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Compare Madagascar (2007) - European Union (2006)

Compare Madagascar (2007) z European Union (2006)

 Madagascar (2007)European Union (2006)
 MadagascarEuropean Union
Administrative divisions 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara -
Age structure 0-14 years: 43.9% (male 4,297,985/female 4,243,369)


15-64 years: 53% (male 5,117,874/female 5,190,032)


65 years and over: 3.1% (male 270,411/female 329,144) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 16.03% (male 37,608,010/female 35,632,351)


15-64 years: 67.17% (male 154,439,536/female 152,479,619)


65 years and over: 16.81% (male 31,515,921/female 45,277,821) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes; dairy products, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry; fish
Airports 104 (2007) 3,115 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 27


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 17


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
1,863 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 77


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 41


under 914 m: 34 (2007)
1,252 (2006)
Area total: 587,040 sq km


land: 581,540 sq km


water: 5,500 sq km
total: 3,976,372 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of Arizona less than one-half the size of the US
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. Following the two devastating World Wars of the first half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris.

The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other parts of the countries' economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years since.

In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU, raising the membership total to 15.

A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002, citizens of the 12 euro-area countries began using the euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - bringing the current membership to 25. In order to ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an expanded membership, the 2003 Treaty of Nice set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions. An EU Constitutional Treaty, signed in Rome on 29 October 2004, gave member states two years to ratify the document before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006. Referenda held in France and the Netherlands in May-June 2005 rejected the proposed constitution. This development suspended the ratification effort and left the longer-term political integration of the EU in limbo.
Birth rate 38.6 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 10 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $863.3 million


expenditures: $1.132 billion (2006 est.)
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Capital name: Antananarivo


geographic coordinates: 18 55 S, 47 31 E


time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Brussels (Belgium)


geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October


note: the Council of the European Union meets in Brussels, the European Parliament meets in Strasbourg, France, and the Court of Justice of the European Communities meets in Luxembourg
Climate tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south
Coastline 4,828 km 65,413.9 km
Constitution 19 August 1992 by national referendum based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris, which set up the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951; the Treaties of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957; the Single European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht) in 1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the Treaty of Nice in 2001; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty, signed on 29 October 2004 in Rome, gave member states two years for ratification either by parliamentary vote or national referendum before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006; defeat in French and Dutch referenda in May-June 2005 caused a suspension of the ratification process
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar


conventional short form: Madagascar


local long form: Republique de Madagascar/Repoblikan'i Madagasikara


local short form: Madagascar/Madagasikara


former: Malagasy Republic
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Death rate 8.51 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 10.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $4.6 billion (2002) -
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador James D. McGEE


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 C. Boyden GRAY


embassy: 13 Zinnerstraat/Rue Zinner, B-1000 Brussels


mailing address: same as above


telephone: [32] (2) 508-2222


FAX: [32] (2) 512-5720
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Jocelyn Bertin RADIFERA


chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526


FAX: [1] (202) 265-3034


consulate(s) general: New York
chief of mission: Ambassador John BRUTON


chancery: 2300 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037


telephone: [1] (202) 862-9500


FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766
Disputes - international claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France) as a political union, the EU has no border disputes with neighboring countries, but Estonia and Latvia have no land boundary agreements with Russia, Slovenia disputes its land and maritime boundaries with Croatia, and Spain has territorial and maritime disputes with Morocco; the EU has set up a Schengen area - consisting of 13 EU member states that have signed the convention implementing the Schengen agreements (1985 and 1990) on the free movement of persons and the harmonization of border controls in Europe; the Schengen agreements ("acquis") became incorporated into EU law with the implementation of the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam on 1 May 1999; member states are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden; in addition, non-EU states Iceland and Norway (as part of the Nordic Union) have been included in the Schengen area since 1996 (full members in 2001), bringing the total current membership to 15; the UK (since 2000) and Ireland (since 2002) take part in some aspects of the Schengen area, especially with respect to police and criminal matters; the 10 new member states that joined the EU in 2004 eventually are expected to participate in Schengen, following a transition period to upgrade their border controls and procedures
Economic aid - recipient $929.2 million (2005) -
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 placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years. Domestically, the European Union attempts to lower trade barriers, adopt a common currency, and move toward convergence of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster Europe's trade position and its political and economic power. Because of the great differences in per capita income (from $15,000 to $56,000) and historic national animosities, the European Community faces difficulties in devising and enforcing common policies. For example, since 2003 Germany and France have flouted the member states' treaty obligation to prevent their national budgets from running more than a 3% deficit. In 2004, the EU admitted 10 central and eastern European countries that are, in general, less advanced technologically and economically than the other 15. Twelve EU member states introduced the euro as their common currency on 1 January 1999, but the UK, Sweden, and Denmark do not participate. The 10 new member states may choose to adopt the euro when they meet the EU's fiscal and monetary criteria and the other euro states so agree.
Electricity - consumption 973.2 million kWh (2005) 2.711 trillion kWh (2002 est.)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 282.6 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 281.2 billion kWh (2002 est.)
Electricity - production 1.046 billion kWh (2005) 2.925 trillion kWh (2002 est.)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m; Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands -7 m


highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m; note - situated on the border between France and Italy
Environment - current issues soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna unique to the island NA
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, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 82, Tropical Timber 94


signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds
Ethnic groups Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran -
Exchange rates Malagasy ariary per US dollar - 2,161.4 (2006), 2,003 (2005), 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003), 1,366.4 (2002) euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Executive branch chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Charles RABEMANANJARA (25 January 2007)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: percent of vote - Marc RAVALOMANANA 54.8%, Jean LAHINIRIKO 11.7%, Roland RATSIRAKA 10.1%, Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO 9.1%, Norbert RATSIRAHONANA 4.2%, Ny Hasina ANDRIAMANJATO 4.2%, Elia RAVELOMANANTSOA 2.6%, Pety RAKOTONIAINA 1.7%, other 1.6%
chief of union: President of the European Commission Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO (since 22 November 2004)


cabinet: European Commission (composed of 25 members, one from each member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy areas)


elections: the president of the European Commission is designated by member governments; the president-designate then chooses the other Commission members; the European Parliament confirms the entire Commission for a five-year term; election last held 18 November 2004 (next to be held 2009)


election results: European Parliament approved the European Commission by an approval vote of 449 to 149 with 82 abstentions


note: the European Council brings together heads of state and government and the president of the European Commission and meets at least twice a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the major political issues relating to European integration and to issue general policy guidelines
Exports NA bbl/day 5.322 million bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products machinery, motor vehicles, aircraft, plastics, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, fuels, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, wood pulp and paper products, textiles, meat, dairy products, fish, alcoholic beverages.
Exports - partners France 32.1%, US 25.3%, Germany 6.1%, Italy 5.1%, UK 4.1% (2006) US 24.2%, Switzerland 7.7%, China 5%, Russia 4.7% (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year NA
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side on a blue field, 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged in a circle, representing the union of the peoples of Europe; the number of stars is fixed
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 28.2%


industry: 16.3%


services: 55.5% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 2.2%


industry: 27.3%


services: 70.5% (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.7% (2006 est.) 1.7% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 20 00 S, 47 00 E -
Geography - note world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel -
Heliports - 93 (2006)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 1.9%


highest 10%: 36.6% (2001)
lowest 10%: 2.8%


highest 10%: 25.5% (1995 est.)
Illicit drugs illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin -
Imports NA bbl/day 15.69 million bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food machinery, vehicles, aircraft, plastics, crude oil, chemicals, textiles, metals, foodstuffs, clothing
Imports - partners France 13.9%, China 12%, Iran 9.3%, Mauritius 5.6%, Hong Kong 4.8% (2006) US 15.3%, China 12.4%, Russia 7.8%, Japan 7.2% (2004)
Independence 26 June 1960 (from France) 7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the EU); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force)
Industrial production growth rate 3% (2000 est.) 1.3% (2005 est.)
Industries meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism among the world's largest and most technologically advanced, the European Union industrial base includes: ferrous and non-ferrous metal production and processing, metal products, petroleum, coal, cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, rail transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, construction equipment, industrial equipment, shipbuilding, electrical power equipment, machine tools and automated manufacturing systems, electronics and telecommunications equipment, fishing, food and beverage processing, furniture, paper, textiles, tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 57.02 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 62.09 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 51.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 10.8% (2006 est.) 2.2% (2005 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO European Union: ASEAN (dialogue member), ARF (dialogue member), IDA, OAS (observer), UN (observer), WTO


European Commission: Australian Group, CBSS, CERN, FAO, EBRD, G-10, NSG (observer), OECD, UNRWA, ZC (observer)


European Central Bank: BIS


European Investment Bank: EBRD, WADB (nonregional member)
Irrigated land 10,860 sq km (2003) 131,250 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle Court of Justice of the European Communities (ensures that the treaties are interpreted and applied correctly) - 25 justices (one from each member state) appointed for a six-year term; note - for the sake of efficiency, the court can sit with 11 justices known as the "Grand Chamber"; Court of First Instance - 25 justices appointed for a six-year term
Labor force 7.3 million (2000) 218.5 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture: 4.4%


industry: 27.2%


services: 67.2%


note: the remainder is in miscellaneous public and private sector industries and services (2005 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 11,214.8 km


border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein 34.9 km, Macedonia 246 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Romania 443 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia 151 km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 206 km, Ukraine 726 km


note: data for European Continent only
Land use arable land: 5.03%


permanent crops: 1.02%


other: 93.95% (2005)
arable land: NA


permanent crops: NA


other: NA
Languages English (official), French (official), Malagasy (official) Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish; note - only official languages are listed; Irish (Gaelic) will become the 21st language on 1 January 2007
Legal system based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations -
Legislative branch bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (127 seats - reduced from 160 seats by an April 2007 national referendum; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a Senate or Senat (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies; the remaining one-third of seats appointed by the president; to serve four-year terms)


elections: National Assembly - last held 23 September 2007 (next to be held in 2011)


election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TIM 106, LEADER/Fanilo 1, independents 20
Council of the European Union (25 member-state ministers having 321 votes; the number of votes is roughly proportional to member-states' population); note - the Council is the main decision-making body of the EU; European Parliament (732 seats; seats allocated among member states by proportion to population); members elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term


elections: last held 10-13 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - EPP-ED 268, PES 202, ALDE 88, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 36, UEN 27, independents 28
Life expectancy at birth total population: 62.14 years


male: 60.23 years


female: 64.1 years (2007 est.)
total population: 78.3 years


male: 75.1 years


female: 81.6 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.)
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Location Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique Europe between Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, southeastern Europe, and the North Atlantic Ocean
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
NA
Merchant marine total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,896 GRT/18,466 DWT


by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2 (2007)
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Military - note - In November 2004, the European Union heads of government signed a "Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe" that offers possibilities - with some limits - for increased defense and security cooperation. If ratified, in a process that may take some two years, this treaty will in effect make operational the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) approved in the 2000 Nice Treaty. Despite limits of cooperation for some EU members, development of a European military planning unit is likely to continue. So is creation of a rapid-reaction military force and a humanitarian aid system, which the planning unit will support. France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy continue to press for wider coordination. The five-nation Eurocorps - created in 1992 by France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg - has already deployed troops and police on peacekeeping missions to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo and assumed command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan in August 2004. Eurocorps directly commands the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade, the Multinational Command Support Brigade, and EUFOR, which took over from SFOR in Bosnia in December 2004. Other troop contributions are under national command - commitments to provide 67,100 troops were made at the Helsinki EU session in 2000. Some 56,000 EU troops were actually deployed in 2003. In August 2004, the new European Defense Agency, tasked with promoting cooperative European defense capabilities, began operations. In November 2004, the EU Council of Ministers formally committed to creating thirteen 1,500-man "battle groups" by the end of 2007, to respond to international crises on a rotating basis. Twenty-two of the EU's 25 nations have agreed to supply troops. France, Italy, and the UK are to form the first three battle groups in 2005, with Spain to follow. In May 2005, Norway, Sweden, and Finland agreed to establish one of the battle groups, possibly to include Estonian forces. The remaining groups are to be formed by 2007.
(2005)
Military branches People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1% (2006) -
National holiday Independence Day, 26 June (1960) Europe Day 9 May (1950); note - a Union-wide holiday, the day that Robert SCHUMAN proposed the creation of an organized Europe
Nationality noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)


adjective: Malagasy
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Natural hazards periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic
Natural resources graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower iron ore, arable land, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, hydropower, uranium, potash, fish
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Political parties and leaders Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot RAJAONARIVELO]; Democratic Party for Union in Madagascar or PSDUM [Jean LAHINIRIKO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Party or FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON] Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left or EUL/NGL [Francis WURTZ]; European People's Party-European Democrats or EPP-ED [Hans-Gert POETTERING]; Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or ALDE [Graham R. WATSON]; Group of Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA [Monica FRASSONI and Daniel Marc COHN-BENDIT]; Independence/Democracy Group or IND/DEM [Jens-Peter BONDE and Nigel FARAGE]; Socialist Group in the European Parliament or PES [Martin SCHULZ]; Union for Europe of the Nations Group or UEN [Brian CROWLEY and Cristiana MUSCARDINI]
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 -
Population 19,448,815 (July 2007 est.) 456,953,258 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line 50% (2004 est.) see individual country listings
Population growth rate 3.008% (2007 est.) 0.15% (2006 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001) AM 866, FM 13,396, shortwave 73 (1998); note - sum of individual country radio broadcast stations; there is also a European-wide station (Euroradio)
Railways total: 854 km


narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
total: 222,293 km


broad gauge: 28,438 km


standard gauge: 186,405 km


narrow gauge: 7,427 km


other: 23 km (2003)
Religions indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7% Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.013 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.986 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.822 male(s)/female


total population: 0.992 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: NA


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and older: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 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 connect regions


international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
note - see individual country entries of member states
Telephones - main lines in use 129,800 (2006) 238,763,162 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.046 million (2006) 314,644,700 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001) 2,791 (1995); note - does not include repeaters; sum of individual country television broadcast stations; there is also a European-wide station (Eurovision)
Terrain narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast; mountainous in the central and southern areas
Total fertility rate 5.24 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.47 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate - 9.4% (2005 est.)
Waterways 600 km (2006) 53,512 km
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