by an electoral college of municipal, communal, regional, and provincial leaders and 6 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms)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; elected seats by party - Irmar 10, Malagasy Miara Miainga 2; composition - men 17, women 1, percentage women 5.6%National Assembly - percent of vote by party/coalition - IRD 55.6%, TIM 10.6%, independent 30.5%, other 3.3%; seats by party/coalition - IRD 84, TIM 16, independent 46, other 5; composition - men 123, women 28, percentage women 18.5%; total Parliament percentage women 10.7%

elections

Senate - last held on 11 December 2020 (next to be held in December 2025)National Assembly - last held on 27 May 2019 (next to be held on 29 May 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Pasteur RAHAJASON/Norbert RAHARISOA

name

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

note

note: adopted 1959

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve (n); Ambohimanga Royal Hill (c); Atsinanana Rainforests  (n)

total World Heritage Sites

3 (1 cultural, 2 natural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties

Group of Young Malagasy Patriots (Groupe des Jeunes Malgaches Patriotes) or GJMPI Love Madagascar (Tiako I Madagasikara) or TIMIsika Rehetra Miaraka amin'i Andry Rajoelina coalition or IRDMalagasy Aware (Malagasy Tonga Saina) or MTSMalagasy Tia Tanindrazana or MATITA or ANGADYMovement for Democracy in Madagascar (Mouvement pour la Démocratie à Madagascar) or MDMRally for Democratic Socialism (Rassemblement pour Socialisme Démocratique - Nouveau) or RPSD VaovaoYoung Malagasies Determined (Tanora Malagasy Vonona) or TGV

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

rice, sugarcane, cassava, sweet potatoes, milk, bananas, vegetables, mangoes/guavas, tropical fruits, potatoes (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$1.523 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$1.756 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2020

-$623.653 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$721.953 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$829.376 million (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$2.972 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

low-income East African island economy; natural resource rich; extreme poverty; return of political stability has helped growth; sharp tax revenue drop due to COVID-19; leading vanilla producer; environmentally fragile

Exchange rates

Currency

Malagasy ariary (MGA) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

3,618.322 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

3,787.754 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

3,829.978 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

4,096.116 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

4,429.579 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2020

$2.589 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$3.362 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$4.689 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

nickel, garments, vanilla, cloves, cobalt (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

US 18%, France 15%, China 13%, Japan 11%, Germany 4% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

32.5% (2023 est.)

government consumption

18.7% (2023 est.)

household consumption

66.5% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-39.1% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20.3% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

1% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

21.1% (2023 est.)

industry

14.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

54.9% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$16.032 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Imports

Imports 2020

$3.718 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$4.769 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$6.041 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, rice, fabric, palm oil, cotton fabric (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 24%, India 10%, France 9%, Oman 6%, South Africa 6% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-33.28% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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) 2021

5.81% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

8.16% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

9.87% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

15.83 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

Public debt 2017

36% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$47.488 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$49.291 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$51.255 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

5.74% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.99% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$1,600 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$1,700 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$1,700 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

3.02% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

2.52% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

2.37% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$2.335 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$2.16 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$2.632 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

9.25% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

3.42% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

3.19% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.06% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

5.6% (2023 est.)

male

5.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

5.5% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.155 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

2.899 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

4.054 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

511,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

(2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton

imports

511,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

150 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

2.248 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

663,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

118.792 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

10.9%

electrification - total population

36.1% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

71.6%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

2.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

63.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

33.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

1.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

1.887 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

19,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

0.1 (2020 est.)

total

32,000 (2020 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 dominates in rural areas; relays of 2 international broadcasters are available in Antananarivo (2019)

Internet country code

.mg

Internet users

percent of population

20% (2021 est.)

total

5.8 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

less than 1 per 100 for fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity about 56 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

internet service is fast compared to other African countries, and telecom services in Madagascar have benefited from intensifying competition between the main operators; there have been positive developments with the country’s link to international submarine cables, particularly the METISS cable connecting to South Africa and Mauritius; in addition, the country’s connection to the Africa-1 cable, which arrived in 2023, provides links to Kenya, Djibouti, countries in north and south Africa, as well as Pakistan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and France; a national fiber backbone has been implemented connecting the major cities, however much of the fiber in country has been installed by Huawei, which also manages data centers for the government; in addition, the government has progressed with its five-year plan to develop a digital platform running to 2024; various schemes within the program have been managed by a unit within the President’s office; penetration rates in all market sectors remain below the average for the African region, and so there remains considerable growth potential; much progress was made in 2020, stimulated by the particular conditions related to the pandemic, which encouraged greater use of voice and data services (2022)

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

26,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

70 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

20.783 million (2022 est.)

Airports

91 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

5R

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 16, oil tanker 2, other 11

total

29 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

16.25 million (2018) mt-km

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

key ports

Andoany, Antsiranana, Antsohim Bondrona, Iharana, Mahajanga, Maintirano, Manakara, Mananjary, Maroantsetra, Morondava, Toamasina, Tolanaro, Toliara

ports with oil terminals

5

small

2

total ports

13 (2024)

very small

11

Railways

narrow gauge

836 km (2018) 1.000-m gauge

total

836 km (2018)

Roadways

total

31,640 km (2017)

Waterways

600 km (2011) (432 km navigable)

Military - note

the PAF’s responsibilities include ensuring sovereignty and territorial integrity and protecting Madagascar’s maritime domain, particularly against piracy, drug trafficking, and smuggling; it also assists the Gendarmerie with maintaining law and order in rural areas, largely in areas affected by banditry, cattle rustling, and criminal groups; the PAF has a history of having influence in domestic politics and a lack of accountability; members of the Army and the Gendarmerie were arrested for coup plotting as recently as 2021; its closest defense partners have been India and Russia; the PAF’s small Navy has traditionally looked to India for assistance with maritime security (2023)

Military and security forces

Madagascar People's Armed Forces (PAF): Army, Navy, Air Force; National Gendarmerie (2024)

note

note: the National Gendarmerie is separate from the PAF under the Ministry of Defense and 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 under the Ministry of Security is responsible for maintaining law and order in urban areas

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 13,000 personnel (12,000 Army; 500 Navy; 500 Air Force); estimated 10,000 Gendarmerie (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the PAF's inventory consists mostly of older or secondhand weapons and equipment originating from countries such as France, South Africa, the UAE, the UK, and the former Soviet Union  (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

0.5% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for men and women; service obligation 18 months; no conscription; women are permitted to serve in all branches (2023)

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — the government has devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards; therefore, Madagascar was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 and remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year; for more details, go to:  https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/madagascar/

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

3.91 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

10.14 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

16.02 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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 the effects of extreme weather events and slow economic recovery - in 2023, an estimated 2.2 million people are projected to face crisis levels of acute food insecurity in southern and southeastern areas, due to successive years of droughts; cyclone Freddy in February 2023 caused disruptions to livelihoods and resulted in crop damage, which further aggravated food insecurity (2023)

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.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

4.34% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

337 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

13 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

160 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

400 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

40.6% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

3,768,759 tons (2016 est.)