Compare Madagascar (2003) - Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2006)

Compare Madagascar (2003) z Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2006)

	Madagascar (2003)	Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2006)

Administrative divisions	6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara	10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and 1 city (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu
Age structure	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.)	0-14 years: 47.4% (male 14,906,488/female 14,798,210) 15-64 years: 50.1% (male 15,597,353/female 15,793,350) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 632,143/female 933,007) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products	coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products	coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products
Airports	121 (2002)	234 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways	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)	total: 25 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 92 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 46 under 914 m: 44 (2002)	total: 209 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 94 under 914 m: 97 (2006)
Area	total: 587,040 sq km land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 sq km	total: 2,345,410 sq km land: 2,267,600 sq km water: 77,810 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly less than twice the size of Arizona	slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US
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 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.	Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several subsequent sham elections, as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by an insurrection backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003; Joseph KABILA remains as president and is joined by four vice presidents representing the former government, former rebel groups, and the political opposition. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005, and plans to hold a series of elections in 2006 to determine the presidency and National Assembly seats.
Birth rate	42.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	43.69 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget	revenues: $553 million expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)	revenues: $700 million expenditures: $750 million; including capital expenditures of $24 million (2004 est.)
Capital	Antananarivo	name: Kinshasa geographic coordinates: 4 18 S, 15 18 E time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south	tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)
Coastline	4,828 km	37 km
Constitution	19 August 1992 by national referendum	18 February 2006
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 the Congo conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo local short form: none former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DRC
Currency	Malagasy franc (MGF)	-
Death rate	11.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	13.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external	$4.6 billion (2002)	$10.6 billion (2003 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	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	chief of mission: Ambassador Roger MEECE embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828 telephone: [243] (88) 43608 FAX: [243] (88) 43467
Diplomatic representation in the US	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	chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009: note - Consular Office at 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691 FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609
Disputes - international	claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)	heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledge to end conflict but unchecked tribal, rebel, and militia fighting continues unabated in the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, drawing in the neighboring states of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda; the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) has maintained over 14,000 peacekeepers in the region since 1999; thousands of Ituri refugees from the Congo continue to flee the fighting primarily into Uganda; 90,000 Angolan refugees were repatriated by 2004 with the remainder in the DRC expected to return in 2005; in 2005, DRC and Rwanda established a border verification mechanism to address accusations of Rwandan military supporting Congolese rebels and the DRC providing rebel Rwandan "Interhamwe" forces the means and bases to attack Rwandan forces; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area
Economic aid - recipient	$838 million (1997)	$2.2 billion (FY03/04)
Economy - overview	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.	The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The war, which began in August 1998, dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of perhaps 3.5 million people from violence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions improved in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government has reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA has begun implementing reforms. Much economic activity lies outside the GDP data. Economic stability improved in 2003-05, although an uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of openness in government policy continues to hamper growth. In 2005, renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most exports, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth. Business and economic prospects are expected to improve once a new government is installed after elections.
Electricity - consumption	772.1 million kWh (2001)	4.324 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	1.3 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	10 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production	830.2 million kWh (2001)	6.036 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 36.1% hydro: 63.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 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	poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage
Environment - international 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	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups	Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran	over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population
Exchange rates	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)	Congolese francs per US dollar - 437.86 (2005), 401.04 (2004), 405.34 (2003), 346.49 (2002), 206.62 (2001)
Executive branch	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	chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the president elections: under the new constitution the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 30 July 2006 with a second round held on 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: results of 29 October 2006 elections (second round); Joseph KABILA 58%, Jean-Pierre BEMBA Gombo 42% note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, following the latter's assassination in January 2001; negotiations with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional government in July 2003 with free elections held on 30 July 2006 and 29 October 2006 where the poplar vote confirmed Joseph KABILA as president
Exports	NA (2001)	NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities	coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products	diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt
Exports - partners	France 34%, US 24.6%, Netherlands 6%, Germany 5.9%, Mauritius 4% (2002)	Belgium 38.2%, US 17.9%, China 11.7%, France 8%, Finland 7.8%, Chile 4.3% (2005)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side	sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner
