Background: Formerly an independent kingdom Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 but regained 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. RAVALOMANANA achieved a second term following a landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential elections of 2006. In early 2009 protests due to increasing restrictions on opposition press and activities resulted in RAVALOMANANA stepping down and the presidency was conferred to the mayor of Antananarivo Andry RAJOELINA. Following negotiations in July and August of 2009 a power-sharing agreement with a 15-month transitional period was established. Elections are expected in the fall of 2010.

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S 47 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 587,041 km²
Rank: 46
Land: 581,540 km²
Water: 5,501 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 4,828 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m 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: 5.03%
Permanent crops: 1.02%
Other: 93.95% (2005)

Irrigated land: 10,860 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 337 km³ (1984)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation

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

Population: 20,653,556 (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 55
Growth rate: 3% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 13
Below poverty line: 50% (2004 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Malagasy
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: English (official) French (official) Malagasy (official)

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 43.5%
15-64 years: 53.5% (male 5,483,684/female 5,557,098)
65 years and over: 3% (male 280,677/female 348,591) (2009 est.)

Median age
Total: 18 years
Male: 17.8 years
Female: 18.2 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 3% (2009 est.)
Rank: 13

Birth rate: 38.14 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 23

Death rate: 8.14 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 107

Net migration rate: NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization
Urban population: 29% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 3.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Environment
Current issues: soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna unique to the island
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Life Conservation Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 54.2 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 47
Male: 59.12 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 49.13 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 62.89 years
Rank: 176
Male: 60.93 years
Female: 64.91 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.14 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 26

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 116
People living with hivaids: 14,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 88
Deaths: fewer than 1000 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 75

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: chikungunya malaria and plague
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)

Education expenditures: 3.1% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 144

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 68.9%
Male: 75.5%
Female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 9 years
Male: 10 years
Female: 9 years (2006)

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
Conventional short form: Madagascar
Local long form: Republique de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara
Local short form: Madagascar/Madagasikara
Former: Malagasy Republic

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Antananarivo
Geographic coordinates: 18 55 S 47 31 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

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: passed by referendum 19 August 1992

Legal system: based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Andry RAJOELINA
Head of government: Prime Minister Monja Roindefo ZAFITSIMIVALO (since 18 March 2009)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: percent of vote - Marc RAVALOMANANA 54.8% Jean LAHINIRIKO 11.7% Roland RATSIRAKA 10.1% Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO 9.1% Norbert RATSIRAHONANA 4.2% Ny Hasina ANDRIAMANJATO 4.2% Elia RAVELOMANANTSOA 2.6% Pety RAKOTONIAINA 1.7% other 1.6%; note - RAVALOMANANA stepped down on 17 March 2009: on 17 March 2009 democratically elected President Marc RAVALOMANANA stepped down handing the government over to the military which in turn conferred the presidency on opposition leader and Antananarivo mayor Andry RAJOELINA who will head the High Transition Authority; a power-sharing agreement reached in August 2009 established a 15-month transition period concluding in general elections

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of a Senate or Senat (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies; the remaining one-third of seats appointed by the president; to serve four-year terms) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (127 seats - reduced from 160 seats by an April 2007 national referendum; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: National Assembly - last held 23 September 2007 (next to be held in late 2010); note - a power-sharing agreement in the summer of 2009 established a 15-month transition concluding in general elections
Election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TIM 106 LEADER/Fanilo 1 independents 20

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

Political parties and leaders: Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot RAJAONARIVELO]; Democratic Party for Union in Madagascar or PSDUM [Jean LAHINIRIKO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Party or FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU COMESA FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO InOC Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO (correspondent) ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA NAM OIF OPCW SADC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jocelyn Bertin RADIFERA
In the us chancery: 2,374 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 265-5,525 through 5,526
In the us fax: [1] (202) 265-3,034
In the us consulate general: Los Angeles New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador R. Niels MARQUARDT
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: Having discarded past socialist economic policies Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low level. Agriculture including fishing and forestry is a mainstay of the economy accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US. Deforestation and erosion aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002 political crisis which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 122
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 38

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 212
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 26.2%
Industry: 15.2%
Services: 58.5% (2008 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2008 est.)
Rank: 83

Labor force: 9.504 million (2007)
Rank: 51

Population below poverty line: 50% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.6%
Highest 10: 41.5% (2005)

Distribution of family income gini index: 38.1 (1999)
Rank: 33

Budget
Revenues: $1.612 billion
Expenditures: $2.05 billion (2008 est.)

Inflation rate consumer prices: 10.3% (2007 est.)
Rank: 140

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 45% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 3

Stock of domestic credit: $767.5 million (31 December 2007)
Rank: 111

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$807 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 121

Exports: $1.095 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 146
Commodities: coffee vanilla shellfish sugar cotton cloth chromite petroleum products
Partners: France 38.9% US 20.3% Germany 5% (2008)

Imports: $1.944 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 144
Commodities: capital goods petroleum consumer goods food
Partners: China 20.1% Bahrain 8.7% France 6.3% South Africa 5.7% US 4.9% India 4.4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $846.7 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 129

Debt external: $4.6 billion (2002)
Rank: 135

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates: Malagasy ariary (MGA) per US dollar - 1654.78 (2008 est.) 1880 (2007) 2,161 (2006) 2003 (2005) 1868.9 (2004)

Electricity
Production: 1.045 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 145
Consumption: 971.4 million kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 146
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 163
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 162
Exports: 0 m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 159
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 162
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2006 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 115

Telephones
Main lines in use: 164,900 (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 130
Mobile cellular: 4.835 million (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 88

Telephone system
General assessment: system is above average for the region; Antananarivo's main telephone exchange modernized in the late 1990s but the rest of the analogue-based telephone system is poorly developed; have added new fixed lines since 2005
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile telephone density about 25 per 100 persons
International: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2008)

Internet
Country code: .mg
Hosts: 27,807 (2009)
Hosts rank: 93
Users: 316,100 (2008)
Users rank: 124

Military expenditures: 1% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 136

Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for male-only compulsory military service; 18-month conscript service obligation (either military or equivalent civil service); 20-30 years of age for National Gendarmerie recruits (35 years of age for those with military experience) (2008)

Airports: 89 (2009)
Rank: 66
With paved runways total: 27
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 6
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 17
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 62
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 39
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 21 (2009)

Railways
Total: 854 km
Rank: 98
Narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Total: 65,663 km
Rank: 69
Paved: 7,617 km
Unpaved: 58,046 km (2003)

Waterways: 600 km
Rank: 80
Note: 432 km navigable (2008)

Merchant marine
Total: 8
Rank: 120
By type: cargo 4 passenger/cargo 2 petroleum tanker 2 (2008)

Ports and terminals: Antsiranana Mahajanga Toamasina Toliara

Disputes international: claims Bassas da India Europa Island Glorioso Islands and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin