Madagascar (2005) | Brunei (2006) | |
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Administrative divisions | 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara | 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong |
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: 28.1% (male 54,411/female 52,134)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 138,129/female 123,017) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,584/female 6,169) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products | rice, vegetables, fruits; chickens, water buffalo, eggs |
Airports | 116 (2004 est.) | 2 (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 (2004 est.) |
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) |
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: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) |
Area | total: 587,040 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 sq km |
total: 5,770 sq km
land: 5,270 sq km water: 500 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of Arizona | slightly smaller than Delaware |
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. | The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the developing world. |
Birth rate | 41.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 18.79 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $783.7 million
expenditures: $1.079 billion, including capital expenditures of $331 million (2004 est.) |
revenues: $3.765 billion
expenditures: $4.815 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004 est.) |
Capital | Antananarivo | name: Bandar Seri Begawan
geographic coordinates: 4 52 S, 114 55 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south | tropical; hot, humid, rainy |
Coastline | 4,828 km | 161 km |
Constitution | 19 August 1992 by national referendum | 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984) |
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: Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam local short form: Brunei |
Death rate | 11.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 3.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | $4.6 billion (2002) | $0 $NA |
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 Emil SKODON
embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan, BS8811 mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507; P.O. Box 2991, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8675, Negara Brunei Darussalam telephone: [673] 222-0384 FAX: [673] 222-5293 |
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 Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH
chancery: 3520 International Court NW #300, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838 FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560 |
Disputes - international | claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France) | in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in their disputed offshore and deepwater seabeds and negotiations have stalemated prompting consideration of international legal adjudication; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute; Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa Reef in southern Spratly Islands in 1984 but makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants |
Economic aid - recipient | $354 million (2001) | $770,000 (2004) |
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 small, well-to-do economy encompasses a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for nearly half of GDP and more than 90% of government revenues. Per capita GDP is far above most other Third World countries, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and free education through the university level and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion, although it became a more prominent player by serving as chairman for the 2000 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Plans for the future include upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas. |
Electricity - consumption | 781.4 million kWh (2002) | 2.726 billion kWh (2004) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2004) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2004) |
Electricity - production | 840.2 million kWh (2002) | 2.906 billion kWh (2004) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m |
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 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 | seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia |
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: Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran | Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12% |
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) | Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (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 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: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the succession to the throne if the need arises elections: none; the monarch is hereditary |
Exports | NA | 192,700 bbl/day (2005) |
Exports - commodities | coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products | crude oil, natural gas, refined products |
Exports - partners | US 35.8%, France 30.8%, Germany 7.7% (2004) | Japan 36.8%, Indonesia 19.3%, South Korea 12.7%, US 9.5%, Australia 9.3% (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 | yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 29.3%
industry: 16.7% services: 54% (2004 est.) |
agriculture: 3.6%
industry: 56.1% services: 40.3% (2004 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.5% (2004 est.) | 1.7% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 20 00 S, 47 00 E | 4 30 N, 114 40 E |
Geography - note | world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel | close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost an enclave within Malaysia |
Heliports | - | 3 (2006) |
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 | drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty |
Imports | NA | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals |
Imports - partners | France 17.2%, China 9.7%, Hong Kong 6.6%, Iran 6.4%, Mauritius 6.2%, South Africa 5.6% (2004) | Singapore 32.7%, Malaysia 23.3%, Japan 6.9%, UK 5.3%, Thailand 4.5%, South Korea 4.1% (2005) |
Independence | 26 June 1960 (from France) | 1 January 1984 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3% (2000 est.) | 7.3% (2003 est.) |
Industries | meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism | petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction |
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.) |
total: 12.25 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 7.5% (2004 est.) | 0.9% (2004) |
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 | APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, C, EAS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Irrigated land | 10,900 sq km (2000 est.) | 10 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle | Supreme Court - chief justice and judges are sworn in by monarch for three-year terms; Judicial Committee of Privy Council in London is final court of appeal for civil cases; Shariah courts deal with Islamic laws (2006) |
Labor force | 7.3 million (2000) | 146,300
note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary residents make up about 40% of labor force (2003 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture: 2.9%
industry: 61.1% services: 36% (2003 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 381 km
border countries: Malaysia 381 km |
Land use | arable land: 5.07%
permanent crops: 1.03% other: 93.91% (2001) |
arable land: 2.08%
permanent crops: 0.87% other: 97.05% (2005) |
Languages | French (official), Malagasy (official) | Malay (official), English, Chinese |
Legal system | based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas |
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 |
Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members; Sultan dissolved council on 1 September 2005 and appointed a new council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005
elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 56.95 years
male: 54.57 years female: 59.4 years (2005 est.) |
total population: 75.01 years
male: 72.57 years female: 77.59 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
total population: 93.9% male: 96.3% female: 91.4% (2002) |
Location | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique | Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia |
Map references | Africa | Southeast Asia |
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 |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line |
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: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT
by type: liquefied gas 8 foreign-owned: 8 (UK 8) (2006) |
Military branches | People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval (Navy and Air) Force; National Gendarmerie | Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei) (2005) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $44.6 million (2004) | $290.7 million (2003 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.2% (2004) | 5.1% (2003 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 26 June (1960) | National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of independence from British protection |
Nationality | noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy |
noun: Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian |
Natural hazards | periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation | typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare |
Natural resources | graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower | petroleum, natural gas, timber |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 672 km; oil 463 km (2006) |
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] | Brunei Solidarity National Party (PPKB) [Haji Mohd HATTA bin Haji Zainal Abidin]; National Development Party (NDP) [YASSIN Affendi]; People's Awareness Party (PAKAR) [Awang Haji MAIDIN bin Haji Ahmad]
note: parties are small and have limited activity (2005) |
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 | NA |
Population | 18,040,341 (July 2005 est.) | 379,444 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 50% (2004 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 3.03% (2005 est.) | 1.87% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001) | AM 1, FM 2 (transmitting on 18 different frequencies), shortwave 0
note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) station transmits two FM signals with English and Nepali service (2006) |
Railways | total: 732 km
narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2004) |
- |
Religions | indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7% | Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs and other 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: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | none |
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: service throughout the country is excellent; international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and the US
domestic: every service available international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2001) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 59,600 (2003) | 90,000 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 279,500 (2003) | 205,900 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001) | 4; note - including two UHF stations broadcasting a subscription service (2006) |
Terrain | narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center | flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west |
Total fertility rate | 5.66 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 2.28 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 4.8% (2004) |
Waterways | 600 km (2004) | 209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2005) |