Countries
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Disputes - international: claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France); the vegetated drying cays of Banc du Geyser, which were claimed by Madagascar in 1976, also fall within the EEZ claims of the Comoros and France (Glorioso Islands, part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands)
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin
Military branches: People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie
Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for male-only voluntary military service; no conscription; service obligation - 18 months (either military or equivalent civil service); 20-30 years of age for National Gendarmerie recruits (35 years of age for those with military experience)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,900,729
females age 16-49: 4,909,061
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,390,071
females age 16-49: 3,682,180
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 248,184
female: 246,769
Military expenditures: 1% of GDP
country comparison to the world: 130
Airports: 82
country comparison to the world: 69
Railways: total: 854 km
country comparison to the world: 97
Roadways: total: 65,663 km
country comparison to the world: 69
Waterways: 600 km (432 km navigable)
country comparison to the world: 79
Merchant marine: total: 1
country comparison to the world: 152
by type: cargo 1
registered in other countries: 1 (unknown 1)
Ports and terminals: Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara (Tulear)
Telephones - main lines in use: 172,200
country comparison to the world: 130
Telephones - mobile cellular: 8.242 million
country comparison to the world: 81
Telephone system: general assessment: system is above average for the region; Antananarivo's main telephone exchange modernized in the late 1990s, but the rest of the analogue-based telephone system is poorly developed; have been adding fixed line connections since 2005
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity about 40 per 100 persons
international: country code - 261; landing point for the EASSy, SEACOM, and LION fiber-optic submarine cable systems; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region)
Broadcast media: state-owned Radio Nationale Malagasy (RNM) and Television Malagasy (TVM) have an extensive national network reach; privately-owned radio and TV broadcasters in cities and major towns; state-run radio dominates in rural areas; relays of 2 international broadcasters are available in Antananarivo
Internet country code: .mg
Internet hosts: 32,537
country comparison to the world: 105
Internet users: 319,900
country comparison to the world: 127
After discarding socialist economic policies in the mid-1990s, Madagascar followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization that has been undermined since the start of the political crisis. 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 boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US, however, Madagascar's failure to comply with the requirements of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) led to the termination of the country's duty-free access in January 2010 and a sharp fall in textile production. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are serious concerns. The current political crisis, which began in early 2009, has dealt additional blows to the economy. Tourism dropped more than 50% in 2009 compared with the previous year, and many investors are wary of entering the uncertain investment environment.
Government type: republic
Legal system: civil law system based on the old French civil code and customary law in matters of marriage, family, and obligation
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Ethnic groups: Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
Languages: French (official), Malagasy (official), English
Religions: indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%
Population: 22,585,517
country comparison to the world: 52
Median age: total: 18.3 years
male: 18 years
female: 18.5 years
Population growth rate: 2.952%
country comparison to the world: 13
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 96
Urbanization: urban population: 30% of total population
rate of urbanization: 3.9% annual rate of change
Major cities - population: ANTANANARIVO (capital) 1.816 million
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64 years
country comparison to the world: 172
male: 61.97 years
female: 66.1 years
Health expenditures: 6.2% of GDP
country comparison to the world: 100
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, malaria, and plague
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
Education expenditures: 3% of GDP
country comparison to the world: 133
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 64.5%
male: 67.4%
female: 61.6%
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 2.3%
country comparison to the world: 128
male: 1.7%
female: 2.8%
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 4,828 km
Maritime claims: 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 isobath
Climate: tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
Terrain: narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Natural resources: graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, rare earth elements, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 5.03%, permanent crops: 1.02%, other: 93.95%
Natural hazards: periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation
volcanism: Madagascar's volcanoes have not erupted in historical times
Environment - current issues: 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
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel
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 over increasing restrictions on opposition press and activities resulted in RAVALOMANANA stepping down and the presidency was conferred to the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA. Numerous attempts have been made by regional and international organizations to resolve the subsequent political gridlock by forming a power-sharing government. In late 2011, RAJOELINA appointed a new cabinet, and the country appeared to be moving towards new elections sometime in 2012.
Madagascar
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