| Introduction | Madagascar | Top of Page |
| Geography | Madagascar | Top of Page |
| 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 land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly less than twice the size of Arizona |
| 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 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: 5.03% permanent crops: 1.02% other: 93.95% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 10,860 sq km (2003) |
| Total renewable water resources: | 337 cu km (1984) |
| Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): | Total: 14.96 cu km/yr (3%/2%/96%) Per capita: 804 cu m/yr (2000) |
| Natural hazards: | periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation |
| 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 |
| People | Madagascar | Top of Page |
| Government | Madagascar | Top of Page |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar conventional short form: Madagascar local long form: Republique de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara local short form: Madagascar/Madagasikara former: Malagasy Republic |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | name: Antananarivo geographic coordinates: 18 55 S, 47 31 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| 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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Charles RABEMANANJARA (25 January 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote - Marc RAVALOMANANA 54.8%, Jean LAHINIRIKO 11.7%, Roland RATSIRAKA 10.1%, Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO 9.1%, Norbert RATSIRAHONANA 4.2%, Ny Hasina ANDRIAMANJATO 4.2%, Elia RAVELOMANANTSOA 2.6%, Pety RAKOTONIAINA 1.7%, other 1.6% |
| Legislative branch: | bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (127 seats - reduced from 160 seats by an April 2007 national referendum; members are 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; the remaining one-third of seats appointed by the president; to serve four-year terms) elections: National Assembly - last held 23 September 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TIM 106, LEADER/Fanilo 1, independents 20 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle |
| Political parties and leaders: | 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] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | 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 |
| International organization participation: | ACCT, ACP, AfDB? , AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC? , Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Jocelyn Bertin RADIFERA chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526 FAX: [1] (202) 265-3034 consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador R. Niels MARQUARDT 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 | Madagascar | Top of Page |
| Communications | Madagascar | Top of Page |
| Transportation | Madagascar | Top of Page |
| Military | Madagascar | Top of Page |
| Transnational Issues | Madagascar | Top of Page |
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