Madagascar

Republic of MadagascarRepublique de Madagascar

republicIndependence 26 June 1960 (from France)

Madagascar as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 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
Locationin the western Indian Ocean, 430 km east of Mozambique in Southern Africa
1993

Every edition of Madagascar

Populationas each edition published it
13.01 million July 1993 est. · 11.8m in 1990
Population growth% a year
3.2% 1993 est. · 2.15% in 2025
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 17.4 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
53.52 years 1993 est. · 68.8 yrs in 2025
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.75 children per woman 1993 est. · 6.9 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
91 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 97 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$200 1992 est. · $1,700 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
1% 1992 est. · 4.2% in 2025

Geography

In the western Indian Ocean, 430 km east of Mozambique in Southern Africa

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Land useshare of 587,040 km2

arable land 4%permanent crops 1%meadows and pastures 58%forest and woodland 26%other 11%irrigated 9,000 km2 (1989 est.)
Area
587,040km2
land area: 581,540 km2 comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Coastline
4,828km
land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

in the western Indian Ocean, 430 km east of Mozambique in Southern Africa

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

International 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
13,005,989
(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 3.2% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth
45.66Death
13.71Net migration
0

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years53.52
51.65 · 55.45
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy80%
88% · 73%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Religions

indigenous beliefs 52%Christian 41%Muslim 7%
Labor force
4.9million
90% nonsalaried family workers engaged in subsistence agriculture; 175,000 wage earnersby occupation: agriculture 26%, domestic service 17%, industry 15%, commerce 14%, construction 11%, services 9%, transportation 6%, other 2%note: 51% of population of working age (1985)

Infant mortality rate

91 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.75 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective:
Malagasy

Ethnic divisions

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)

Government

Republic

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

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

Names

conventional long form:
Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form:
Madagascar
local long form:
Republique de Madagascar
local short form:
Madagascar
former:
Malagasy Republic

Type

republic

Capital

Antananarivo

Administrative divisions

6 provinces - Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliary

Independence

26 June 1960 (from France)

Constitution

12 September 1992

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Political parties and leaders

  • some 30 political parties now exist in Madagascar, the most important of which are Advance Guard of the Malagasy Revolution (AREMA), Didier RATSIRAKA;
  • Congress Party for Malagasy Independence (AKFM), RAKOTOVAO-ANDRIATIANA;
  • 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;
  • National Union for the Defense of Democracy (UNDD), Albert ZAFY

Other political or pressure groups

National Council of Christian Churches (FFKM), leader NA; Federalist Movement, leader NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Elections

President:
  • last held on 10 February 1993 (next to be held 1998);
  • results - Albert ZAFY (UNDD), 67%;
  • Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA), 33%
Popular National Assembly:
  • last held on 28 May 1989 (next to be held May 1993);
  • results - AREMA 88.2%, MFM 5.1%, AKFM 3.7%, VONJY 2.2%, other 0.8%;
  • seats - (137 total) AREMA 120, MFM 7, AKFM 5, VONJY 4, MONIMA 1

Executive branch

president, prime minister, Council of Ministers

Legislative branch

unicameral Popular National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale Populaire); note - the National Assembly has suspended its operations during 1992 and early 1993 in preparation for new legislative elections. In its place, an interim High Authority of State and a Social and Economic Recovery Council have been established

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme), High Constitutional Court (Haute Cour Constitutionnelle)

Leaders

Chief of State:
President Adm. Didier RATSIRAKA (since 15 June 1975)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Guy RAZANAMASY (since 8 August 1991)

Member of

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Pierrot Jocelyn RAJAONARIVELO
chancery:
2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 265-5525 or 5526
consulate general:
New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:
Ambassador Douglas BARRETT
embassy:
14 and 16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
mailing address:
B. P. 620, Antananarivo
telephone:
[261] (2) 212-57, 209-56, 200-89, 207-18
FAX:
261-234-539

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.

19 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$200
(1992 est.)
Real growth rate
1%
(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 5.2% (1990 est.); accounts for 13% of GDP
External debt
$4.4billion
(1991)

Budget

Revenues
$250 millionExpenditures
$265 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $180 million (1991)

Overview

Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the mainstay of the economy, accounting for over 30% of GDP and contributing to more than 70% of total export earnings. Industry is largely confined to the processing of agricultural products and textile manufacturing;

in 1991 it accounted for only 13% of GDP. In 1986 the government introduced a five-year development plan that stressed self-sufficiency in food (mainly rice) by 1990, increased production for exports, and reduced energy imports. After mid-1991, however, output dropped sharply because of protracted antigovernment strikes and demonstrations for political reform.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2.5 billion (1992 est.)

Exports

$312 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)

commodities:
coffee 45%, vanilla 20%, cloves 11%, sugar, petroleum products
partners:
France, Japan, Italy, Germany, US

Imports

$350 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities:
intermediate manufactures 30%, capital goods 28%, petroleum 15%, consumer goods 14%, food 13%
partners:
France, Germany, UK, other EC, US

Electricity

125,000 kW capacity; 450 million kWh produced, 35 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 31% of GDP;
  • cash crops - coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa;
  • food crops - rice, cassava, beans, bananas, peanuts;
  • cattle raising widespread;
  • almost self-sufficient in rice

Illicit drugs

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

Economic aid

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $136 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $3,125 million;
  • Communist countries (1970-89), $491 million

Currency

1 Malagasy franc (FMG) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Malagasy francs (FMG) per US$1 - 1,910.2 (December 1992), 1,867.9 (1992), 1,835.4 (1991), 1,454.6 (December 1990), 1,603.4 (1989), 1,407.1 (1988), 1,069.2 (1987)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

7 fields

Merchant marine, 11 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 6roll-on/roll-off cargo 2oil tanker 1chemical tanker 1liquefied gas 111 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 35,359 GRT/48,772 DWT

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.)

Highways

40,000 km total; 4,694 km paved, 811 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil, 34,495 km improved and unimproved earth (est.)

Inland waterways

of local importance only; isolated streams and small portions of Canal des Pangalanes

Ports

Toamasina, Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toliara

Airports

total:
146
usable:
103
with permanent-surface runways:
30
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
3
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
36

Telecommunications

  • 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 broadcast stations - 17 AM, 3 FM, 1 (36 repeaters) TV

Defense Forces

Popular Armed Forces (including Intervention Forces, Development Forces, | Aeronaval Forces - including Navy and Air Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential | Security Regiment

3 fields

Branches

Popular Armed Forces (including Intervention Forces, Development Forces, Aeronaval Forces - including Navy and Air Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 2,826,018;
  • fit for military service 1,681,553;
  • reach military age (20) annually 118,233 (1993 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $37 million, 2.2% of GDP (1991 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Madagascar.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/madagascar/1993.

How to cite ← 1992 edition 1994 edition →