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| Madagascar | Plants and Animal | Back to Top |
Tropical rain forests containing valuable hardwoods are common in eastern Madagascar. Savanna woodland and grasslands predominate in the drier western regions, and desert vegetation occurs in the extreme southwest. Animal life is unusual. Lemurs, a primitive family of primate, are found chiefly in Madagascar. Although native species exhibit characteristics of both African and Indian animal life, their differences suggest they evolved on Madagascar during a long time of isolation.
| Madagascar | Communications | Back to Top |
system is above average for the region
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links
international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik.
| Madagascar | Culture | Back to Top |
Madagascar has experienced steady population growth throughout the twentieth century. Since the first systematic census was undertaken by colonial authorities at the turn of the twentieth century, the population has grown from 2.2 million in 1900 to 7.6 million in 1975 and to a population around by the IMF in mid-1993 at 11.86 million. It is expected that the population will approach 17 million by the end of the twentieth century, underscoring a more than fivefold increase in less than a hundred years. Moreover, the average rate of population growth itself has increased from 2.3% in 1975 to 3.1% over the 1980 to 1990 decade. This rate has made Madagascar one of the most rapidly growing countries in Africa, with a large youthful population--in 1992 nearly 55% of the population was under twenty years of age.
A true understanding of the character of Madagascar's population and historical development requires an appreciation of the inhabitants' shared characteristics, including language and kinship structure, as well as the central highlands/côtier split and other divisions based on geographical regions. These latter divisions coincide with the major geographical divisions of the island: east coast, west coast, central highlands, southwest, and the Tsaratamana Massif. Within these regions, the people have certain cultural similarities accentuated by the natural environment.
| Madagascar | Defence | Back to Top |
Military branches: Popular Armed Forces (includes Intervention Forces, Development Forces, Aeronaval Forces - includes Navy and Air Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,640,554 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,159,767 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 153,856 (2001 est.)
| Madagascar | International Disputes | Back to Top |
Claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island (all administered by France)
| Madagascar | Economy | Back to Top |
Madagascar is one of the world’s poorest countries, with a gross domestic product of $3.7 billion, or $250 per person, in 1999. The economy remains, as in colonial times, predominantly agricultural, with 77 % of the labor force engaged in agricultural activities. Many operations controlled by French interests were nationalized in 1975. During the 1980s the agricultural area was affected by frequent cyclones and depressed prices for the nation’s primary exports, and in the early 1990s strikes and political instability associated with a change in government limited economic growth. The government’s budget in 1997 included revenues of $346 million and expenditures of $689 million.
Madagascar is a developing nation with a mixed economy. Agriculture dominates the economy, and the principal commodities include rice and cassava, the staple food crops, and a range of cash and export crops, particularly coffee, cloves, and vanilla. The nation's agricultural output has been unable to keep pace with the growth of the population, and many staples must be imported. Madagascar's gross national product (GNP) is not growing as rapidly as the population, and its GNP per capita is among the lowest in the world.
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 30% 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. For 2001, growth should again be about 5%.
| Madagascar | Education | Back to Top |
In orthodox Madagascar, education was not seen as separate from the other spheres of life. It emphasized the importance of maintaining one's place in a hierarchical society, trained people in the proper observance of ritual and innumerable fady prohibitions, and, above all, taught respect for ancestors. Formal education in the modern sense first appeared when the missionary David Jones of the London Missionary Society accomplished a school in Antananarivo in 1820. It was sponsored by King Radama I, and Jones's first students were children of the royal family. Literacy spread as a result of the schools the Imerina missionaries built; in 1835 an around 15,000 persons knew how to read and write the new Malagasy language. contempt remarkable retrenchment during the reign of Queen Ranavalona I, the missionary school system, including both Protestant and Roman Catholic institutions, continued to grow.
Education is compulsory for five years in Madagascar. In 2001 the adult literacy rate had reached 80.8 %, one of the highest rates in Africa. An around 73 % of elementary school-aged children were listed in school in 1996, and 13 % of those between the ages of 12 and 17 were listed in secondary school. The University of Antananarivo (1961) is the nation’s principal institution of higher education.
| Madagascar | Government | Back to Top |
Government: Constitution approved August 19, 1992 by national vote. Constitution establishes separation of powers among administrator, legislative, and judicial branches; multiparty political system; and protection of human rights and freedom of speech. President elected by universal vote for five-year time with two-term limit. Prime minister nominated by bicameral parliament composed of Senate and National Assembly, and approved by president. Supreme Court has eleven members and forms apex of other judicial bodies. Local government consists of twenty-eight regions with decentralized powers in economic field.
Politics: In first legislative elections of Third Republic in 1993 more than 120 political parties entered 4,000 candidates for 138 seats. Proportional representation list system promotes candidacies. orthodox village council (fokonolona) system supplements modern political system.
Foreign Relations: Good relations with many countries, particularly France and the West; in post-Cold War era seeking diversified ties with East and West, including Arab countries and Far East.
| Madagascar | History | Back to Top |
The Republic of Madagascar, formerly known as the Malagasy Republic and the Democratic Republic of Madagascar, has undergone remarkable socioeconomic and political changes during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Occupying a strategic location off the southeast coast of Africa, the island historically became the target of British and French imperial ambitions. Ultimately, the competition resulted in French colonization at the end of the nineteenth century. The nation gained full freedom from colonial rule on June 26, 1960. Philibert Tsiranana headed the conservative regime of the First Republic, which was superseded in 1975 by a Marxist-oriented military regime under Lieutenant Commander Didier Ratsiraka.
In the face of rising political dissent and socioeconomic decline that reached its height at the beginning of the 1990s, the Second Republic succumbed to the wave of democratization spreading throughout the African continent. On March 27, 1993, the inauguration of Albert Zafy as the third elected president of Madagascar since freedom marked the beginning of the Third Republic.
| Madagascar | Introduction | Back to Top |
Madagascar, republic in the Indian Ocean, separated from the south-eastern coast of Africa by the Mozambique Channel. In full the Democratic Republic of Madagascar, it is made up of Madagascar Island, the fourth-largest island in the world, and several small islands. The nation's total area is 587,041 sq km (226,658 sq mi). Madagascar was annexed by the French in 1896 and became self-governing within the French Community in 1958 as the Malagasy Republic. It gained full freedom in 1960 and took the name Democratic Republic of Madagascar in 1975. Antananarivo is the capital and largest city.
Official Name- Republic of Madagascar| Madagascar | Land | Back to Top |
N/A
| Madagascar | Languages | Back to Top |
The two official languages of Madagascar are the Merina dialect of Malagasy, a language of Malayo-Indonesian origin, and French. around 52 % of the population follows orthodox beliefs, 41 % is Christian, and 7 % is Muslim.
| Madagascar | Life | Back to Top |
orthodox society is hierarchical in structure. Kinship groups are ranked precisely along a superior/inferior continuum, and individuals within these groups are ranked according to age, descent, and gender. This pervasive ranking reflects the perceived power of ancestors as the source of hasina -life-giving power, which is distributed unequally among individuals and family groups. Royal or noble persons are supposed to possess a greater level of hasina than others, so that their descendants enjoy superior social status. Within families of any rank, elders possess greater hasina than the young not only by virtue of their maturity and experience but also because they are perceived as closer to the dead and thus share in part of their power. Rulers do not rule alone but share their offices in effect with their ancestors, who are, in fact, more powerful and influential than the rulers themselves. Among the Sakalava, it is believed that the soul or spirit of a royal ancestor can take possession of a person in order to make known its commands to the living.
Although the Merina social and kinship pattern is to a great degree common to all the peoples of Madagascar, there are valuable variations based in part on different histories and on ecological variations between the rice-growing and pastoral regions of the nation. The pastoral Bara and the Tsimihety, who are agriculturalists but place great cultural and sentimental significance on herds of zebu, base descent and inheritance on patrilineality more strictly than the Merina.
| Madagascar | organization | Back to Top |
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
| Madagascar | People | Back to Top |
Madagascar has experienced steady population growth throughout the twentieth century. Since the first systematic census was undertaken by colonial authorities at the turn of the twentieth century, the population has grown from 2.2 million in 1900 to 7.6 million in 1975 and to a population around by the IMF in mid-1993 at 11.86 million. It is expected that the population will approach 17 million by the end of the twentieth century, underscoring a more than fivefold increase in less than a hundred years. Moreover, the average rate of population growth itself has increased from 2.3 % in 1975 to 3.1 % over the 1980 to 1990 decade. This rate has made Madagascar one of the most rapidly growing countries in Africa, with a large youthful population--in 1992 nearly 55 % of the population was under twenty years of age.
Madagascar's population consists almost entirely of the 18 to 20 Malayo-Indonesian tribal groups that inhabit the island. About half the total population is composed of the Merina, Betsmisaraka, and Betsileo groups. Since the departure of the French following freedom in 1960, Madagascar's main foreign population minorities have been Comorians, Indians and Pakistanis, and Chinese. Almost half the population are orthodox animists in religion, half are Christians and a small %age are Muslims. Malagasy languages are spoken by all the tribal groups in several dialects, and the official dialect is Merina; French is also an official language.
| Madagascar | Politics | Back to Top |
Action, Truth, Development, and Harmony or AFFA [Professor Albert ZAFY]; Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [leader vacant]; Congress Party for Malagasy freedom or AKFM/Fanavaozana; 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]
| Madagascar | Provinces | Back to Top |
6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
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| Madagascar | Time | Back to Top |
| Madagascar | Currency and General Information | Back to Top |
| Madagascar Francs | United States Dollars |
| 1.00 MGF | 0.000153846 USD |
| 6,500.00 MGF | 1 USD |
| Countries Currency Unit | USD/Unit | Units/USD | |
| DZD | Algeria Dinars | 0.0129554 | 77.1877 |
| USD | United States Dollars | 1.00000 | 1.00000 |
| ARS | Argentina Pesos | 0.341293 | 2.93004 |
| AUD | Australia Dollars | 0.533413 | 1.87472 |
| ATS | Austria Schillings ** | 0.0632609 | 15.8076 |
| BSD | Bahamas Dollars | 1.00000 | 1.00000 |
| BBD | Barbados Dollars | 0.502513 | 1.99000 |
| BEF | Belgium Francs ** | 0.0215788 | 46.3417 |
| BMD | Bermuda Dollars | 1.00000 | 1.00000 |
| BRL | Brazil Reals | 0.430318 | 2.32386 |
| GBP | United Kingdom Pounds | 1.42399 | 0.702251 |
| BGL | Bulgaria Leva | 0.447293 | 2.23567 |
| CAD | Canada Dollars | 0.627606 | 1.59336 |
| CLP | Chile Pesos | 0.00152392 | 656.202 |
| CNY | China Yuan Renminbi | 0.120813 | 8.27726 |
| CYP | Cyprus Pounds | 1.49883 | 0.667186 |
| CZK | Czech Republic Koruny | 0.0281883 | 35.4758 |
| DKK | Denmark Kroner | 0.117155 | 8.53568 |
| XCD | East Caribbean Dollars | 0.370370 | 2.70000 |
| EGP | Egypt Pounds | 0.217271 | 4.60255 |
| EUR | Euro | 0.870489 | 1.14878 |
| FJD | Fiji Dollars | 0.447227 | 2.23600 |
| FIM | Finland Markkaa ** | 0.146406 | 6.83034 |
| FRF | France Francs ** | 0.132705 | 7.53550 |
| DEM | Germany Deutsche Marks ** | 0.445074 | 2.24682 |
| XAU | Gold Ounces | 301.977 | 0.00331151 |
| GRD | Greece Drachmae ** | 0.00255463 | 391.447 |
| HKD | Hong Kong Dollars | 0.128215 | 7.79939 |
| HUF | Hungary Forint | 0.00358416 | 279.006 |
| ISK | Iceland Kronur | 0.00999868 | 100.013 |
| INR | India Rupees | 0.0205205 | 48.7319 |
| IDR | Indonesia Rupiahs | 0.000102055 | 9,798.61 |
| IEP | Ireland Pounds ** | 1.10529 | 0.904738 |
| ILS | Israel New Shekels | 0.212386 | 4.70841 |
| ITL | Italy Lire ** | 0.000449570 | 2,224.35 |
| JMD | Jamaica Dollars | 0.0210041 | 47.6099 |
| JPY | Japan Yen | 0.00754183 | 132.594 |
| JOD | Jordan Dinars | 1.41057 | 0.708931 |
| LBP | Lebanon Pounds | 0.000660937 | 1,513.00 |
| LUF | Luxembourg Francs ** | 0.0215788 | 46.3417 |
