Access to THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1994 provided courtesy of
the libraries of the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
======================================================
National Trade Data Bank
ITEM ID     : CI WOFACT WO0146
DATE        : Oct 28, 1994
 
AGENCY      : CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
PROGRAM     : WORLD FACTBOOK
TITLE       : World Factbook: Madagascar
 
Source key      : CI 
Program key     : CI WOFACT 
Update sched.   : Annually         
Data type       : TEXT 
End year        : 1994
Date of record  : 19941020
Keywords 3      :  
Keywords 3      : | Madagascar 
 
 
                                Madagascar
 
 
                                 Geography
 
Location:
     Southern Africa, in the western Indian Ocean, 430 km east of
     Mozambique
Map references:
     Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
     587,040 sq km
land area:
     581,540 sq km
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 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
     soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing;
     desertification; surface water contaminated with untreated sewage and
     other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the
     island are endangered
natural hazards:
     subject to periodic cyclones
 
 
international agreements:
     party to - Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test
     Ban; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of
     the Sea
Note:
     world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique
     Channel
 
                                  People
 
Population:
     13,427,758 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     3.19% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     45.22 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     13.35 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     89 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     53.98 years
male:
     52.06 years
female:
     55.96 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     6.68 children born/woman (1994 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 est.)
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)
 
                                Government
 
Names:
conventional long form:
     Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form:
local long form:
     Republique de Madagascar
local short form:
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)
National holiday:
     Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
Constitution:
     19 August 1992 by national referendum
Legal system:
     based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not
     accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
     18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
     President Albert ZAFY (since 9 March 1993); election last held on 10
     February 1993 (next to be held 1998); results - Albert ZAFY (UNDD),
     67%; Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA), 33%
head of government:
     Prime Minister Francisque RAVONY (since 9 August 1993)
cabinet:
     Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister
Legislative branch:
     bicameral Parliament
 
 
Senate:
     (Senat) two-thirds of upper house seats are to be filled by an
     electoral college made up of representatives of territorial
     collectivities; the remaining third is to be filled by presidential
     appointment, following nomination by economic, social, and cultural
     groups; the selection of senators was scheduled for March 1994
National Assembly:
     (Assemblee Nationale) elections last held on 16 June 1993 (next to be
     held June 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (138
     total) CFV coalition 76, PMDM/MFM 16, CSCD 11, Famima 10, RPSD 7,
     various pro-Ratsiraka groups 10, others 8
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)
Political parties and leaders:
     Committee of Living Forces (CFV), an alliance of National Union for
     Development and Democracy (UNDD), Support Group for Democracy and
     Development in Madagascar (CSDDM), Action and Reflection Group for the
     Development of Madagascar (Grad), Congress Party for Madagascar
     Independence - Renewal (AKFM-Fanavaozana), and some 12 other
     anti-Ratsiraka oppositon parties, trade unions, and religious groups;
     leader Dr. Albert ZAFY; Militant Party for the Development of
     Madagascar (PMDM/MFM; formerly the Movement for Proletarian Power),
     Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA; Confederation of Civil Societies for
     Development (CSCD), Guy Willy RAZANAMASY; Association of United
     Malagasys (Famima); Rally for Social Democracy (RPSD), Pierre
     TSIRANANA
Other political or pressure groups:
     National Council of Christian Churches (FFKM); Federalist Movement
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, ISO
     (correspondent), 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(s) general:
     New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Dennis P. BARRETT
embassy:
     14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
mailing address:
     B. P. 620, Antananarivo
 
 
telephone:
     [261] (2) 212-57, 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
 
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 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.
     Subsequently, growth in output has been held back because of
     protracted antigovernment strikes and demonstrations for political
     reform.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $10.4 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
     1% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
     $800 (1993 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
     est.)
Exports:
     $312 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
     coffee 45%, vanilla 20%, cloves 11%, shellfish, 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:
capacity:
     125,000 kW
production:
     450 million kWh
consumption per capita:
     35 kWh (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:
recipient:
     US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $136 million; Western
     (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
     $3.125 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $491 million
Currency:
     1 Malagasy franc (FMG) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
     Malagasy francs (FMG) per US$1 - 1,965.8 (January 1994), 1,864.0
     (1992), 1,835.4 (1991), 1,454.6 (December 1990), 1,603.4 (1989)
Fiscal year:
     calendar year
 
                              Communications
 
Railroads:
     1,020 km 1.000-meter gauge
Highways:
total:
     40,000 km
paved:
     4,694 km
unpaved:
     gravel, crushed stone, stabilized earth 811 km; other earth 34,495 km
     (est.)
Inland waterways:
     of local importance only; isolated streams and small portions of Canal
     des Pangalanes
Ports:
     Toamasina, Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toliara
Merchant marine:
     10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 23,620 GRT/33,173 DWT, cargo 5,
     chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off
     cargo 2
 
 
Airports:
total:
     140
usable:
     105
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:
     37
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
 
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 2,924,829; fit for military service 1,739,830; reach
     military age (20) annually 124,652 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
     exchange rate conversion - $37 million, 2.2% of GDP (1991 est.)
 
 
 
===========================================================================
This section of THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1994 produced by the United States
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was derived from the US Dept. of Commerce
Economics and Statistics Division's NATIONAL TRADE DATA BANK (NTDB) CD-ROM,
November, 1994, SuDoc No. C 1.88:994/11/v.1-2 / Presented by Raleigh Muns,
(srcmuns@umslvma.umsl.edu) University of Missouri-St. Louis Libraries.