*Madagascar, Geography
Location:
in the western Indian Ocean, 430 km east of Mozambique in Southern Africa
Map references:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
587,040 km2
land area:
581,540 km2 comparative area:
slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
4,828 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova
Island, and Tromelin Island (all administered by France)
Climate:
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
Terrain:
narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Natural resources:
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious
stones, mica, fish
Land use:
arable land:
4%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
58%
forest and woodland:
26%
other:
11%
Irrigated land:
9,000 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
subject to periodic cyclones; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
desertification
Note:
world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel
*Madagascar, People
Population:
13,005,989 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.2% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
45.66 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
13.71 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
91 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
53.52 years
male:
51.65 years
female:
55.45 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.75 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective:
Malagasy
Ethnic divisions:
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:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
80%
male:
88%
female:
73%
Labor force:
4.9 million 90% nonsalaried family workers engaged in subsistence
agriculture; 175,000 wage earners
by occupation:
agriculture 26%, domestic service 17%, industry 15%, commerce 14%,
construction 11%, services 9%, transportation 6%, other 2%
note:
51% of population of working age (1985)
*Madagascar, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form:
Madagascar
local long form:
Republique de Madagascar
local short form:
Madagascar
former:
Malagasy Republic
Digraph:
MA
Type:
republic
Capital:
Antananarivo
Administrative divisions:
6 provinces - Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina,
Toliary
Independence:
26 June 1960 (from France)
Constitution:
12 September 1992
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
Political parties and leaders:
some 30 political parties now exist in Madagascar, the most important of
which are Advance Guard of the Malagasy Revolution (AREMA), Didier
RATSIRAKA; Congress Party for Malagasy Independence (AKFM),
RAKOTOVAO-ANDRIATIANA; Movement for National Unity (VONJY), Dr. Marojama
RAZANABAHINY; Malagasy Christian Democratic Union (UDECMA), Norbert
ANDRIAMORASATA; Militants for the Establishment of a Proletarian Regime
(MFM), Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA; National Movement for the Independence of
Madagascar (MONIMA), Monja JAONA; National Union for the Defense of
Democracy (UNDD), Albert ZAFY
Other political or pressure groups:
National Council of Christian Churches (FFKM), leader NA; Federalist
Movement, leader NA
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Elections:
President:
last held on 10 February 1993 (next to be held 1998); results - Albert ZAFY
(UNDD), 67%; Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA), 33%
Popular National Assembly:
last held on 28 May 1989 (next to be held May 1993); results - AREMA 88.2%,
MFM 5.1%, AKFM 3.7%, VONJY 2.2%, other 0.8%; seats - (137 total) AREMA 120,
MFM 7, AKFM 5, VONJY 4, MONIMA 1
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, Council of Ministers
*Madagascar, Government
Legislative branch:
unicameral Popular National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale Populaire); note -
the National Assembly has suspended its operations during 1992 and early
1993 in preparation for new legislative elections. In its place, an interim
High Authority of State and a Social and Economic Recovery Council have been
established
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme), High Constitutional Court (Haute Cour
Constitutionnelle)
Leaders: Chief of State:
President Adm. Didier RATSIRAKA (since 15 June 1975)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Guy RAZANAMASY (since 8 August 1991)
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM,
OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Pierrot Jocelyn RAJAONARIVELO
chancery:
2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 265-5525 or 5526
consulate general:
New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Douglas BARRETT
embassy:
14 and 16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
mailing address:
B. P. 620, Antananarivo
telephone:
[261] (2) 212-57, 209-56, 200-89, 207-18
FAX:
261-234-539
Flag:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band
of the same width on hoist side
*Madagascar, Economy
Overview:
Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. Agriculture,
including fishing and forestry, is the mainstay of the economy, accounting
for over 30% of GDP and contributing to more than 70% of total export
earnings. Industry is largely confined to the processing of agricultural
products and textile manufacturing; in 1991 it accounted for only 13% of
GDP. In 1986 the government introduced a five-year development plan that
stressed self-sufficiency in food (mainly rice) by 1990, increased
production for exports, and reduced energy imports. After mid-1991, however,
output dropped sharply because of protracted antigovernment strikes and
demonstrations for political reform.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2.5 billion (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
1% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
$200 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
20% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues $250 million; expenditures $265 million, including capital
expenditures of $180 million (1991)
Exports:
$312 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
coffee 45%, vanilla 20%, cloves 11%, sugar, petroleum products
partners:
France, Japan, Italy, Germany, US
Imports:
$350 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
commodities:
intermediate manufactures 30%, capital goods 28%, petroleum 15%, consumer
goods 14%, food 13%
partners:
France, Germany, UK, other EC, US
External debt:
$4.4 billion (1991)
Industrial production:
growth rate 5.2% (1990 est.); accounts for 13% of GDP
Electricity:
125,000 kW capacity; 450 million kWh produced, 35 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
agricultural processing (meat canneries, soap factories, breweries,
tanneries, sugar refining plants), light consumer goods industries
(textiles, glassware), cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum
Agriculture:
accounts for 31% of GDP; cash crops - coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves,
cocoa; food crops - rice, cassava, beans, bananas, peanuts; cattle raising
widespread; almost self-sufficient in rice
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for
domestic consumption
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $136 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $3,125 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $491 million