Madagascar

republicIndependence 26 June 1960 (from France

Madagascar as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalAntananarivo

Area587,040 km2

Populationas each edition published it

11.8 million July 1990 · 31.35m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 3.2% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 53.52 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.9 children per woman 1990 · 3.47 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

97 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 38.4 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 1% in 1993

Geography

14 fields

Land useshare of 587,040 km2

arable land 4%permanent crops 1%meadows and pastures 58%forest and woodland 26%other 11%includes 2% irrigated

Total area

587,040km2

land area: 581,540 km2Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Coastline

4,828km

land boundaries: noneTerritorial 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

Natural resources

graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish

Environment

subject to periodic cyclones;
deforestation;
overgrazing;
soil erosion;
desertification

Note

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

People

14 fields

Population

11,800,524

(July 1990), growth rate 3.2% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

47Death

15Net migration

Religion

indigenous beliefs 52%Christian about 41%Muslim 7%

Literacy

67.5%

Nationality

noun--Malagasy (sing. and pl.); adjective--Malagasy

Ethnic divisions

basic split between highlanders of predominantly Malayo-Indonesian origin (Merina 1,643,000 and related Betsileo 760,000) on the one hand and coastal tribes, collectively termed the Cotiers, with mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry (Betsimisaraka 941,000, Tsimihety 442,000, Antaisaka 415,000, Sakalava 375,000), on the other;
there are also 11,000 European French, 5,000 Indians of French nationality, and 5,000 Creoles

Labor force

4,900,000;
90% nonsalaried family workers engaged in subsistence agriculture;
175,000 wage earners--26% agriculture, 17% domestic service, 15% industry, 14% commerce, 11% construction, 9% services, 6% transportation, 2% other;
51% of population of working age (1985)

Government

Republic

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

62%

Didier Ratsiraka (AREMA) 62%Manandafy Rakotonirina (MFM/MFT) 20%Dr. Jerome Marojama Razanabahiny (VONJY) 15%Monja Jaona (MONIMA) 3%12 March 1989 (next to be held March 1996)

People's National Assembly, 137 seats, elected 28 May 1989one dot, one seat

AREMA 120MFM 7AKFM 5VONJY 4MONIMA 1independent 1

Percent of vote

AREMA 88.2%MFM 5.1%AKFM 3.7%VONJY 2.2%others 0.8%

Administrative divisions

6 provinces (plural--NA, singular--faritanin); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Independence

26 June 1960 (from France; formerly Malagasy Republic)

Legal system

based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Executive branch

president, Supreme Council of the Revolution, prime minister, Council of Ministers

Legislative branch

unicameral Popular National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale Populaire)

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme), High Constitutional Court (Haute Cour Constitutionnelle) Chief of State--President Adm. Didier RATSIRAKA (since 15 June 1975); Head of Government--Prime Minister Lt. Col. Victor RAMAHATRA (since 12 February 1988)

Political parties and leaders

seven parties are now allowed limited political activity under the national front and are represented on the Supreme

Revolutionary Council

Advance Guard of the Malagasy Revolution (AREMA), Didier Ratsiraka;
Congress Party for Malagasy Independence (AKFM);
Congress Party for Malagasy Independence-Revival (AKFM-R), Pastor Richard Andriamanjato;
Movement for National Unity (VONJY), Dr. Marojama Razanabahiny;
Malagasy Christian Democratic Union (UDECMA), Norbert Andriamorasata;
Militants for the Establishment of a Proletarian Regime (MFM), Manandafy Rakotonirina;
National Movement for the Independence of Madagascar (MONIMA), Monja Jaona;
Socialist Organization Monima (VSM, an offshoot of MONIMA), Tsihozony Maharanga

Suffrage

universal at age 18 President--last held on 12 March 1989 (next to be held March 1996);
results--Didier Ratsiraka (AREMA) 62%, Manandafy Rakotonirina (MFM/MFT) 20%, Dr. Jerome Marojama Razanabahiny (VONJY) 15%, Monja Jaona (MONIMA) 3%;
People's National Assembly--last held on 28 May 1989 (next to be held May 1994);
results--AREMA 88.2%, MFM 5.1%, AKFM 3.7%, VONJY 2.2%, others 0.8%;
seats--(137 total) AREMA 120, MFM 7, AKFM 5, VONJY 4, MONIMA 1, independent 1

Communists

Communist party of virtually no importance;
small and vocal group of Communists has gained strong position in leadership of AKFM, the rank and file of which is non-Communist

Member of

ACP, AfDB, CCC, EAMA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Pierrot Jocelyn RAJAONARIVELO;
Chancery at 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 265-5525 or 5526;
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 212-57, 209-56, 200-89, 207-18

Flag

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side

Economy

Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world.

17 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$1.7billion

per capita $155; real growth rate 2.2% (1988)

Inflation, consumer prices

17.0%

(1988)

External debt

$3.6billion

(1989)

Exports $284 million (f.o.b., 1988)commodities, where a share is given

coffee

45%vanilla

15%cloves

11%

also sugar, petroleum products; partners--France, Japan, Italy, FRG, US

Imports $319 million (f.o.b., 1988)

intermediate manufactures

30%capital goods

28%petroleum

15%consumer goods

14%food

13%

; partners--France, FRG, UK, other EC, US

Budget

Revenues

$337 millionExpenditures

$245 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $163 million (1988)

Overview

Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. During the period 1980-85 it had a population growth of 3% a year and a - 0.4% GDP growth rate. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the mainstay of the economy, accounting for over 40% of GDP, employing about 85% of the labor force, and contributing more than 70% to export earnings.

Industry is confined to the processing of agricultural products and textile manufacturing; in 1988 it contributed only 16% to GDP and employed 3% of the labor force. Industrial development has been hampered by government policies that have restricted imports of equipment and spare parts and put strict controls on foreign-owned enterprises.

In 1986 the government introduced a five-year development plan that stresses self-sufficiency in food (mainly rice) by 1990, increased production for exports, and reduced energy imports.

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industrial production

growth rate - 3.9 % (1988)

Electricity

119,000 kW capacity; 430 million kWh produced, 40 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

agricultural processing (meat canneries, soap factories, brewery, tanneries, sugar refining), light consumer goods industries (textiles, glassware), cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum

Agriculture

accounts for 40% of GDP;
cash crops--coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa;
food crops--rice, cassava, beans, bananas, peanuts;
cattle raising widespread;
not self-sufficient in rice and wheat flour

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $118 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.6 billion;
Communist countries (1970-88), $491 million

Currency

Malagasy franc (plural--francs); 1 Malagasy franc (FMG) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Malagasy francs (FMG) per US$1--1,531.0 (January 1990), 1603.4 (1989), 1,407.1 (1988), 1,069.2 (1987), 676.3 (1986), 662.5 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 13 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 8roll-on/roll-off cargo 2petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 1chemical tanker 1liquefied gas 113 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 58,126 GRT/79,420 DWT

Airports, 147 total, 115 usable

permanent-surface runways

30runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

3runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

40,000Railroads

1,020

Highways: ; 4,694 km paved, 811 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil, 34,495 km improved and unimproved earth (est.)

above average system includes open-wire lines, coaxial cables, radio relay, and troposcatter links;
submarine cable to Bahrain;
satellite earth stations--1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT;
over 38,200 telephones;
stations--14 AM, 1 FM, 7 (30 repeaters) TV

Defense Forces

Popular Army, Aeronaval Forces (includes Navy and Air Force), paramilitary Gendarmerie

3 fields

Military manpower

males 15-49

2,550,775fit for military service

1,519,084reach military age (20) annually

116,438

Defense expenditures

2.2%of GDP

or $37 million (1989 est.)

Branches