Madagascar

Radio broadcast stations

AM 17, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios

2.565 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system

system is above average for Africa domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region)

Telephones

96,000 (1988 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (repeaters 36)

Televisions

260,000 (1992 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues : $250 million expenditures: $265 million, including capital expenditures of $180 million (1991 est.)

Currency

1 Malagasy franc (FMG) = 100 centimes

Debt - external

$4.4 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $454 million (1992-96)

Economy - overview

Madagascar suffers from chronic malnutrition, underfunded health and education facilities, a roughly 3% annual population growth rate, and severe loss of forest cover, accompanied by erosion. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the mainstay of the economy, accounting for 33% of GDP and contributing more than 70% to export earnings. Industry features the processing of agricultural products and textile manufacturing. Growth in output in 1992-95 averaged only 1.4%, less than half the growth rate of the population. Growth has been held back by antigovernment strikes and demonstrations, a decline in world coffee demand, and the erratic commitment of the government to economic reform. Formidable obstacles stand in the way of Madagascar's realizing its considerable growth potential; the extent of government reforms, outside financial aid, and foreign investment will be key determinants.

Electricity - capacity

208,000 kW (1991)

Electricity - consumption per capita

36 kWh (1992)

Electricity - production

450 million kWh (1991)

Exchange rates

Malagasy francs (FMG) per US$1 - 3,950 (November 1996), 3,974.9 (August 1996), 4,265.6 (1995), 3,067.3 (1994), 1,913.8 (1993), 1,864.0 (1992)

Exports

total value: $493 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: coffee 45%, vanilla 20%, cloves, shellfish, sugar, petroleum products (1995 est.) partners : France 41%, US, Japan, Italy (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $12.1 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture : 33% industry: 15% services: 52% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $880 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.5% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $612 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities : intermediate manufactures 30%, capital goods 28%, petroleum 15%, consumer goods 14%, food 13% (1995 est.) partners: France 40%, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, US (1995)

Industrial production growth rate

3.8% (1993 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

47% (1995 est.)

Labor force

total: 4.9 million by occupation : agriculture 45,500, domestic service 29,750, industry 26,250, commerce 24,500, construction 19,250, service 15,750, transportation 10,500, other 3,500 (1985 est.) note: 175,000 workers (3.6% of the total work force) earn money wages; 4,725,000 workers receive no monetary wage (of these, 91% are engaged in subsistence agriculture)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 587,040 sq km land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 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

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to : Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

20 00 S, 47 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

10,870 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 4% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures : 41% forests and woodland: 40% other: 14% (1993 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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Administrative divisions

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

Constitution

19 August 1992 by national referendum

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar conventional short form: Madagascar local long form: Republique de Madagascar local short form: Madagascar former: Malagasy Republic

Data code

MA

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Vicki J. HUDDLESTON embassy : 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo mailing address: B. P. 620, Antananarivo telephone: [261] (2) 212-57, 200-89, 207-18

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Pierrot Jocelyn RAJAONARIVELO chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526 consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Didier RATSIRAKA; (since 10 February 1997) note - President Albert ZAFY impeached by the High Constitutional Court on 5 September 1996; Prime Minister Emmanuel RAKOTOVAHINY served as interim president until the election of President RATSIRAKA and then retired from the office of prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Pascal RAKOTOMAVO (since 21 February 1997) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 December 1996 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister appointed by the president from a list of candidates nominated by the National Assembly election results: percent of the popular vote for president - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 50.7%, Albert ZAFY (UNDD) 49.3%; percent of the National Assembly vote for prime minister - NA

FAX

[261] (2) 234-539

Flag description

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side

Government type

republic

Independence

26 June 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme); High Constitutional Court (Haute Cour Constitutionnelle)

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate or Senat (two-thirds of upper house seats are to be filled from popularly elected regional assemblies; the remaining third is to be filled by presidential appointment; members serve four-year terms) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (138 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: National Assembly - last held 16 June 1993 (next to be held 3 August 1997) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CFV coalition 76, PMDM/MFM 16, CSCD 11, Famima 10, RPSD 7, various pro-Ratsiraka groups 10, others 8 note: the Senate has never been established because the regional assemblies have not been formed and are not expected to be formed before late in 1997, following a national referendum on a new constitution

National capital

Antananarivo

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Political parties and leaders

Committee of Living Forces or CFV, an alliance of National Union for Development and Democracy or UNDD [Emmanuel RAKOTOVAHINY, president], Support Committee for Democracy and Development in Madagascar or CSDDM [Francisque RAVONY, president], Action and Reflection Group for the Development of Madagascar or GRAD, Congress Party for Madagascar Independence-Renewal or AKFM-Fanavaozana [Richard ANDRIAMANJATO, president], and some 12 other parties, trade unions, and religious groups; Association of United Malagasys or Famima [Didier RATSIRAKA, leader]; Confederation of Civil Societies for Development or CSCD [Guy Willy RAZANAMASY]; Militant Party for the Development of Madagascar or PMDM/MFM, formerly the Movement for Proletarian Power [Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA]; Rally for Social Democracy or RPSD [Evariste MARSON, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders

National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM; Federalist Movement

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military branches

Popular Armed Forces (includes Intervention Forces, Development Forces, Aeronaval Forces - includes Navy and Air Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$29 million (1994)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1% (1994)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 3,204,200 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 1,903,268 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

20 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 136,216 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 45% (male 3,188,839; female 3,114,958) 15-64 years : 52% (male 3,608,508; female 3,680,574) 65 years and over: 3% (male 228,230; female 240,518) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

42.26 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

14.1 deaths/1,000 population (1997 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

Infant mortality rate

92 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

French (official), Malagasy (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 52.53 years male : 51.4 years female: 53.7 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 80% male: 88% female : 73% (1990 est.)

Nationality

noun: Malagasy (singular and plural) adjective: Malagasy

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

14,061,627 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

2.82% (1997 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.83 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

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

Illicit drugs

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

Airports

105 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 58 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m : 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 31 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 47 1,524 to 2,437 m : 2 914 to 1,523 m: 45 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 49,837 km paved: 5,731 km unpaved : 44,106 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,624 GRT/28,621 DWT ships by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors

Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Railways

total : 883 km narrow gauge: 883 km 1.000-m gauge (1994)

Waterways

of local importance only; isolated streams and small portions of Canal des Pangalanes