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Background:
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Formerly
an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French
colony in 1896, 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. |
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Location:
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Southern
Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
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Geographic coordinates:
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20 00 S,
47 00 E |
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total:
587,040 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km
water: 5,500 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
less than twice the size of Arizona |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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4,828 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the
2,500-m deep isobath |
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Climate:
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tropical
along coast, temperate inland, arid in south |
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Terrain:
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narrow
coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m |
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Natural resources:
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graphite,
chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands,
semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 5.07%
permanent crops: 1.03%
other: 93.91% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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10,900 sq
km (2000 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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periodic
cyclones, drought, and locust infestation |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party
to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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world's
fourth-largest island; strategic location along
Mozambique Channel |
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Population:
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18,040,341 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 44.8% (male 4,051,832/female 4,038,837)
15-64 years: 52.1% (male 4,657,346/female
4,745,971)
65 years and over: 3% (male 247,146/female
299,209) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
17.46 years
male: 17.24 years
female: 17.67 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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3.03%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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41.66
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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11.35
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
76.83 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 85.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 68.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 56.95 years
male: 54.57 years
female: 59.4 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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5.66
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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1.7%
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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140,000
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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7,500
(2003 est.) |
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree
of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and
protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high
risks in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)
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Nationality:
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noun:
Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy |
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Ethnic groups:
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Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers
(mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry -
Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French,
Indian, Creole, Comoran |
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Religions:
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indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7% |
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Languages:
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French
(official), Malagasy (official) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.9%
male: 75.5%
female: 62.5% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form: Madagascar
local long form: Republique de Madagascar
local short form: Madagascar
former: Malagasy Republic |
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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Antananarivo |
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Administrative divisions:
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6
provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana,
Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara |
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Independence:
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26 June
1960 (from France) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 26 June (1960) |
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Constitution:
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19 August
1992 by national referendum |
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Legal system:
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based on
French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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 November 2006); prime minister
appointed by the president
election results: percent of vote - Didier
RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 37.7%, Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 50.5%
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral
legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a Senate or
Senat (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by
regional assemblies whose members will be elected by
popular vote; the remaining one-third of the seats
appointed by the president; 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, others 3, independents
22 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or
Haute Cour Constitutionnelle |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA
[Pierrot RAJAONARIVO]; 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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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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 |
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA,
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA
chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603
consulate(s) general: New York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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 |
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Flag description:
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two equal
horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical
white band of the same width on hoist side |
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Economy - overview:
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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 has 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 United States. 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. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$14.56
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.5%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 29.3%
industry: 16.7%
services: 54% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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7.3
million (2000) |
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Population below poverty line:
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50% (2004
est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29% (1999) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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38.1
(1999) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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7.5%
(2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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14.7% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $783.7 million
expenditures: $1.079 billion, including capital
expenditures of $331 million (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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coffee,
vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava
(tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products
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Industries:
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meat
processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles,
glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper,
petroleum, tourism |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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3% (2000
est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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840.2
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 36.1%
hydro: 63.9%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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781.4
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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13,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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0 bbl (1
January 2002) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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0 cu m (1
January 2002) |
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Current account balance:
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$-281.9
million (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$868.2
million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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coffee,
vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite,
petroleum products |
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Exports - partners:
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US 35.8%,
France 30.8%, Germany 7.7% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$1.147
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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capital
goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food |
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Imports - partners:
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France
17.2%, China 9.7%, Hong Kong 6.6%, Iran 6.4%, Mauritius
6.2%, South Africa 5.6% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$500.3
million (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$4.6
billion (2002) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$354
million (2001) |
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Currency (code):
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Madagascar ariary (MGA) |
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Currency code:
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MGF |
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Exchange rates:
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Malagasy
francs per US dollar - 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003),
1,366.4 (2002), 1,317.7 (2001), 1,353.5 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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59,600
(2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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279,500
(2003) |
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Telephone system:
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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: country code - 261; submarine
cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean
region) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 2
(plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6
(2001) |
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Radios:
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3.05
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (plus
36 repeaters) (2001) |
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Televisions:
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325,000
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.mg |
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Internet hosts:
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773
(2003) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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2 (2000)
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Internet users:
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70,500
(2003) |
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Railways:
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total:
732 km
narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
49,827 km
paved: 5,780 km
unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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600 km
(2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT
by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum
tanker 2
registered in other countries: 1 (2005) |
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Airports:
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116 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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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 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
87
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 42
under 914 m: 43 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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People's
Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and
Aeronaval (Navy and Air) Force; National Gendarmerie
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years
of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 18 months
(2004) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 3,542,797 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 2,218,662 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
187,000 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$44.6
million (2004) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.2%
(2004) |
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Disputes - international:
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claims
Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and
Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France) |
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Illicit drugs:
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illicit
producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties)
used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment
point for heroin |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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