Saint Pierre and Miquelon (2002) | Madagascar (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territorial collectivity of France); note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at the second order | 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 904; female 864)
15-64 years: 64.4% (male 2,288; female 2,193) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 303; female 402) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 44.9% (male 3,935,523; female 3,922,077)
15-64 years: 52% (male 4,509,877; female 4,596,662) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 245,168; female 292,564) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish | coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products |
Airports | 2 (2001) | 116 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
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.) |
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.) |
Area | total: 242 sq km
land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups |
total: 587,040 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than twice the size of Arizona |
Background | First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions. | 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. |
Birth rate | 14.96 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 41.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million |
revenues: $739.6 million
expenditures: $1.071 billion, including capital expenditures of $331 million (2003) |
Capital | Saint-Pierre | Antananarivo |
Climate | cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy | tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south |
Coastline | 120 km | 4,828 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | 19 August 1992 by national referendum |
Country name | conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon |
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form: Madagascar local long form: Republique de Madagascar local short form: Madagascar former: Malagasy Republic |
Currency | euro (EUR); French franc (FRF) | Malagasy franc (MGF) |
Death rate | 6.61 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 11.62 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $4.6 billion (2002) |
Dependency status | self-governing territorial collectivity of France | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territorial collectivity of France) | 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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territorial collectivity of France) | 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 |
Disputes - international | none | claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France) |
Economic aid - recipient | approximately $60 million in annual grants from France | $354 million (2001) |
Economy - overview | The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of what France had sought. The islands are heavily subsidized by France to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector. | 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 four-fifths 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 38.13 million kWh (2000) | 772.1 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 41 million kWh (2000) | 830.2 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m |
Environment - current issues | recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment | 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 |
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 |
Ethnic groups | Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) | Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 1.06594 (January 2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997) | Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,210 (2003), 6,831.96 (2002), 6,588.49 (2001), 6,767.48 (2000), 6,283.77 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Claude VALLEIX (since 9 October 2002)
head of government: President of the General Council Marc PLANTAGENEST (since NA) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held, first round - 21 April 2002, second round - 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the General Council is elected by the members of the council |
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 election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 37.7%, Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 50.5% |
Exports | $12 million f.o.b. (1999) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts | coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products |
Exports - partners | US 43%, Egypt 14%, Japan 11%, Colombia 8% (1999) | France 37.4%, US 29.2%, Germany 5.5%, Mauritius 5.2% (2003) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue background with a black wave line under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the square into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one on top of the other; the flag of France is used for official occasions | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $74 million (1996 est.); supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million (1996 est.) | purchasing power parity - $13.02 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 34.5%
industry: 7.8% services: 57.7% (2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1996 est.) | purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 6% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 46 50 N, 56 20 W | 20 00 S, 47 00 E |
Geography - note | vegetation scanty | world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel |
Highways | total: 114 km
paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km (1994 est.) |
total: 49,827 km
paved: 5,780 km unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29% (1999) |
Illicit drugs | - | illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin |
Imports | $55 million f.o.b. (1999) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials | capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food |
Imports - partners | France 44%, Canada 40% (1999) | China 14.2%, France 13.2%, South Africa 6.4%, Iran 6.2% (2003) |
Independence | none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763) | 26 June 1960 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 3% (2000 est.) |
Industries | fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism | meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 8.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 78.52 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 86.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 69.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.1% (1991-96 average) | 8% (2003 est.) |
International organization participation | FZ, WFTU | 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 |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 10,900 sq km (2000 est.) |
Judicial branch | Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle |
Labor force | 3,000 (1997) (1997) | 7.3 million (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | fishing 18%, industry (mainly fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 13.04%
permanent crops: 0% other: 86.96% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 5.07%
permanent crops: 1.03% other: 93.91% (2001) |
Languages | French (official) | French (official), Malagasy (official) |
Legal system | French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation | based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats - 15 from Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: elections last held 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held NA April 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PS 12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5 note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UDF 1 |
bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); Senate (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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 77.93 years
male: 75.66 years female: 80.32 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 56.54 years
male: 54.19 years female: 58.96 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 68.9% male: 75.5% female: 62.5% (2003 est.) |
Location | Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada) | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique |
Map references | North America | Africa |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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 |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT
by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | - |
Military branches | - | People's Armed Forces: comprising Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval - Navy and Air - Force; National Gendarmerie |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $69.8 million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.2% (2003) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 4,004,242 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 2,373,342 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 169,186 (2004 est.) |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Independence Day, 26 June (1960) |
Nationality | noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy |
Natural hazards | persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard | periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation |
Natural resources | fish, deepwater ports | graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower |
Net migration rate | -4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | PRG [leader NA]; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR [leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA] | 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] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | 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 | 6,954 (July 2002 est.) | 17,501,871 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 71% (1999 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.35% (2002 est.) | 3.03% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Saint Pierre | Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001) |
Radios | 4,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | total: 732 km
narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2003) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 99% | indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite 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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 4,000 (1997) | 59,600 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1994) | 279,500 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997) | 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001) |
Terrain | mostly barren rock | narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center |
Total fertility rate | 2.1 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 5.7 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 9.8% (1997) (1997) | 5.9% (1998) |
Waterways | none | 600 km (2004) |