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Madagascar Tourism - Travel to Madagascar

        

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Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1886, but regained its 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.

Table of contents

1 Geography 2 People 3 Government 4 Economy 5 Communications 6 Transportation 7 Military 8 Transnational Issues

Geography in Madagascar

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 587,040 sq km
water: 5,500 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

4,828 km

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or 100 NM from the 2,500-m deep isobath

Climate

tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain

narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Natural resources

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

Land use

arable land: 4.41%
permanent crops: 0.93%
other: 94.66% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land

10,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards

periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues

soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

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

People in Madagascar

Population

16,473,477 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 45% (male 3,713,700; female 3,696,478)
15-64 years: 51.8% (male 4,227,931; female 4,313,940)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 241,699; female 279,729) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate

3.03% (2002 est.)

Birth rate

42.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate

12.15 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate

81.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 55.74 years
female: 58.11 years (2002 est.)
male: 53.45 years

Total fertility rate

5.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.15% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

11,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

870 (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy

Ethnic groups

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

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 80%
male: 88%
female: 73% (1990 est.)

Government in Madagascar

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form: Madagascar
local short form: Madagascar
former: Malagasy Republic
local long form: Republique de Madagascar

Government type

republic

Capital

Antananarivo

Administrative divisions

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

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 Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November 2006); prime minister appointed by the president from a list of candidates nominated by the National Assembly
election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 40.89%, Marc RAVALOMANANA 46.21%; note - on 29 April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner by 51.5% after a recount; RATSIRIKA's prime minister was put under house arrest on 27 May 2002, and SYLLA was appointed the new prime minister by President RAVALOMANANA

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the legislature is scheduled to become a bicameral Parliament with the establishment of a Senate; two-thirds of the seats of this Senate will be filled by regional assemblies whose members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the seats will be appointed by the president; the total number of seats will be determined by the National Assembly; all members will serve four-year terms
elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD 5, TTS 2, HBM 1, independents 22

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

Action, Truth, Development, and Harmony or AFFA [Professor Albert ZAFY]; Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [leader vacant]; Congress Party for Malagasy Independence or AKFM/Fanavaozana [leader NA]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Rally or Fihaonana [Guy RAZANAMASY]; Group of Reflection and Action for the Development of Madagascar or GRAD/Iloafo; Judged by Your Work or AVI [Norbert RATSIRAHONANA]; Movement for the Progress of Madagascar or MFM [Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]; Tranobe (Big House) [Ny Hasina ANDRIAMANJATO]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Federalist Movement; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Zina ANDRIANARIVELO-RAZAFY
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603
telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT
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 in Madagascar

Economy - overview

Madagascar faces problems of chronic malnutrition, underfunded health and education facilities, a roughly 3% annual population growth rate, and severe loss of forest cover, accompanied by erosion. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the mainstay of the economy, accounting for one-third of GDP and contributing more than 70% to export earnings. Industry features textile manufacturing and the processing of agricultural products. Growth in output in 1992-97 averaged less than the growth rate of the population. Growth has been held back by antigovernment strikes and demonstrations, a decline in world coffee prices, and the erratic commitment of the government to economic reform. The extent of government reforms, outside financial aid, and foreign investment will be key determinants of future growth.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $14 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $870 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 34%
industry: 11%
services: 55% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line

70% (1994 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 37% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

46 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7% (2001 est.)

Labor force

7 million (1999) (1999)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Budget

revenues: $553 million
expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production

820 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 37%
hydro: 63%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption

762.6 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

$680 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

France 41%, US 21%, Germany 7%, Japan 4%, UK 1% (2000)

Imports

$919 million f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities

intermediate manufactures, capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Imports - partners

France 38%, Hong Kong 10%, China 5%, Singapore 5%, Japan 3%

Debt - external

$4.5 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient

$838 million (1997) (1997)

Currency

Malagasy franc (MGF)

Currency code

MGF

Exchange rates

Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,531.4 (December 2001), 6,588.5 (2001), 6,767.5 (2000), 6,283.8 (1999), 5,441.4 (1998), 5,090.9 (1997)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use

55,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular

63,100 (2000)

Telephone system

general assessment: system is above average for the region
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios

3.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions

325,000 (1997)

Internet country code

.mg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet users

35,000 (2002)

Transportation in Madagascar

Railways

total: 893 km
narrow gauge: 893 km 1.000-m gauge (2001)

Highways

total: 49,837 km
paved: 5,781 km
unpaved: 44,056 km (1996)

Waterways

note: of local importance only

Ports and harbors

Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Merchant marine

total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 27,199 GRT/37,462 DWT
ships by type: cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2 (2002 est.)

Airports

130 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 29
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 92
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 46
under 914 m: 44 (2002)

Military

Military branches

People's Armed Forces (comprising Intervention Force, Development Force, Aeronaval [Navy and Air] Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment

Military manpower - military age

20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 3,758,940 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 2,229,304 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 153,856 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$48.7 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues in Madagascar

Disputes - international

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

Illicit drugs

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

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