Background: 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.

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 587,040 km²
Land: 581,540 km²
Water: 5,500 km²
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 deep 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
Extremes 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 km² (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones

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

Population: 14,873,387 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 2.8% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

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

Languages: French (official), Malagasy (official)

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 45% (male 3,356,104; female 3,279,056)
15-64 years: 52% (male 3,841,248; female 3,908,209)
65 years and over: 3% (male 234,549; female 254,221) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.8% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 41.52 births/1000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 13.56 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)

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

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: 0.92 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 89.1 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 53.24 years
Male: 52.01 years
Female: 54.51 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.7 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 80%
Male: 88%
Female: 73% (1990 est.)

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

Government type: republic

Capital: Antananarivo

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

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 Tantely Rene Gabriot ANDRIANARIVO (since NA 1998)
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: Didier RATSIRAKA elected president; percent of vote_Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 50.7%, Albert ZAFY (AFFA) 49.3%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note_the legislature is scheduled to become a bicameral Paliament 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 17 May 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
Election results: National Assembly_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_AREMA 62, LEADER/Fanilo 15, AVI 14, RPSD 11, AFFA 6, MFM 3, AKFM/Fanavaozana 3, GRAD/Iloafo 1, Fihaonana 1, independents 34

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

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, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, 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
In the us chancery: 2,374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 265-5,525, 5,526
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Howard T. PERLOW
From the us embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
From the us mailing address: B. P. 620, Antananarivo
From the us telephone: [261] (2) 212-57, 200-89, 207-18
From the us FAX: [261] (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

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 32% 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.

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (1997 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $730 (1997 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 32%
Industry: 13%
Services: 55% (1997 est.)

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

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

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

Labor force: 7 million (1995)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $170 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Commodities: coffee 45%, vanilla 20%, cloves, shellfish, sugar, petroleum products (1995 est.)
Partners: France 31.7%, Japan 15.8%, Germany 6.4%, Reunion 5.7% (1996)

Imports: $477 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Commodities: intermediate manufactures 30%, capital goods 28%, petroleum 15%, consumer goods 14%, food 13% (1995 est.)
Partners: France 31.0%, Iran 9.1%, South Africa 8.2%, Japan 5.8%, US 5.0% (1996)

Debt external: $4.4 billion (1996 est.)

Exchange rates: Malagasy francs (FMG) per US$1_5,468.5 (January 1999), 5,441.4 (1998), 5,090.9 (1997), 4,061.3 (1996), 4,265.6 (1995), 3,067.3 (1994)

Electricity
Production: 595 million kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 41.18%
Production by source hydro: 58.82%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 595 million kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Telephones: 34,000 (1994)

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)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $29 million (1994)
Percent of gdp: 1% (1994)

Airports: 133 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 29
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 20
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 104
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 59
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 42 (1998 est.)

Railways
Total: 883 km
Narrow gauge: 883 km 1.000-m gauge (1994)

Waterways: of local importance only; isolated streams and small portions of Lakandranon' Ampangalana (Canal des Pangalanes)

Merchant marine
Total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 23,311 GRT/31,533 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1998 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