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 election of 2006. In early 2009 protests over increasing restrictions on opposition press and activities resulted in RAVALOMANANA handing over power to the military which then conferred the presidency on the mayor of Antananarivo Andry RAJOELINA in what amounted to a coup d'etat. Following a lengthy mediation process led by the Southern African Development Community Madagascar held UN-supported presidential and parliamentary elections in 2013. Former de facto finance minister Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA won a runoff election in December 2013 and was inaugurated in January 2014.

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S 47 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 587,041 km²
Land: 581,540 km²
Water: 5,501 km²
Rank: 47
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 rare earth elements salt quartz tar sands semiprecious stones mica fish hydropower

Land use
Agricultural land: 71.1%
Forest: 21.5%
Other: 7.4%

Irrigated land: 10,860 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 337 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation
Volcanism: Madagascar's volcanoes have not erupted in historical times

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

Population: 23,812,681 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 53
Growth rate: 2.58% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 21
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: French (official) Malagasy (official) English

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 40.45%
15-24 years: 20.53%
25-54 years: 31.56%
55-64 years: 4.24%
65 years and over: 3.22% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 80.3%
Youth dependency ratio: 75.2%
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.1%
Potential support ratio: 19.5%

Median age
Total: 19.4 years
Male: 19.2 years
Female: 19.5 years

Population growth rate: 2.58% (2015 est.)
Rank: 21

Birth rate: 32.61 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 33

Death rate: 6.81 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 138

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 90

Urbanization
Urban population: 35.1% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 4.69% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: ANTANANARIVO (capital) 2.61 million (2015)

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
0-14 years: 1.02 male/female
15-24 years: 1.01 male/female
25-54 years: 1 male/female
55-64 years: 0.94 male/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male/female
Total population: 1 male/female

Infant mortality rate
Total: 43.67 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 47.59 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 39.63 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 47

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 65.55 years
Male: 64.09 years
Female: 67.05 years
Rank: 175

Total fertility rate: 4.2 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 33

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 39.9% (2008/09)

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 0.16 physicians/1000 population (2007)

Hospital bed density: 0.2 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.29% (2014 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 82
People living with hivaids: 39,100 (2014 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 62
Deaths: 3,200 (2014 est.)
Deaths rank: 43

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis
Animal contact disease: rabies

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 4.6% (2014)
Rank: 187

Education expenditures: 2.7% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 150

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 64.7%
Male: 66.7%
Female: 62.6%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 10 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 10 years

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

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: previous 1992; latest passed by referendum 17 November 2010 promulgated 11 December 2010 (2012)

Legal system: civil law system based on the old French civil code and customary law in matters of marriage family and obligation

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Hery Martial RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA Rakotoarimana
Head of government: Prime Minister Jean RAVELONARIVO
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term ; election last held on 20 December 2013 (next to be held in 2018); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly appointed by the president
Election results: Hery Martial RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA elected president; percent of vote in second round - Hery Martial RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA 53.5% Jean Louis ROBINSON (AVANA) 46.5%
Note: 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; a power-sharing agreement established a 15-month transition period to conclude with a general election in 2010 which failed to occur; a subsequent agreement aimed for an early 2013 election - the first round was held on 25 October 2013 and the second on 20 December 2013

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Antenimierampirenena
Elections: National Assembly - last held on 20 December 2013 ; note - a power-sharing agreement in the summer of 2009 established a 15-month transition concluding in general elections held in 2013 after repeated delays
Election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - MPAR 17.3% MR 10.8% VPM MMM 8.2% independent and other 63.7%; seats by party - MPAR 49 MR 20 VPM MMM 13 PHI 5 other 35 independent 25 seats with delayed elections 4

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme ; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle (consists of 9 members); note - the judiciary includes a High Court of Justice responsible for adjudicating crimes and misdemeanors by government officials including the president
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court heads elected by the president and judiciary officials to serve single-renewable 3-year terms; High Constitutional Court members appointed - 3 each by the president by both legislative bodies and by the Council of Magistrates; members serve single 6-year terms
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; provincial and city tribunals

Political parties and leaders:

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador ; Charge d'Affaires Velotiana Rakotoanosy RAOBELINA (since 20 June 2011)
In the us chancery: 2,374 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 265-5,525 through 5,526
In the us FAX: [1] 265-3,034
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Robert T. YAMATE ; note - also accredited to Comoros
From the us embassy: Lot 207A Point Liberty Andranoro Antehiroka 105 Antananarivo
From the us mailing address: B. P. 620 Antsahavola Antananarivo
From the us telephone: [261] 480 00/01
From the us FAX: [261] 480 35

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side; by tradition red stands for sovereignty green for hope white for purity

National symbols: traveller's palm zebu; national colors: red green white

National anthem
Name: 'Ry Tanindraza nay malala o'
Lyrics and music: Pasteur RAHAJASON/Norbert RAHARISOA
Note: adopted 1959

Economy overview: After discarding socialist economic policies in the mid-1990s Madagascar followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization until the onset of a political crisis which lasted from 2009-2013 . The free market strategy had previously placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low starting point. Exports of apparel boomed after gaining duty-free access to the US in 2000; however Madagascar's failure to comply with the requirements of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) led to the termination of the country's duty-free access in January 2010 a sharp fall in textile production and a loss of more than 100,000 jobs; Madagascar regained AGOA access in January 2015 following the democratic election of a new President the previous year. Agriculture including fishing and forestry is a mainstay of the economy accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing roughly 80% of the population. Deforestation and erosion aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel are serious concerns. Many investors remain wary of investing for fear of a return to political instability in the country and because of weaknesses in the business environment. Expansion in mining and agricultural sectors contributed to growth in 2014. International organizations and foreign donors resumed development aid to Madagascar after RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA appointed a new government in mid-2014 however full-scale assistance will require further policy reforms particularly on addressing rampant corruption.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 120

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 107

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 218

Gross national saving:
Rank: 141

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 84.1%
Government consumption: 13.3%
Investment in fixed capital: 15.9%
Investment in inventories: 0%
Exports of goods and services: 30.1%
Imports of goods and services: -43.3%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 28.1%
Industry: 17.4%
Services: 54.5%

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

Industries: meat processing seafood soap beer leather sugar textiles glassware cement automobile assembly plant paper petroleum tourism mining

Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (2014 est.)
Rank: 33

Labor force: 12.15 million (2014 est.)
Rank: 46

Unemployment rate:

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.2%
Highest 10: 34.7%

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 25

Budget
Revenues: $2.375 billion
Expenditures: $2.741 billion
Surplus or deficit: -3.3% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 124

Taxes and other revenues: 21.2% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 153

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 186

Central bank discount rate: 5% (31 December 2010)
Rank: 75

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 1

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 138

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 144

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 143

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance:
Rank: 141

Exports:
Rank: 164
Commodities: coffee vanilla shellfish sugar cotton cloth clothing chromite petroleum products
Partners: France 17.7% US 8.8% Belgium 6.8% Netherlands 6.4% South Africa 5.7% Japan 5.4% South Korea 5% China 4.8% Germany 4.5% (2014)

Imports:
Rank: 153
Commodities: capital goods petroleum consumer goods food
Partners: China 20.6% France 10.6% Algeria 6.3% India 5.4% Bahrain 5% Mauritius 4.6% South Africa 4.2% Kuwait 4% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 135

Debt external:
Rank: 137

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $N/A

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 1.34 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 143
Consumption: 1.246 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 150
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 164
Imports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 169
Installed generating capacity: 512,200 kW (2011 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 140
Generation sources fossil fuels: 74% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 104
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 131
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 25.8% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 82
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 96

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 194
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 147
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 86
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 159

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 167
Products consumption: 20,140 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 131
Products exports: 365 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 115
Products imports: 12,120 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 126

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Production rank: 158
Consumption: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 166
Exports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 136
Imports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 93
Proven reserves: 2.01 billion m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 98

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 2.886 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 143

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 250,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1
Fixed lines rank: 121
Mobile cellular total: 9 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39
Mobile cellular rank: 91

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
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity about 40 per 100 persons
International: country code - 261; landing point for the EASSy SEACOM and LION fiber-optic submarine cable systems; satellite earth stations - 2 (2010)

Broadcast media: state-owned Radio Nationale Malagasy (RNM) and Television Malagasy (TVM) have an extensive national network reach; privately owned radio and TV broadcasters in cities and major towns; state-run radio dominates in rural areas; relays of 2 international broadcasters are available in Antananarivo (2007)

Internet
Country code: .mg
Users total: 17 million
Users percent of population: 73.5%
Users rank: 31

Military expenditures:
Rank: 119

Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for male-only voluntary military service; no conscription; service obligation is 18 months for military or equivalent civil service; 20-30 years of age for National Gendarmerie recruits and 35 years of age for those with military experience (2012)

Airports: 83 (2013)
Rank: 65
With paved runways total: 26
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: 16
With paved runways under 914 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 57
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 38
With unpaved runways: 18 (2013)

Railways
Total: 836 km
Narrow gauge: 836 km 1.000-m gauge
Rank: 97

Roadways
Total: 34,476 km
Paved: 5,613 km
Unpaved: 28,863 km
Rank: 92

Waterways: 600 km (432 km navigable) (2011)
Rank: 79

Merchant marine
Total: 1
By type: cargo 1
Registered in other countries: 1 (2010)
Rank: 152

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Antsiranana Mahajanga Toamasina Toliara (Tulear)

Disputes international: claims Bassas da India Europa Island Glorioso Islands and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France); the vegetated drying cays of Banc du Geyser which were claimed by Madagascar in 1976 also fall within the EEZ claims of the Comoros and France (Glorioso Islands part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands)

Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 21,475 (2015)

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