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Compare Bahamas, The (2005) - Madagascar (2003)

Compare Bahamas, The (2005) z Madagascar (2003)

 Bahamas, The (2005)Madagascar (2003)
 Bahamas, TheMadagascar
Administrative divisions 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Age structure 0-14 years: 27.9% (male 42,142/female 42,096)


15-64 years: 65.9% (male 97,865/female 101,047)


65 years and over: 6.2% (male 7,616/female 11,024) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 45% (male 3,822,823; female 3,807,958)


15-64 years: 51.9% (male 4,366,748; female 4,452,686)


65 years and over: 3.1% (male 243,411; female 286,118) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products citrus, vegetables; poultry coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products
Airports 63 (2004 est.) 121 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 29


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 14


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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: 34


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
total: 92


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 46


under 914 m: 44 (2002)
Area total: 13,940 sq km


land: 10,070 sq km


water: 3,870 sq km
total: 587,040 sq km


land: 581,540 sq km


water: 5,500 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Connecticut slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Background Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US. 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.
Birth rate 17.87 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 42.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $1 billion


expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $106.7 million (FY03/04)
revenues: $553 million


expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Capital Nassau Antananarivo
Climate tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
Coastline 3,542 km 4,828 km
Constitution 10 July 1973 19 August 1992 by national referendum
Country name conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas


conventional short form: The Bahamas
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar


conventional short form: Madagascar


local long form: Republique de Madagascar


local short form: Madagascar


former: Malagasy Republic
Currency - Malagasy franc (MGF)
Death rate 8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 11.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $308.5 million (2002) $4.6 billion (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ROOD


embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau


mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370


telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)


FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222
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
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS


chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660


FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668


consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
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
Disputes - international have not been able to agree on the alignment of a maritime boundary with the US; continues to monitor and interdict Haitian refugees fleeing economic privation and political instability claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)
Economic aid - recipient $9.8 million (1995) $838 million (1997)
Economy - overview The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the US economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in these sectors in 2001-03. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors. In addition to tourism and banking, the government supports the development of a "third pillar," e-commerce. Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led policy of privatization and liberalization, which has placed the country on a slow and steady growth path. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for one-fourth of GDP and employing four-fifths of the population. Export earnings primarily are earned in the small industrial sector, which features textile manufacturing and agriculture processing. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel are serious concerns. The separatist political crisis of 2002 undermined macroeconomic stability, with the estimated drop in output being subject to a wide margin of error. Poverty reduction will be the centerpiece of economic policy for the next few years.
Electricity - consumption 1.596 billion kWh (2002) 772.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 1.716 billion kWh (2002) 830.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 36.1%


hydro: 63.9%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
Environment - current issues coral reef decay; solid waste disposal 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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
Ethnic groups black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3% Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
Exchange rates Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000) Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,831.96 (2002), 6,588.49 (2001), 6,767.48 (2000), 6,283.77 (1999), 5,441.4 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002) and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
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
Exports transhipments of 29,000 bbl/day (2003) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals; fruit and vegetables coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products
Exports - partners US 40.2%, Poland 13.3%, Spain 11.6%, Germany 5.9%, France 4.3% (2004) France 34%, US 24.6%, Netherlands 6%, Germany 5.9%, Mauritius 4% (2002)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side
GDP - purchasing power parity - $12.59 billion (2002)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3%


industry: 7%


services: 90% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 25%


industry: 12%


services: 63% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3% (2004 est.) -11.9% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 15 N, 76 00 W 20 00 S, 47 00 E
Geography - note strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel
Heliports 1 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 2,693 km


paved: 1,546 km


unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)
total: 49,827 km


paved: 5,780 km


unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: 27% (2000)
lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 29% (1999)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin
Imports NA NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food
Imports - partners US 22.4%, South Korea 18.9%, Brazil 9.2%, Japan 7.9%, Italy 7.8%, Venezuela 6.6% (2004) France 17.2%, Iran 11%, Mauritius 10.6%, Bahrain 9.4%, Hong Kong 6.9%, South Africa 5.9%, China 4.1% (2002)
Independence 10 July 1973 (from UK) 26 June 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA 3% (2000 est.)
Industries tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 25.21 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 31.02 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 19.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 80.21 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 88.63 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 71.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.2% (year ending September 2004) 7.4% (2001 est.)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM, IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), 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, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 2 (2000)
Irrigated land NA 10,900 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle
Labor force 156,000 (1999) 7.3 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (1999 est.) -
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 0.8%


permanent crops: 0.4%


other: 98.8% (2001)
arable land: 4.41%


permanent crops: 0.93%


other: 94.66% (1998 est.)
Languages English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants) French (official), Malagasy (official)
Legal system based on English common law based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time


elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%, independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4
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, others 3, independents 22
Life expectancy at birth total population: 65.54 years


male: 62.11 years


female: 69.04 years (2005 est.)
total population: 56.14 years


male: 53.82 years


female: 58.53 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 95.6%


male: 94.7%


female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 68.9%


male: 75.5%


female: 62.5% (2003 est.)
Location Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or 100 NM from the 2,500-m deep isobath


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 1,119


by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 183, cargo 259, chemical tanker 54, combination ore/oil 17, container 74, liquefied gas 28, livestock carrier 2, passenger 116, passenger/cargo 40, petroleum tanker 168, refrigerated cargo 130, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 24


foreign-owned: 968 (Angola 4, Australia 4, Belgium 17, Canada 9, China 3, Croatia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 13, Denmark 18, Estonia 1, Finland 7, France 28, Germany 15, Greece 194, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 1, Italy 7, Japan 49, Jordan 2, Kenya 1, Latvia 1, Malaysia 12, Monaco 15, Netherlands 24, New Zealand 1, Nigeria 2, Norway 229, Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia 12, Serbia & Montenegro 2, Singapore 11, Slovenia 1, South Korea 1, Spain 6, Sweden 9, Switzerland 4, Thailand 1, Trinidad & Tobago 2, Turkey 7, UAE 12, United Kingdom 55, United States 154, Uruguay 2)


registered in other countries: 35 (2005)
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT


ships by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 (2002 est.)
Military branches Royal Bahamaian Defense Force (naval forces) (2004) People's Armed Forces (comprising Intervention Force, Development Force, Aeronaval [Navy and Air] Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA $52.3 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 1.2% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 3,880,332 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 2,300,587 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 20 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 163,864 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 10 July (1973) Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
Nationality noun: Bahamian(s)


adjective: Bahamian
noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)


adjective: Malagasy
Natural hazards hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage periodic cyclones
Natural resources salt, aragonite, timber, arable land graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower
Net migration rate -2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Political parties and leaders Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE] Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [leader vacant]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [leader NA]; National Union or FP [leader NA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Federalist Movement; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM
Population 301,790


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)
16,979,744 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 71% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 0.67% (2005 est.) 3.03% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)
Railways - total: 732 km


narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Religions Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census) indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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: 0.85 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: modern facilities


domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed


international: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)
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)
Telephones - main lines in use 131,700 (2003) 55,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 121,800 (2002) 63,100 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 2 (2004) 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Total fertility rate 2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.) 5.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 10.2% (2004 est.) 5.9% (1998)
Waterways - of local importance only
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