*Madagascar, Geography

Location:
  in the western Indian Ocean, 430 km east of Mozambique in Southern Africa
Map references:
  Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  587,040 km2
 land area:
  581,540 km2  comparative area:
  slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Land boundaries:
  0 km
Coastline:
  4,828 km
Maritime claims:
 exclusive economic zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
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
Land use:
 arable land:
  4%
 permanent crops:
  1%
 meadows and pastures:
  58%
 forest and woodland:
  26%
 other:
  11%
Irrigated land:
  9,000 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  subject to periodic cyclones; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
  desertification
Note:
  world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel

*Madagascar, People

Population:
  13,005,989 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  3.2% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  45.66 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  13.71 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  91 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  53.52 years
 male:
  51.65 years
 female:
  55.45 years (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
Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%
Languages:
  French (official), Malagasy (official)
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
 total population:
  80%
 male:
  88%
 female:
  73%
Labor force:
  4.9 million 90% nonsalaried family workers engaged in subsistence
  agriculture; 175,000 wage earners
 by 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)

*Madagascar, Government

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Republic of Madagascar
 conventional short form:
  Madagascar
 local long form:
  Republique de Madagascar
 local short form:
  Madagascar
 former:
  Malagasy Republic
Digraph:
  MA
Type:
  republic
Capital:
  Antananarivo
Administrative divisions:
  6 provinces - Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina,
  Toliary
Independence:
  26 June 1960 (from France)
Constitution:
  12 September 1992
Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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

*Madagascar, Government

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

*Madagascar, Economy

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.)
National product real growth rate:
  1% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
  $200 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  20% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:   NA%
Budget:
  revenues $250 million; expenditures $265 million, including capital
  expenditures of $180 million (1991)
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
External debt:
  $4.4 billion (1991)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 5.2% (1990 est.); accounts for 13% of GDP
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

*Madagascar, Economy

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

*Madagascar, Communications

Railroads:
  1,020 km 1.000-meter gauge
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
Merchant marine:
  11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 35,359 GRT/48,772 DWT; includes 6
  cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 oil tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1
  liquefied gas
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

*Madagascar, Defense Forces

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.)