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. Following negotiations in July and August of 2009, a power-sharing agreement with a 15-month transitional period was established, but has not yet been implemented.

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

20 00 S, 47 00 E

Africa

slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

0 km

4,828 km

tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

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

10,860 sq km (2008)

337 cu km (1984)

periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation

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

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

Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran

French (official), Malagasy (official), English

indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

21,926,221 (July 2011 est.)

2.973% (2011 est.)

37.51 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

7.79 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

ANTANANARIVO (capital) 1.816 million (2009)

440 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)

5.02 children born/woman (2011 est.)

6.2% of GDP (2009)

0.161 physicians/1,000 population (2007)

0.3 beds/1,000 population (2005)

urban: 71% of population

rural: 29% of population

total: 41% of population

urban: 29% of population

rural: 71% of population

total: 59% of population (2008)

urban: 15% of population

rural: 10% of population

total: 11% of population

urban: 85% of population

rural: 90% of population

total: 89% of population (2008)

0.2% (2009 est.)

24,000 (2009 est.)

1,700 (2009 est.)

2.1% (2005)

36.8% (2004)

3% of GDP (2009)

republic

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

26 June 1960 (from France)

Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

passed by referendum 17 November 2010; promulgated 11 December 2010 (2010)

civil law system based on the old French civil code and customary law in matters of marriage, family, and obligation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

bicameral legislature consists of a Senate or Senat (100 seats; two-thirds of the members appointed by regional assemblies; the remaining one-third appointed by the president; members to serve four-year terms) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (127 seats - reduced from 160 seats by an April 2007 national referendum; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

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

Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot RAJAONARIVELO]; Democratic Party for Union in Madagascar or PSDUM [Jean LAHINIRIKO]; 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]

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

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side; by tradition, red stands for sovereignty, green for hope, white for purity

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 have 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. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are serious concerns. Former President RAVALOMANANA worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. 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.

$19.41 billion (2010 est.)

$19.8 billion (2009 est.)

$20.55 billion (2008 est.)

$8.345 billion (2010 est.)

-2% (2010 est.)

-3.7% (2009 est.)

7.1% (2008 est.)

$900 (2010 est.)

$1,000 (2009 est.)

$1,000 (2008 est.)

9.504 million (2007)

50% (2004 est.)

47.5 (2001)

38.1 (1999)

18.8% of GDP (2010 est.)

14.2% of GDP (2010 est.)

-2% of GDP (2010 est.)

9.2% (2010 est.)

9% (2009 est.)

5% (31 December 2010 est.)

NA% (31 December 2009 est.)

46% (31 December 2010 est.)

44.617% (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.22 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.229 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.994 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.996 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$890.8 million (31 December 2010 est.)

$998.4 million (31 December 2009 est.)

$NA

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

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

2% (2010 est.)

1.11 billion kWh (2008 est.)

1.032 billion kWh (2008 est.)

0 kWh (2009 est.)

0 kWh (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

22,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

16,390 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)

0 cu m (2009 est.)

0 cu m (2009 est.)

0 cu m (2009 est.)

0 cu m (2009 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

-$2.106 billion (2010 est.)

-$2.368 billion (2009 est.)

$1.173 billion (2010 est.)

$881.4 million (2009 est.)

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

France 26.3%, US 9.2%, China 8.5%, Netherlands 6.4%, Germany 5.6%, Canada 4.4%, Spain 4.3% (2010)

$3.453 billion (2010 est.)

$3.211 billion (2009 est.)

capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

China 14.6%, France 11.4%, South Africa 6.4%, India 5.4%, Bahrain 4.6%, US 4.3%, Singapore 4.1% (2010)

$1.172 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.136 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$2.265 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$2.214 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$NA

$NA

Malagasy ariary (MGA) per US dollar -

2,062.5 (2010)

1,956.2 (2009)

1,654.78 (2008)

1,880 (2007)

2,161.4 (2006)

172,200 (2010)

8.242 million (2010)

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 predominates in rural areas; relays of 2 international broadcasters are available in Antananarivo (2007)

.mg

27,606 (2010)

319,900 (2009)

84 (2010)

600 km (432 km navigable) (2010)

Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara (Tulear)

People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie

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) (2010)

1% of GDP (2006)

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