Madagascar
Republic of MadagascarRepublique de Madagascar/
republicIndependence 26 June 1960 (from France)
Madagascar as the 2008 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 132 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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 is now in his second term following a landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential elections of 2006.
Geography
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
20 fieldsLand useshare of 587,040 sq km
Natural resources
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 14.96 cu km/yr (3%/2%/96%)
- per capita:
- 804 cu m/yr (2000)
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
Environment - 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
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
People
22 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2008 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2008 est.)
Male · female
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.99 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.81 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
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 (2008)
Ethnic groups
Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
Government
Republic; President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002); Prime Minister Charles RABEMANANJARA (25 January 2007)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
National Assembly, 127 seats, elected 23 September 2007one dot, one seat
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
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
Legal system
based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Charles RABEMANANJARA (25 January 2007)
- 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 December 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%
Legislative branch
bicameral legislature consists of 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) and 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)
- elections:
- National Assembly - last held 23 September 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
- 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]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR;
- Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy];
- National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM
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
- chancery:
- 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 265-3034
- consulate(s) general:
- New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador R. Niels MARQUARDT
- embassy:
- 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101
- mailing address:
- B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
- telephone:
- [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56
- 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
Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization.
47 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2007 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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.
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
Exchange rates
Malagasy ariary (MGA) per US dollar - 1,880 (2007), 2,161.4 (2006), 2,003 (2005), 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone 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 more than 50,000 new fixed lines since 2005
- domestic:
- combined fixed-line and mobile telephone density only about 12 per 100 persons
- international:
- country code - 261;
- submarine cable to Bahrain;
- satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2007)
Transportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Military
People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie
6 fieldsMilitary branches
People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie
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)
Manpower available for military service
- males age 16-49:
- 4,443,341
- females age 16-49:
- 4,441,124 (2008 est.)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - 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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Madagascar.” The World Factbook 2008. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/madagascar/2008.