Asunto: | [CeHuNews] 177/03 - Geography of Madagascar | Fecha: | Jueves, 19 de Junio, 2003 18:08:57 (-0300) | Autor: | Humboldt <humboldt @............ar>
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CeHuNews 177/03
Geography of
Madagascar

|
Background: |
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. |
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 |
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.) |
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 -
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 |
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) |
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
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) |
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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