GDP	purchasing power parity - $12.59 billion (2002)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 25% industry: 12% services: 63% (2001 est.)	agriculture: 55% industry: 11% services: 34% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	-11.9% (2002 est.)	7.1% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates	20 00 S, 47 00 E	0 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note	world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel	straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands
Highways	total: 49,827 km paved: 5,780 km unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 29% (1999)	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	illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center
Imports	NA (2001)	NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities	capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food	foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels
Imports - partners	France 17.2%, Iran 11%, Mauritius 10.6%, Bahrain 9.4%, Hong Kong 6.9%, South Africa 5.9%, China 4.1% (2002)	South Africa 16.5%, Belgium 16.1%, France 9.1%, Zambia 6.9%, Kenya 5.7%, Germany 4.6%, US 4.5%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.3%, Netherlands 4.1% (2005)
Independence	26 June 1960 (from France)	30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
Industrial production growth rate	3% (2000 est.)	NA%
Industries	meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism	mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair
Infant mortality rate	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.)	total: 88.62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 96.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 80.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	7.4% (2001 est.)	9% (2004 est.)
International organization participation	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	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	2 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	10,900 sq km (1998 est.)	110 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle	Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Labor force	7.3 million (2000)	14.51 million
Labor force - by occupation	-	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 10,730 km border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Land use	arable land: 4.41% permanent crops: 0.93% other: 94.66% (1998 est.)	arable land: 2.86% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 96.67% (2005)
Languages	French (official), Malagasy (official)	French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
Legal system	based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	a new constitution was adopted by referendum 18 December 2005; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch	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	bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly (500 seats; 60 elected by majority vote and 440 by open list proportional representation; members serve 5-year terms) and a Senate (120 seats; members elected by indirect vote to serve 5-year terms) elections: NA; members of the National Assembly were appointed by leaders in the factions integrated into the new government; elections scheduled for 30 July 2006 will establish a new legislature under the February 2006 constitution
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 56.14 years male: 53.82 years female: 58.53 years (2003 est.)	total population: 51.46 years male: 50.01 years female: 52.94 years (2006 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.9% male: 75.5% female: 62.5% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba total population: 65.5% male: 76.2% female: 55.1% (2003 est.)
Location	Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique	Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Map references	Africa	Africa
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	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors
Merchant marine	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.)	total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,004 GRT/1,640 DWT by type: petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Congo, Republic of the 1) (2006)
Military branches	People's Armed Forces (comprising Intervention Force, Development Force, Aeronaval [Navy and Air] Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment	Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$52.3 million (FY02)	$103.7 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.2% (FY02)	1.5% (2005 est.)
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, 26 June (1960)	Independence Day, 30 June (1960)
Nationality	noun: Malagasy (singular and plural) adjective: Malagasy	noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo
Natural hazards	periodic cyclones	periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes
Natural resources	graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower	cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: fighting between the Congolese Government and Uganda- and Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DRC in August 1998, which left 2.33 million Congolese internally displaced and caused 412,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding countries (2006 est.)
Pipelines	-	gas 54 km; oil 78 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders	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]	Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Forces for Renovation for Union and Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph OLENGHANKOY]; National Congolese Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois LUMUMBA]; Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR (three factions: MPR-Fait Prive [Catherine NZUZI wa Mbombo]; MPR/Vunduawe [Felix VUNDUAWE]; MPR/Mananga [MANANGA Dintoka Mpholo]); Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Union of Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFERI (two factions: UFERI [Lokambo OMOKOKO]; UFERI/OR [Adolph Kishwe MAYA])
Political pressure groups and leaders	Federalist Movement; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM	NA
Population	16,979,744 (July 2003 est.)	62,660,551 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 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line	71% (1999 est.)	NA%
Population growth rate	3.03% (2003 est.)	3.07% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors	Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)	AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)
Railways	total: 732 km narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)	total: 5,138 km narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2005)
Religions	indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%	Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10%
Sex ratio	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.)	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system	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)	general assessment: poor domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	55,000 (2000)	10,600 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	63,100 (2000)	2.746 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations	1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)	4 (2001)
Terrain	narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center	vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
Total fertility rate	5.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)	6.45 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate	5.9% (1998)	NA%
Waterways	of local importance only	15,000 km (2005)

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