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Compare Madagascar (2005) - Belgium (2002)
Compare Madagascar (2005) z Belgium (2002)
| Madagascar (2005) | Belgium (2002) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara | 10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch: provincien, singular - provincie) and 1 region* (French: region; Dutch: gewest); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles), Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, West-Vlaanderen |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 44.8% (male 4,051,832/female 4,038,837)
15-64 years: 52.1% (male 4,657,346/female 4,745,971) 65 years and over: 3% (male 247,146/female 299,209) (2005 est.) |
0-14 years: 17.3% (male 911,729; female 871,470)
15-64 years: 65.6% (male 3,395,885; female 3,341,536) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 716,673; female 1,037,302) (2002 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products | sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk |
| Airports | 116 (2004 est.) | 42 (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: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (2002) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 87
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 43 (2004 est.) |
total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 15 (2002) |
| Area | total: 587,040 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 sq km |
total: 30,510 sq km
land: 30,230 sq km water: 280 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of Arizona | about the size of Maryland |
| Background | 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. | Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. |
| Birth rate | 41.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 10.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $783.7 million
expenditures: $1.079 billion, including capital expenditures of $331 million (2004 est.) |
revenues: $113.4 billion
expenditures: $106 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.17 billion (2000) |
| Capital | Antananarivo | Brussels |
| Climate | tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south | temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy |
| Coastline | 4,828 km | 66 km |
| Constitution | 19 August 1992 by national referendum | 7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state |
| 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: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie |
| Currency | - | euro (EUR); Belgian franc (BEF)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries |
| Death rate | 11.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 10.08 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Debt - external | $4.6 billion (2002) | $28.3 billion (1999 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 Stephen Franklin BRAUER
embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710 telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725 |
| 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 Franciskus VAN DAELE
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York |
| Disputes - international | claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France) | none |
| Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $764 million (1997) (1997) |
| Economic aid - recipient | $354 million (2001) | - |
| 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. This strategy has 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 United States. 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. | This modern private enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. About three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt is about 100% of GDP, and the government has succeeded in balancing its budget. Belgium, together with 11 of its EU partners, began circulating euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-02 dropped sharply due to the global economic slowdown. Prospects for 2003 again depend largely on recovery in the EU and the US. |
| Electricity - consumption | 781.4 million kWh (2002) | 78.13 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 7.309 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 11.645 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - production | 840.2 million kWh (2002) | 79.348 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 40%
hydro: 1% nuclear: 58% other: 1% (2000) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m |
lowest point: North Sea 0 m
highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 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 | the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, intense animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
| Ethnic groups | Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran | Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% |
| Exchange rates | Malagasy francs per US dollar - 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003), 1,366.4 (2002), 1,317.7 (2001), 1,353.5 (2000) | euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Belgian francs per US dollar - 34.77 (January 1999), 36.229 (1998), 35.774 (1997) |
| 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 November 2006); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 37.7%, Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 50.5% |
chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch and approved by Parliament elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by Parliament note: government coalition - VLD, PRL-FDF, PS, MCC, SP, AGALEV, and ECOLO |
| Exports | NA | $162 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products | machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs |
| Exports - partners | US 35.8%, France 30.8%, Germany 7.7% (2004) | EU 75.3% (Germany 18.1%, France 17.3%, Netherlands 12.1%, UK 9.6%), US 5.6% (2001) |
| 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 | three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France |
| GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $297.6 billion (2002 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 29.3%
industry: 16.7% services: 54% (2004 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 24% services: 74% (2001) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.) | purchasing power parity - $29,000 (2002 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 5.5% (2004 est.) | 0.6% (2002 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 20 00 S, 47 00 E | 50 50 N, 4 00 E |
| Geography - note | world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel | crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO |
| Heliports | - | 1 (2002) |
| Highways | total: 49,827 km
paved: 5,780 km unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.) |
total: 145,774 km
paved: 116,182 km (including 1,674 km of expressways) unpaved: 29,592 km (1999) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29% (1999) |
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 23% (1992) (1996) |
| Illicit drugs | illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin | growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; money laundering related to trafficking of drugs, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco |
| Imports | NA | $152 billion f.o.b. (2001) |
| Imports - commodities | capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals and metal products, foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners | France 17.2%, China 9.7%, Hong Kong 6.6%, Iran 6.4%, Mauritius 6.2%, South Africa 5.6% (2004) | EU 68.7% (Netherlands 17.5%, Germany 16.8%, France 13.8%, UK 8.0%), US 7.2% (2001) |
| Independence | 26 June 1960 (from France) | 4 October 1830 a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands; 21 July 1831 the ascension of King Leopold I to the throne |
| Industrial production growth rate | 3% (2000 est.) | 4.5% (2000 est.) |
| Industries | meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism | engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 76.83 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 85.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 68.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
4.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 7.5% (2004 est.) | 1.7% (2002 est.) |
| International organization participation | ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 61 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | 10,900 sq km (2000 est.) | 40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.) |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle | Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the monarch, although selected by the Government) |
| Labor force | 7.3 million (2000) | 4.44 million (2001) |
| Labor force - by occupation | - | services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.) |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1,385 km
border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km |
| Land use | arable land: 5.07%
permanent crops: 1.03% other: 93.91% (2001) |
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0% other: 75% note: includes Luxembourg (1998 est.) |
| Languages | French (official), Malagasy (official) | Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) |
| Legal system | based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
| Legislative branch | bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats; members are directly 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 whose members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the seats appointed by the president; 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 Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held in NA 2003) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - VLD 15.4%, CVP 14.7%, PRL 10.6%, PS 9.7%, VB 9.4%, SP 8.9%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.1%, PSC 6.0%, VU 5.1%; seats by party - VLD 11, CVP 10, PS 10, PRL 9, VB 6, SP 6, ECOLO 6, AGALEV 5, PSC 5, VU 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD 14.3%, CVP 14.1%, PS 10.2%, PRL 10.1%, VB 9.9%, SP 9.5%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.0%, PSC 5.9%, VU 5.6%; seats by party - VLD 23, CVP 22, PS 19, PRL 18, VB 15, SP 14, ECOLO 11, PSC 10, AGALEV 9, VU 8, FN 1 note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other acronyms of the listed parties see the Political parties and leaders entry |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 56.95 years
male: 54.57 years female: 59.4 years (2005 est.) |
total population: 78.13 years
male: 74.8 years female: 81.62 years (2002 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
total population: 98% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Location | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique | Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands |
| Map references | Africa | Europe |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath |
continental shelf: median line with neighbors
exclusive fishing zone: median line with neighbors (extends about 68 km from coast) territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Merchant marine | total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT
by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2 registered in other countries: 1 (2005) |
total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,362 GRT/54,058 DWT
ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 9, petroleum tanker 5, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Finland 1, Netherlands 3 (2002 est.) |
| Military branches | People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval (Navy and Air) Force; National Gendarmerie | Army, Navy, Air Components, Federal Police |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $44.6 million (2004) | $3,076.5 million (FY01/02) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.2% (2004) | 1.4% (FY01/02) |
| Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 2,508,557 (2002 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 2,070,016 (2002 est.) |
| Military manpower - military age | - | 19 years of age (2002 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 63,247 (2002 est.) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 26 June (1960) | Independence Day, 21 July (1831) |
| Nationality | noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy |
noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian |
| Natural hazards | periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation | flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes |
| Natural resources | graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower | coal, natural gas |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Pipelines | - | crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas 3,300 km |
| Political parties and leaders | Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot RAJAONARIVO]; 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] | AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [Jos GEYSELS]; Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Stefaan DE CLERCK, president]; note - used to be the Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP; ECOLO (Francophone Greens) [no president; led by three person federal secretariat]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Karel DE GUCHT, president]; Francophone Christian Democrats or PSC (Social Christian Party) [Joelle MILQUET, president]; Francophone Liberal Reformation Party or PRL [Daniel DUCARME, president]; Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO, president]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Geert BOURGEOIS]; note - new party that emerged after the demise of the People's Union or VU; Social Progressive Alternative Party or SP.A [Patrick JANSSENS, president]; note - was Flemish Socialist Party or SP; Spirit [Annemie VAN DE CASTEELE]; note - new party that emerged after the demise of the People's Union or VU; Vlaams Blok or VB [Frank VANHECKE]; other minor parties |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM | Christian and Socialist Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants |
| Population | 18,040,341 (July 2005 est.) | 10,274,595 (July 2002 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 50% (2004 est.) | 4% |
| Population growth rate | 3.03% (2005 est.) | 0.15% (2002 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara | Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001) | FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Radios | - | 8.075 million (1997) |
| Railways | total: 732 km
narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2004) |
total: 3,422 km
standard gauge: 3,422 km 1.435-m gauge (2,517 km electrified; 2,563 km double-tracked) (2001) |
| Religions | indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7% | Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% |
| 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: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 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: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) |
general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 59,600 (2003) | 4.769 million (1997) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 279,500 (2003) | 974,494 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001) | 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) |
| Terrain | narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center | flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast |
| Total fertility rate | 5.66 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 1.61 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | - | 7.2% (2002 est.) |
| Waterways | 600 km (2004) | 1,570 km (route length in regular commercial use) (2001) |
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