Madagascar (2001) | East Timor (2002) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara | 13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
45.02% (male 3,607,803; female 3,587,532) 15-64 years: 51.77% (male 4,093,720; female 4,180,430) 65 years and over: 3.21% (male 239,839; female 273,239) (2001 est.) |
NA |
Agriculture - products | coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products | coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla |
Airports | 130 (2000 est.) | 8 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
total: 3 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,427 m: 1 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
101 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 56 under 914 m: 43 (2000 est.) |
total: 5 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total:
587,040 sq km land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 sq km |
total: 15,007 sq km
land: NA sq km water: NA sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of Arizona | slightly larger than Connecticut |
Background | 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 Portuguese colony of Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It was subsequently incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of Timor Timur. A so-called campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during which time an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, the people of Timor Timur voted for independence from Indonesia. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an independent state and the world's newest democracy. |
Birth rate | 42.66 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 28.07 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$553 million expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
Capital | Antananarivo | Dili |
Climate | tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south | tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons |
Coastline | 4,828 km | 706 km |
Constitution | 19 August 1992 by national referendum | 22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model) |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Madagascar conventional short form: Madagascar local long form: Republique de Madagascar local short form: Madagascar former: Malagasy Republic |
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
conventional short form: East Timor local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese] local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese] former: Portuguese Timor |
Currency | Malagasy franc (MGF) | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 12.42 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 6.52 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $4.4 billion (1999) | $NA |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Shirley E. BARNES embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57 FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES
embassy: Avenido do Portugal, Farol, Dili mailing address: NA telephone: (670) 390 324 684 FAX: (670) 390 313 206 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Zina ANDRIANARIVELO-RAZAFY chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526 consulate(s) general: New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Jose Luis GUTERRES
chancery: NA telephone: NA FAX: NA consulate(s) general: NA |
Disputes - international | claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island (all administered by France) | East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee meets to survey and delimit land boundary; Indonesia seeks resolution of East Timor refugees in Indonesia; Australia-East Timor-Indonesia are working to resolve maritime boundary and sharing of seabed resources in "Timor Gap" |
Economic aid - recipient | $838 million (1997) | $2.2 billion |
Economy - overview | Madagascar faces problems of chronic malnutrition, underfunded health and education facilities, a roughly 3% annual population growth rate, and severe loss of forest cover, accompanied by erosion. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the mainstay of the economy, accounting for 30% of GDP and contributing more than 70% to export earnings. Industry features textile manufacturing and the processing of agricultural products. Growth in output in 1992-97 averaged less than the growth rate of the population. Growth has been held back by antigovernment strikes and demonstrations, a decline in world coffee prices, and the erratic commitment of the government to economic reform. The extent of government reforms, outside financial aid, and foreign investment will be key determinants of future growth. For 2001, growth should again be about 5%. | In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence militias, and 260,000 people fled westward. Over the next three years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By mid-2002, all but about 50,000 of the refugees had returned. The country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure and the strengthening of the infant civil administration. One promising long-term project would be development of oil resources in nearby waters. |
Electricity - consumption | 753.3 million kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh |
Electricity - production | 810 million kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
37.04% hydro: 62.96% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m |
lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m
highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m |
Environment - current issues | 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 | widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil erosion |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
NA |
Ethnic groups | Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran | Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority |
Exchange rates | Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,656.3 (November 2000), 6,283.8 (1999), 5,441.4 (1998), 5,090.9 (1997), 4,061.3 (1996) | - |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Didier RATSIRAKA (since 10 February 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Tantely Rene Gabriot ANDRIANARIVO (since NA 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 December 1996 (next to be held NA November 2001); prime minister appointed by the president from a list of candidates nominated by the National Assembly election results: Didier RATSIRAKA elected president; percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 50.7%, Albert ZAFY (AFFA) 49.3% |
chief of state: President Jose Alexander GUSMAO (since 20 May 2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is able to veto some legislation
head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20 May 2002) cabinet: Council of State elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Jose Alexander GUSMAO elected president; percent of vote - Jose Alexander GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do Amaral 17.3% |
Exports | $538 million (f.o.b., 1998) | $8 million (2001 est.) |
Exports - commodities | coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products | coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil and vanilla exports |
Exports - partners | France 41%, US 19%, Germany 13%, UK 8%, Japan 6% (1999) | NA |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side | red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to the center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of the black triangle |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $415 million (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
30% industry: 14% services: 56% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 25%
industry: 17% services: 57% (2001) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $800 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $500 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.8% (2000 est.) | 18% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 20 00 S, 47 00 E | 8 50 S, 125 55 E |
Geography - note | world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel | Timor is the Malay word for "Orient"; the island of Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands |
Heliports | - | 1 (2002) |
Highways | total:
49,837 km paved: 5,781 km unpaved: 44,056 km (1996) |
total: 3,800 km
paved: 428 km unpaved: 3,372 km (1995) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
1.9% highest 10%: 36.7% (1993) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin | NA |
Imports | $693 million (f.o.b., 1998) | $237 million (2001 est.) |
Imports - commodities | intermediate manufactures, capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food | NA |
Imports - partners | France 34%, Hong Kong 6%, China 6%, Japan 5%, Singapore 4% (1999) | NA |
Independence | 26 June 1960 (from France) | 28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia |
Industrial production growth rate | 3% (2000 est.) | 8.5% |
Industries | meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism | printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth |
Infant mortality rate | 83.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 51.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 10% (1999 est.) | NA% |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | IBRD, IMF
note: UN membership is expected in September |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | NA |
Irrigated land | 10,870 sq km (1993 est.) | 1,065 sq km (est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle | Supreme Court of Justice, one judge appointed by the National Parliament and the rest appointed by the Superior Council for the Judiciary |
Labor force | 7 million (1999) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | - | NA |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 228 km
border countries: Indonesia 228 km |
Land use | arable land:
4% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 41% forests and woodland: 40% other: 14% (1993 est.) |
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% |
Languages | French (official), Malagasy (official) | Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English
note: there are a total of about 16 indigenous languages, of which Tetum, Galole, Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people |
Legal system | based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | NA |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (150 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 17 May 1998 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - AREMA 63, LEADER/Fanilo 16, AVI 14, RPSD 11, AFFA 6, MFM 3, AKFM/Fanavaozana 3, GRAD/Iloafo 1, Fihaonana 1, independents 32 |
unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimum requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term of office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an exceptional basis
elections: last held 30 August 2001 (next to be held NA August 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD 8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT 2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT 2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
55.35 years male: 53.08 years female: 57.68 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 64.85 years
male: 62.64 years female: 67.17 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 80% male: 88% female: 73% (1990 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48% (2001) male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique | Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note - East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco |
Map references | Africa | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | 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 |
contiguous zone: NA NM
exclusive fishing zone: NA NM continental shelf: NA NM exclusive economic zone: NA NM territorial sea: NA NM extended fishing zone: NA NM |
Merchant marine | total:
13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,819 GRT/34,173 DWT ships by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2 (2000 est.) |
total: NA
ships by type: NA |
Military branches | Popular Armed Forces (includes Intervention Forces, Development Forces, Aeronaval Forces - includes Navy and Air Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment | the East Timor Defense Force or FALINTIL-FDTL comprises a light-infantry Army and a small Naval component; note - plans are to develop a force of 1,500 active personnel and 1,500 reserve personnel over the next five years |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $29 million (FY94) | $4.4 million (FY03) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1% (FY94) | NA% |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
3,640,554 (2001 est.) |
NA |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
2,159,767 (2001 est.) |
NA |
Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age | 18-21 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
153,856 (2001 est.) |
NA |
National holiday | Independence Day, 26 June (1960) | Independence Day, 28 November (1975) |
Nationality | noun:
Malagasy (singular and plural) adjective: Malagasy |
noun: Timorese
adjective: Timorese |
Natural hazards | periodic cyclones | floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones |
Natural resources | graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower | gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 51.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | NA |
Political parties and leaders | Action, Truth, Development, and Harmony or AFFA [Professor Albert ZAFY]; Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [leader vacant]; Congress Party for Malagasy Independence or AKFM/Fanavaozana; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Rally or Fihaonana [Guy RAZANAMASY]; Group of Reflection and Action for the Development of Madagascar or GRAD/Iloafo; Judged by Your Work or AVI [Norbert RATSIRAHONANA]; Movement for the Progress of Madagascar or MFM [Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]; Tranobe (Big House) [Ny Hasina ANDRIAMANJATO] | Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente da Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Pary or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO]; Maubere Democratic Party or PDM [leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Lu OLO]; Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO]; Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader NA]; Sons of the Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT [Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or TRABALHISTA [Paulo Freitas DA SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; Timorese Popular Democratic Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida Santos COSTA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Federalist Movement; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM | NA |
Population | 15,982,563 (July 2001 est.) | 952,618 (July 2002 est.)
note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 70% (1994 est.) | 42% (2002 est.) |
Population growth rate | 3.02% (2001 est.) | 7.26% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara | NA |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2 (plus 8 repeater stations), FM 7, shortwave 5 (1998) | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA |
Radios | 3.05 million (1997) | NA |
Railways | total:
883 km narrow gauge: 883 km 1.000-m gauge (1994) |
0 km |
Religions | indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7% | Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist, Animist (1992 est.) |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
NA |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 17 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
system is above average for the region domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) |
NA |
Telephones - main lines in use | 43,000 (1997) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 4,000 (1997) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (1997) | NA |
Terrain | narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center | mountainous |
Total fertility rate | 5.8 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.88 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 50% (including underemployment) |
Waterways | note:
of local importance only |
NA |