Statistical information Madagascar 1992

Madagascar in the World
top of pageBackground: Formerly an independent kingdom Madagascar became a French colony in 1886 but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992 free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 587,040 km²
Land: 581,540 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 4,828 km
Maritime claimsExclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
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
ElevationNatural 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%; includes irrigated 2%
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 12,596,263 (July 1992), growth rate 3.2% (1992)
Nationality: noun - Malagasy (singular and plural; adjective - Malagasy
Ethnic groups:
basic split between highlanders of predominantly
Malayo-Indonesian origin (Merina and related Betsileo) on the one hand and coastal tribes, collectively termed the Cotiers, with mixed African,
Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry (Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka,
Sakalava), on the other; there are also small French, Indian, Creole, and
Comoran communities; no current, accurate assessment of tribal numbers is available
Languages: French and Malagasy (official)
Religions: indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian about 41%, Muslim 7%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 46 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 14 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: subject to periodic cyclones; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Current issues note:world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique
Channel
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 93 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 51 years male, 55 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 6.8 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 80% (male 88%, female 73%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Democratic Republic of Madagascar
Government type: republic
Capital: Antananarivo
Administrative divisions:
6 provinces (plural - NA, singular - faritanin'); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina,
Toliary
Dependent areasIndependence: 26 June 1960 (from France; formerly Malagasy Republic)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
Constitution: 21 December 1975; note - a new constitution is to be in place before 1993
Legal system: based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal at age 18
Popular National Assembly: last held on 28 May 1989 (next to be held 1992); 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
President:last held on 12 March 1989 (next to be held NA 1992); results - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 62%, Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA (MFM/MFT) 20%, Dr.
Jerome Marojama RAZANABAHINY (VONJY) 15%, Monja JAONA (MONIMA) 3%
Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch:
unicameral Popular National Assembly (Assemblee
Nationale Populaire); note - the National Assembly has suspended its operations during 1992 in preparation for new legislative and presidential 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)
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
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:Ambassador Pierrot Jocelyn RAJAONARIVELO;
Chancery at 2,374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008; telephone (202) 265-5,525 or 5,526; there is a Malagasy Consulate General in New York
US:Ambassador Howard K. WALKER; Embassy at 14 and 16 Rue Rainitovo,
Antsahavola, Antananarivo (mailing address is B. P. 620, Antananarivo); telephone 261 (2) 212-57, 209-56, 200-89, 207-18
Diplomatic representationFlag description
: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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 40% of GDP, employing about 80% of the labor force, and contributing to more than 70% of total export earnings. Industry is largely confined to the processing of agricultural products and textile manufacturing; in 1990 it accounted for only 16% of GDP and employed almost 5% of the labor force. 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.
GDP: exchange rate conversion - $2.4 billion, per capita $200; real growth rate - 3.8% (1991 est.)
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for 40% of GDP; cash crops - coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa; food crops - rice, cassava, beans, bananas, peanuts; cattle raising widespread; almost self-sufficient in rice
Industries: agricultural processing (meat canneries, soap factories, breweries, tanneries, sugar refining plants), light consumer goods industries (textiles, glassware), cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate:
growth rate 5.2% (1990 est.); accounts for 16% of
GDP
Labor force: 4,900,000; 90% nonsalaried family workers engaged in subsistence agriculture; 175,000 wage earners - agriculture 26%, domestic service 17%, industry 15%, commerce 14%, construction 11%, services 9%, transportation 6%, other 2%; 51% of population of working age (1985)
Organized labor: 4% of labor force
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $390 million; expenditures $525 million, including capital expenditures of $240 million (1990 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $290 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: coffee 45%, vanilla 15%, cloves 11%, sugar, petroleum products
Partners: France, Japan, Italy, Germany, US
Imports: $436 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: intermediate manufactures 30%, capital goods 28%, petroleum 15%, consumer goods 14%, food 13%
Partners: France, Germany, UK, other EC, US
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Malagasy francs (FMG) per US$1 - 1,943.4 (March 1992), 1,835.4 (1991), 1,454.6 (December 1990), 1,603.4 (1989) , 1,407.1 (1988), 1,069.2 (1987)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 125,000 kW capacity; 450 million kWh produced, 35 kWh per capita (1991)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp:exchange rate conversion - $37 million, 2.2% of
GDP (1989 est.)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports:
148 total, 103 usable; 30 with permanent-surface runways; none
with runways over 3,659 m; 3
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 34
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: of local importance only; isolated streams and small portions of Canal des Pangalanes
Merchant marine:
14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 59,255 GRT/81,509
DWT; includes 9 cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 petroleum tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1 liquefied gas
Civil air: 8 major transport aircraft
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption