Madagascar: Fact file
Updated May 2008
| Name | Republic of Madagascar |
| Area | 587 041 sq km (Frame 2008, 689) |
| Capital | Antananarivo |
| Major cities | Toamasina, Antsirabé, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toliary, Antsiranana (Frame 2008, 689) |
| Boundaries | Indian Ocean (island) |
| Population | 18.6 million, 2005 (UNDP 2007/8) |
| Pop growth rate | 2.6%, 2005-2015 (UNDP 2007/8) |
| Urbanisation | 26.8%, 2005 (UNDP 2007/8) |
| Life expectancy | Female 60.1 yrs, male 56.7 yrs; 2005 (UNDP 2007/8) |
| Infant mortality | 74/1000, 2005 (UNDP 2007/8) |
| HIV/AIDS prevalence | 0.14%, adults; 2007 est (Madagascar 2008, 4) |
| Adult literacy rate | Female 65.3%, male 76.5%; 2005 (UNDP 2007/8) |
| Military expenditure | 1.1% of GDP; 2005 (UNDP 2007/8) |
| Health expenditure | 1.8% of GDP; 2004 (UNDP 2007/8) |
| Legal system | French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law (NationMaster undated) |
| Independence | June 26, 1960, from France |
| GDP | $7.322 billion, 2007 est (IMF 2008a) |
| GDP per capita | $431.43, 2007 est (IMF 2008a) |
| GDP growth rate | 6.3%, 2007 est (IMF 2008a) |
| Main exports | Vanilla, shellfish, coffee (Frame 2008, 692) |
| Currency | 100 centimes = 1 ariary |
| Unemployment | 4.5%, 2002 (Tiscali 2008) |
| Inflation rate | 10.3%, 2007 est (IMF 2008a) |
| External debt ratio | 26.7% of GDP, 2007 (IMF 2008b) |
| Roads | 25 500 km, 5 500 tarred (Madagascar Consulate General Undated) |
| Rail | 870km (Madagascar Consulate General Undated) |
| Airports | 51, 29 paved (SADC 2007) |
| Ethnic groups | The major ethnic fault line runs between the people of highland orgin (Merina, Betsileo) and the people of coastal origin (côtiers - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety & Antandroy) (Frame 2008, 675) |
| Languages | Official: French, English; National: Malagasy |
| Religion | Christian 49.5% (half Catholic and half Protestant), traditional religions 48.0%, Muslims 2.0% (Religious Freedom 2001) |
References
FRAME, I 2008 (ed) Africa South of the Sahara 2008, Routledge.
IMF 2008a World Economic Outlook Database, April 2008, [www] http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2008/01/weodata/index.aspx [opens new window] (accessed 21 Apr 2008).
IMF 2008b Regional Economic Outlook: Sub-Saharan Africa, 118, [www] http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/reo/2007/AFR/ENG/sreo0407.pdf, [PDF document, opens new window] (accessed 22 Apr 2008).
MADAGASCAR 2008 "Rapport de situation national a l'intention de l'UNGASS Madagascar" IN 2008 progress reports submitted by countries, UNAIDS, [www] http://data.unaids.org/pub/Report/2008/madagascar_2008_country_progress_report_fr.pdf [PDF document, opens in window] (accessed 5 May 2008).
MADAGASCAR CONSULATE GENERAL CAPE TOWN UNDATED, "Infrastructure: sectors of opportunity", http://www.madagascarconsulate.org.za/infrastructure.html [opens new window] (accessed 23 Apr 2008).
NATIONMASTER UNDATED "Legal system (most recent) by country", [www] http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/gov_leg_sys-government-legal-system [opens new window] (accessed 23 Apr 2008).
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 2001 "Nation profile: Madagascar", [www] http://religiousfreedom.lib.virginia.edu/nationprofiles/Madagascar/rbodies.html [opens new window] (accessed 23 Apr 2008).
SADC 2007 "Madagascar" IN Country Profiles, 131, [www] http://www.sadcreview.com/pdfs07/madagascar2007_08.pdf [PDF document, opens new window] (accessed 23 Apr 2008).
TISCALI 2008 "Madagascar" IN Encyclopedia, [www] http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/countryfacts/madagascar.html [opens new window] (accessed 23 Apr 2008).
UNDP 2007/8 "Madagascar", IN Human Development Report 2007/8, [www] http://hdrstats.undp.org/countries/data_sheets/cty_ds_MDG.html [opens new window] (accessed 23 Apr 2008).