| MYR | Malaysia Ringgits | 0.263330 | 3.79751 |
| MXN | Mexico Pesos | 0.111007 | 9.00848 |
| NZD | New Zealand Dollars | 0.440474 | 2.27028 |
| NOK | Norway Kroner | 0.113022 | 8.84780 |
| NLG | Netherlands Guilders ** | 0.395011 | 2.53158 |
| PKR | Pakistan Rupees | 0.0166945 | 59.9000 |
| PHP | Philippines Pesos | 0.0196386 | 50.9202 |
| XPT | Platinum Ounces | 510.962 | 0.00195709 |
| PLN | Poland Zlotych | 0.243488 | 4.10699 |
| PTE | Portugal Escudos ** | 0.00434198 | 230.310 |
| ROL | Romania Lei | 0.0000303433 | 32,956.21 |
| RUR | Russia Rubles | 0.0321342 | 31.1195 |
| SAR | Saudi Arabia Riyals | 0.266668 | 3.74998 |
| XAG | Silver Ounces | 4.65692 | 0.214734 |
| SGD | Singapore Dollars | 0.542540 | 1.84318 |
| SKK | Slovakia Koruny | 0.0208441 | 47.9751 |
| ZAR | South Africa Rand | 0.0883340 | 11.3207 |
| KRW | South Korea Won | 0.000759354 | 1,316.91 |
| ESP | Spain Pesetas ** | 0.00523174 | 191.141 |
| XDR | IMF Special Drawing Rights | 1.24862 | 0.800882 |
| SDD | Sudan Dinars | 0.00384615 | 260.000 |
| SEK | Sweden Kronor | 0.0964189 | 10.3714 |
| CHF | Switzerland Francs | 0.593789 | 1.68410 |
| TWD | Taiwan New Dollars | 0.0286531 | 34.9002 |
| THB | Thailand Baht | 0.0230087 | 43.4619 |
| TTD | Trinidad and Tobago Dollars | 0.163399 | 6.12000 |
| TRL | Turkey Liras | 0.000000763622 | 1,309,549.07 |
| VEB | Venezuela Bolivares | 0.00108696 | 920.000 |
| ZMK | Zambia Kwacha | 0.000239866 | 4,169.00 |
| Madagascar : Geographic coordinates | 20 00 S, 47 00 E |
| Madagascar : Population growth rate | 3.02% |
| Madagascar : Birth rate | 42.66 births/1,000 population |
| Madagascar : Death rate | 12.42 deaths/1,000 population |
| Madagascar : People living with HIV/AIDS | 11,000 |
| Madagascar : Independence | 26 June 1960 |
| Madagascar : National holiday | Independence Day, 26 June |
| Madagascar : Constitution | 19 August 1992 |
| Madagascar : GDP | purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion |
| Madagascar : GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $800 |
| Madagascar : Electricity - consumption | 753.3 million kWh |
| Madagascar : Exports | $538 million coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products |
| Madagascar : Imports | $693 million intermediate manufactures, capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food |
| Madagascar : Telephones | 43,000 |
| Madagascar : Mobile cellular | 4,000 |
| Madagascar : Radio broadcast stations | AM 2 , FM 7, shortwave 5 |
| Madagascar : Radios | 3.05 million |
| Madagascar : Television broadcast stations | 1 |
| Madagascar : Televisions | 325,000 |
| Madagascar : Internet country code | .mg |
| Madagascar : Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 |
| Madagascar : Internet users | 8,000 |
| Madagascar : Railways | 893 km |
| Madagascar : Highways | 49,837 km |
| Madagascar : Waterways | N/A |
| Madagascar : Pipelines | N/A |
| Madagascar : Ports and harbors | Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara |
| Madagascar : Merchant marine | 13 ships |
| Madagascar : Airports | 130 |
| Madagascar : Heliports | N/A |
| Madagascar : Military branches | Intervention Forces, Development Forces, Aeronaval Forces - includes Navy and Air Force |
| Madagascar : Military expenditures | $29 million |