CIA - The World Factbook

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.

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

slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation

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

world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel

20,653,556 (July 2009 est.)

38.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

8.14 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

5.14 children born/woman (2009 est.)

fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)

Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran

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

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

6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

26 June 1960 (from France)

Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

passed by referendum 19 August 1992

based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

18 years of age; universal

bicameral legislature consists of 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) and 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)

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle

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]

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

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

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side

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.

$20.76 billion (2008 est.)

$19.4 billion (2007)

$18.27 billion (2006)

$9.729 billion (2008 est.)

27.2% of GDP (2008 est.)

NA% (31 December 2008)

45% (31 December 2007)

$1.217 billion (31 December 2008)

$1.161 billion (31 December 2007)

$667.2 million (31 December 2008)

$577.4 million (31 December 2007)

$820.3 million (31 December 2008)

$767.5 million (31 December 2007)

coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism

1.045 billion kWh (2007 est.)

907 million kWh (2006 est.)

92.18 bbl/day (2007 est.)

18,190 bbl/day (2006 est.)

480.3 bbl/day (2005)

17,100 bbl/day (2005)

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

$-1.088 billion (2008 est.)

$1.316 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)

coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products

France 31.8%, US 26.6%, Germany 6.1%, UK 4.9%, Italy 4.4% (2007)

$2.541 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)

capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

France 13.6%, China 13%, Iran 8.1%, South Africa 6.4%, Hong Kong 4.9%, Mauritius 4.8% (2007)

$996 million (31 December 2008 est.)

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)

2.218 million (2007)

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)

1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie

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)

claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)

illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin