Madagascar

​ = =

= Madagasca r  =

Flag Description

Location Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique.  

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. Area total: 587,041 sq km  Population 20,653,556

population growth rate 3% (2009 est.)

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

Languages English (official), French (official), Malagasy (official)

Goverment type republi c

Capital Antananarivo

GDP - per capita (PPP) $1,000

Terrain narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Climate tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Natural Resources graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Land Use arable land: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">5.03% permanent crops: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">1.02% other: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">93.95% (2005)

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Natural Hazards periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Enviroment 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

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Net Migration Rate NA (2009 est.)

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Infant Mortality Rate total: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">54.2 deaths/1,000 live births

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Life Expectancy total population: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">62.89 years

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Literacy definition: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">age 15 and over can read and write

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Independence 26 June 1960 (from France) <span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Leader <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">President Andry RAJOELINA

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Economic 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.

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Industries meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Exchange Rate Malagasy ariary (MGA) per US dollar - 1,654.78 (2008 est.), 1,880 (2007), 2,161.4 (2006), 2,003 (2005), 1,868.9 (2004)

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Agriculture Products coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Exports coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Imports capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Ethnic Groups Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">, Creole, Comoran

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Borders indian ocean, mozambique channel

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Internet Users 110,000 (2006)

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Military Expenditures 1% of GDP (2006

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Illicit Drugs illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Education 3.1% of GDP (2006)

<span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Unemployment 47.5 (2001) <span style="color: #ff0a0a; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">