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. In 1997 in the second presidential race Didier RATSIRAKA the leader during the 1970s and 1980s was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002 the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner.

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S 47 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 587,040 km²
Water: 5,500 km²
Land: 581,540 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 4,828 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 NM
Territorial sea: 12 NM
Exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Continental shelf: 200 NM or 100 NM from the 2,500-m deep isobath

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 hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 4.41%
Permanent crops: 0.93%
Other: 94.66% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 10,900 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones

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

Population: 16,473,477 (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: 3.03% (2002 est.)
Below poverty line: 70% (1994 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

Languages: French (official) Malagasy (official)

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 45% (male 3,713,700; female 3,696,478)
15-64 years: 51.8% (male 4,227,931; female 4,313,940)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 241,699; female 279,729) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.03% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 42.41 births/1000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 12.15 deaths/1000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2002 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, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1 male/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male/female
Total population: 0.99 male/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 81.9 deaths/1000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 55.74 years
Female: 58.11 years (2002 est.)
Male: 53.45 years

Total fertility rate: 5.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.15% (1999 est.)
People living with hivaids: 11,000 (1999 est.)
Deaths: 870 (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 short form: Madagascar
Former: Malagasy Republic
Local long form: Republique de Madagascar

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 Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)
Head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November 2006); prime minister appointed by the president from a list of candidates nominated by the National Assembly
Election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 40.89%, Marc RAVALOMANANA 46.21%; note - on 29 April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner by 51.5% after a recount; RATSIRIKA's prime minister was put under house arrest on 27 May 2002, and SYLLA was appointed the new prime minister by President RAVALOMANANA

Legislative branch
Elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
Election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD 5, TTS 2, HBM 1, independents 22

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle

Political parties and leaders: Action Truth Development and Harmony or AFFA [Professor Albert ZAFY]; Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [leader vacant]; Congress Party for Malagasy Independence or AKFM/Fanavaozana [leader NA]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Rally or Fihaonana [Guy RAZANAMASY]; Group of Reflection and Action for the Development of Madagascar or GRAD/Iloafo; Judged by Your Work or AVI [Norbert RATSIRAHONANA]; Movement for the Progress of Madagascar or MFM [Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]; Tranobe (Big House) [Ny Hasina ANDRIAMANJATO]

International organization participation: ACCT ACP AfDB CCC ECA FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO InOC Interpol IOC IOM ISO (correspondent) 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 Zina ANDRIANARIVELO-RAZAFY
In the us consulates general: New York
In the us fax: [1] (202) 483-7,603
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 265-5,525, 5,526
In the us chancery: 2,374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT
From the us embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101
From the us mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
From the us telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56
From the us fax: [261] (20) 22-345-39

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 faces problems of 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 one-third 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 prices and the erratic commitment of the government to economic reform. The extent of government reforms outside financial aid and foreign investment will be key determinants of future growth.

Real gdp growth rate: 5% (2001 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $870 (2001 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 34%
Industry: 11%
Services: 55% (1999 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% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 7 million (1999) (1999)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: 70% (1994 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2%
Highest 10: 37% (1997)

Distribution of family income gini index: 46 (1997)

Budget
Revenues: $553 million
Expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 7% (2001 est.)

Exports: $680 million f.o.b. (2000)
Commodities: coffee vanilla shellfish sugar; cotton cloth chromite petroleum products
Partners: France 41% US 21% Germany 7% Japan 4% UK 1% (2000)

Imports: $919 million f.o.b. (2000)
Commodities: intermediate manufactures capital goods petroleum consumer goods food
Partners: France 38% Hong Kong 10% China 5% Singapore 5% Japan 3%

Debt external: $4.5 billion (2000)

Exchange rates: Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,531 (December 2001) 6,589 (2001) 6,768 (2000) 6,284 (1999) 5,441 (1998) 5,091 (1997)

Electricity
Production: 820 million kWh (2000)
Production by source fossil fuel: 37%
Production by source hydro: 63%
Production by source other: 0% (2000)
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: 762.6 million kWh (2000)
Exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 55,000 (2000)
Mobile cellular: 63,100 (2000)

Telephone system
General assessment: system is above average for the region
Domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
International: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Internet
Country code: .mg
Service providers isps: 2 (2000)
Users: 35,000 (2002)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $48.7 million (FY01)
Percent of gdp: 1.2% (FY01)

Airports: 130 (2001)
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 (2002)
With unpaved runways total: 92
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 46
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 44 (2002)

Railways
Total: 893 km
Narrow gauge: 893 km 1.000-m gauge (2001)

Waterways
Note: of local importance only

Merchant marine
Total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 27,199 GRT/37,462 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2 (2002 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