Madagascar

@Madagascar:Geography

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map references: Africa

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 4,828 km

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

Climate: tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain: narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

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

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

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 41% forests and woodland: 40% other: 14% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 10,870 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones

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

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

@Madagascar:People

Population: 14,462,509 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 3,272,236; female 3,196,565) 15-64 years: 52% (male 3,722,459; female 3,792,178) 65 years and over: 3% (male 231,582; female 247,489) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.81% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 41.89 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 13.83 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

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: 0.93 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 90.57 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 52.88 years male: 51.7 years female: 54.1 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.76 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality: noun: Malagasy (singular and plural) adjective: Malagasy

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

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

Languages: French (official), Malagasy (official)

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

@Madagascar:Government

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

Government type: republic

National capital: Antananarivo

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

Independence: 26 June 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Constitution: 19 August 1992 by national referendum

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Didier RATSIRAKA (since 10 February 1997) 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

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (138 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Senate or Senat (two-thirds of Senate 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); note-the establishment of the Senate has been indefinitely postponed; the total number of seats in the Senate will be determined by the National Assembly elections: National Assembly-last held 16 June 1993 (next to be held May 1998) 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

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme); High Constitutional
Court (Haute Cour Constitutionnelle)

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

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Biclair Henri ANDRIANANTOANDRO chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 265-5525, 5526 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Howard T. PERLOW embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo mailing address: B. P. 620, Antananarivo telephone: (2) 212-57, 200-89, 207-18 FAX: (2) 345-39

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

@Madagascar:Economy

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 textile manufacturing and the processing of agricultural products. Growth in output in 1992-97 averaged less than 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.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$10.3 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 3% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$730 (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector: agriculture: 33% industry: 15% services: 52% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 19.8% (1996)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $477 million expenditures: $706 million, including capital expenditures of $264 million (1996 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (1993 est.)

Electricity-capacity: 220,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production: 595 million kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita: 43 kWh (1995)

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

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)

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)

Debt-external: $4.4 billion (1996 est.)

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

Currency: 1 Malagasy franc (FMG) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Malagasy francs (FMG) per US$1-5,302.9 (December 1997), 5,090.9 (1997), 4,061.3 (1996), 4,265.6 (1995), 3,067.3 (1994), 1,913.8 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 96,000 (1988 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)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios: 2.565 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (repeaters 36)

Televisions: 260,000 (1992 est.)

@Madagascar:Transportation

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

Highways: total: 49,837 km paved: 5,781 km unpaved: 44,056 km (1996 est.)

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

Ports and harbors: Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga,
Toamasina, Toliara

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 (1997 est.)

Airports: 136 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways: total: 30 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 106 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 60 under 914 m: 42 (1997 est.)

@Madagascar:Military

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

Military manpower-military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower-availability: males age 15-49: 3,308,300 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 1,964,545 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 140,429 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures-dollar figure: $29 million (1994)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1% (1994)

@Madagascar:Transnational Issues

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