Compare Iceland (2008) - Madagascar (2008)

Compare Iceland (2008) z Madagascar (2008)

	Iceland (2008)	Madagascar (2008)

Administrative divisions	8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland	6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Age structure	0-14 years: 21.4% (male 32,759/female 31,845) 15-64 years: 66.8% (male 102,161/female 99,411) 65 years and over: 11.8% (male 16,162/female 19,593) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: 43.9% (male 4,297,985/female 4,243,369) 15-64 years: 53% (male 5,117,874/female 5,190,032) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 270,411/female 329,144) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish	coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products
Airports	99 (2007)	104 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)	total: 27 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 94 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 63 (2007)	total: 77 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 41 under 914 m: 34 (2007)
Area	total: 103,000 sq km land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km	total: 587,040 sq km land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Kentucky	slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Background	Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards.	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. RAVALOMANANA is now in his second term following a landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential elections of 2006.
Birth rate	13.57 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	38.6 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $9.495 billion expenditures: $8.432 billion (2007 est.)	revenues: $1.22 billion expenditures: $1.555 billion (2007 est.)
Capital	name: Reykjavik geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	name: Antananarivo geographic coordinates: 18 55 S, 47 31 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers	tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
Coastline	4,970 km	4,828 km
Constitution	16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times	19 August 1992 by national referendum
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Iceland local long form: Lydveldid Island local short form: Island	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
Death rate	6.77 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	8.51 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$3.073 billion (2002)	$4.6 billion (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Carol VAN VOORST embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik mailing address: US Department of State, 5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640 telephone: [354] 562-9100 FAX: [354] 562-9118	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
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Albert JONSSON chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653 FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656 consulate(s) general: New York	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
Disputes - international	Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm	claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)
Economic aid - donor	$6.7 million (2004)	-
Economic aid - recipient	-	$929.2 million (2005)
Economy - overview	Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system (including generous housing subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for abundant geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides nearly 70% of export earnings and employs 6% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. Substantial foreign investment in the aluminum and hydropower sectors has boosted economic growth which, nevertheless, has been volatile and characterized by recurrent imbalances. Government policies include reducing the current account deficit, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, and diversifying the economy. The government remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, and new developments in software production, biotechnology, and financial services are taking place. The tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and whale watching. The 2006 closure of the US military base at Keflavik had very little impact on the national economy; Iceland's low unemployment rate aided former base employees in finding alternate employment.	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 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. 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.
Electricity - consumption	8.152 billion kWh (2005)	973.2 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	8.533 billion kWh (2005)	1.046 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,110 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
Environment - current issues	water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater treatment	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: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation	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
Ethnic groups	homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6%	Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
Exchange rates	Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003)	Malagasy ariary per US dollar - 1,880 (2007), 2,161.4 (2006), 2,003 (2005), 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Geir H. HAARDE (since 7 June 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: president, largely a ceremonial post, is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held 26 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually the prime minister election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON 85.6%, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%	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%
Exports	0 bbl/day (2004)	363.9 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities	fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite	coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products
Exports - partners	Netherlands 16.5%, UK 15.7%, Germany 15%, US 10.8%, Spain 6.4% (2006)	France 32.1%, US 25.3%, Germany 6.1%, Italy 5%, UK 4.1% (2006)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)	two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 5.3% industry: 26.3% services: 68.4% (2007 est.)	agriculture: 27.3% industry: 15.8% services: 56.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	1.8% (2007 est.)	6.3% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates	65 00 N, 18 00 W	20 00 S, 47 00 E
Geography - note	strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe	world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 36.6% (2001)
Illicit drugs	-	illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin
Imports	17,450 bbl/day (2004)	17,830 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles	capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food
Imports - partners	US 12.8%, Germany 12.3%, Norway 7.1%, Sweden 6.9%, Denmark 6.1%, UK 5.3%, China 5.3%, Netherlands 4.8%, Japan 4.1% (2006)	France 14.5%, China 12%, Iran 9.3%, Mauritius 5.6%, Hong Kong 4.7% (2006)
Independence	1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)	26 June 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	9% (2007 est.)	6% (2007 est.)
Industries	fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production; geothermal power, tourism	meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism
Infant mortality rate	total: 3.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.41 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: 57.02 deaths/1,000 live births male: 62.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 51.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	4.9% (2007 est.)	10% (2007 est.)
International organization participation	Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO	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
Irrigated land	NA	10,860 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)	Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle
Labor force	180,000 (2007 est.)	7.3 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 5.1% industry: 23% services: 71.4% (2005)	-
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0.07% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.93% (2005)	arable land: 5.03% permanent crops: 1.02% other: 93.95% (2005)
Languages	Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken	English (official), French (official), Malagasy (official)
Legal system	civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch	unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 12 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party 36.6%, Social Democratic Alliance 26.8%, Progressive Party 11.7%, Left-Green Movement 14.3%, Liberal Party 7.3%, other 3.3%; seats by party - Independence Party 25, Social Democratic Alliance 18, Progressive Party 7, Left-Green Alliance 9, Liberal Party 4	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
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 80.43 years male: 78.33 years female: 82.62 years (2007 est.)	total population: 62.14 years male: 60.23 years female: 64.1 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.9% male: 75.5% female: 62.5% (2003 est.)
Location	Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK	Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
Map references	Arctic Region	Africa
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin	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
Merchant marine	total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,704 GRT/729 DWT by type: passenger/cargo 2 registered in other countries: 41 (Antigua and Barbuda 9, Bahamas 1, Belize 1, Faroe Islands 4, Gibraltar 1, Malta 7, Norway 3, St Vincent and The Grenadines 15) (2007)	total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,896 GRT/18,466 DWT by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2 (2007)
Military - note	under a 1951 bilateral agreement, Iceland's defense was provided by a US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered in Keflavik; in October 2006, all US military forces in Iceland were withdrawn; nonetheless, the US and Iceland signed a Joint Understanding to strengthen their bilateral defense relationship, including regular security consultations, military communications in the event of national emergencies, annual bilateral exercises on Icelandic territory, and future bilateral and NATO support to four Iceland Air Defense System (IADS) radar sites	-
Military branches	no regular military forces; Icelandic National Police (2006)	People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	0% (2005 est.)	1% (2006)
National holiday	Independence Day, 17 June (1944)	Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
Nationality	noun: Icelander(s) adjective: Icelandic	noun: Malagasy (singular and plural) adjective: Malagasy
Natural hazards	earthquakes and volcanic activity	periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation
Natural resources	fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite	graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower
Net migration rate	1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders	Independence Party or IP [Geir H. HAARDE]; Left-Green Movement or LGM [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Gudni AGUSTSSON]; Social Democratic Alliance or SDA [Ingibjorg Solrun GISLADOTTIR] (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List)	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	NA	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
Population	301,931 (July 2007 est.)	19,448,815 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	50% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate	0.824% (2007 est.)	3.008% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)
Railways	-	total: 854 km narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Religions	Lutheran Church of Iceland 85.5%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.1%, Roman Catholic Church 2%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.5%, other Christian 2.7%, other or unspecified 3.8%, unaffiliated 2.4% (2004)	indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.029 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.028 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.825 male(s)/female total population: 1.002 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.013 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.986 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.822 male(s)/female total population: 0.992 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is modern and fully digitized, with satellite-earth stations, fiber-optic cables, and an extensive broadband network domestic: liberalization of the telecommunications sector beginning in the late 1990s has led to increased competition especially in the mobile services segment of the market international: country code - 354; the CANTAT-3 and FARICE-1 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Canada, the Faroe Islands, UK, Denmark, and Germany; a planned new section of the Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable will provide additional connectivity to Canada, US, and Ireland; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)	general assessment: system is above average for the region; Antananarivo's main telephone exchange modernized, but the rest of the analogue-based telephone system is poorly developed; planning to add 50,000 new private-subscriber fixed lines beginning in 2005 domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile telephone density only about 7 per 100 persons international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use	193,700 (2006)	129,800 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular	328,500 (2006)	1.046 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations	14 (plus 156 repeaters) (1997)	1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain	mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords	narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Total fertility rate	1.91 children born/woman (2007 est.)	5.24 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	1% (2007 est.)	-
Waterways	-	600 km (2006)

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