Top banner
The World Factbook Banner

         
  Madagascar  
Flag of Madagascar
Click to enlarge
Categories Banner
  Introduction
  Geography
  People
  Government
  Economy
  Communications
  Transportation
  Military
  Transnational Issues

In general, information available as of 1 January 2003
was used in the preparation of The World Factbook 2003.


This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003


Map of Madagascar

Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Madagascar
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
20 00 S, 47 00 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Africa
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 587,040 sq km
water: 5,500 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
4,828 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or 100 NM from the 2,500-m deep isobath
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 4.41%
permanent crops: 0.93%
other: 94.66% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
10,900 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
periodic cyclones
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel
   People    Madagascar
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
16,979,744 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
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.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 17.4 years
male: 17.2 years
female: 17.6 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
3.03% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
42.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 80.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 71.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 88.63 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 56.14 years
male: 53.82 years
female: 58.53 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.3% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
22,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
870 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
French (official), Malagasy (official)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.9%
male: 75.5%
female: 62.5% (2003 est.)
   Government    Madagascar
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form: Madagascar
local short form: Madagascar
former: Malagasy Republic
local long form: Republique de Madagascar
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
republic
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Antananarivo
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
26 June 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
19 August 1992 by national referendum
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
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
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
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
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
elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
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
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
Federalist Movement; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
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
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603
telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
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
FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side
   Economy    Madagascar
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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.
GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $12.59 billion (2002)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-11.9% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 25%
industry: 12%
services: 63% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
71% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
38.1 (1999)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.4% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.3 million (2000)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.9% (1998)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $553 million
expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
830.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source:
Definition Field Listing
fossil fuel: 36.1%
hydro: 63.9%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
772.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl (37257)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$700 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
France 34%, US 24.6%, Netherlands 6%, Germany 5.9%, Mauritius 4% (2002)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$985 million f.o.b. (2002)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
France 17.2%, Iran 11%, Mauritius 10.6%, Bahrain 9.4%, Hong Kong 6.9%, South Africa 5.9%, China 4.1% (2002)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$4.6 billion (2002)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$838 million (1997)
Currency:
Definition Field Listing
Malagasy franc (MGF)
Currency code:
Definition Field Listing
MGF
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
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)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Madagascar
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
55,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
63,100 (2000)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: system is above average for the region
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.mg
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Definition Field Listing
2 (2000)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
35,000 (2002)
   Transportation    Madagascar
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 732 km
narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Highways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 49,827 km
paved: 5,780 km
unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing
of local importance only
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT
ships by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 (2002 est.)
Airports:
Definition Field Listing
121 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 29
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
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 92
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 46
under 914 m: 44 (2002)
   Military    Madagascar
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
People's Armed Forces (comprising Intervention Force, Development Force, Aeronaval [Navy and Air] Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment
Military manpower - military age:
Definition Field Listing
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:
Definition Field Listing
males age 15-49: 3,880,332 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 15-49: 2,300,587 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males: 163,864 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$52.3 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.2% (FY02)
   Transnational Issues    Madagascar
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
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


Bottom Banner