Madagascar: Fact file
Updated March 2010
| Name | Republic of Madagascar |
| Area | 587 041 sq km |
| Capital | Antananarivo |
| Major cities | Toamasina, Antsirabé, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toliary, Antsiranana (Frame 2008, 689) |
| Boundaries | Indian Ocean (island) |
| Population | 18.6 million, 2007 (UNDP 2009) |
| Natural pop growth | 2.7%, 2005-2010 (UNDP 2009) |
| Urbanisation | 23.6%, 1990 (UNDP 2009) |
| Life expectancy | Female 61.5 yrs, male 58.3 yrs; 2007 (UNDP 2009) |
| Infant mortality | 65/1000, 2005-2010 (UN Statistics Division 2010a) |
| HIV/AIDS prevalence | 15-49 yrs: 0.14%; 2007 est (Madagascar 2008, 4) |
| Adult literacy rate | Female 65.3%, male 76.5%; 2007 (UNDP 2009) |
| Military expenditure | 1.1% of GDP; 2005 (UN Statistics Division 2010b) |
| Health expenditure | 3.2% of GDP; 2005 (UN Statistics Division 2010c) |
| 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 2008) |
| GDP per capita | $257, 2008 (IMF 2009, 65) |
| GDP growth rate | 7.1%, 2008 (IMF 2009, 62) |
| Main exports | Vanilla, shellfish, coffee (Frame 2008, 692) |
| Currency | 100 centimes = 1 ariary |
| Unemployment | 50%, 2004 (SARUA 2008) |
| Inflation rate | 9.2%, 2008 (IMF 2009, 66) |
| External debt ratio | 23.8% of GDP, 2008 (IMF 2009, 84) |
| 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 ±50% (half Catholic and half Protestant), Muslims 10-15%%, remained mainly Malagasy Traditional religion (US Department of State 2009) |
References
FRAME, I 2008 (ed) Africa South of the Sahara 2008, Routledge.
IMF 2008 World Economic Outlook Database, April 2008, [www] http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2008/01/weodata/index.aspx [opens new window] (accessed 17 Mar 2010).
IMF 2009 Regional Economic Outlook: Sub-Saharan Africa, October, [www] http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/reo/2009/AFR/eng/sreo1009.pdf, [PDF document, opens new window] (accessed 17 Mar 2010).
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 17 Mar 2010).
MADAGASCAR CONSULATE GENERAL CAPE TOWN UNDATED, "Infrastructure: sectors of opportunity", http://www.madagascarconsulate.org.za/infrastructure.html [opens new window] (accessed 17 Mar 2010).
NATIONMASTER UNDATED "Legal system (most recent) by country", [www] http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/gov_leg_sys-government-legal-system [opens new window] (accessed 17 Mar 2010).
SADC 2007 "Madagascar" IN Country Profiles, 131, [www] http://www.sadcreview.com/pdfs07/madagascar2007_08.pdf [PDF document, opens new window] (accessed 17 Mar 2010).
SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGIONAL UNIVERSITY ASSOCIATION (SARUA) 2008 "Madagascar" [www] http://www.sarua.org/?q=Madagascar [opens new window] (accessed 17 Mar 2010).
UNDP 2009 "Madagascar HDI Rank - 145", IN Human Development Report 2009, [www] http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/data_sheets/cty_ds_MDG.html [opens new window] (accessed 17 Mar 2010).
UN STATISTICS DIVISION 2010a "Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 births)" IN UNdata, [www] http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?q=MExico&d=PopDiv&f=variableID%3A77%3BcrID%3A484 [opens new window] (accessed 17 Mar 2010).
UN STATISTICS DIVISION 2010b "Military expenditure (% of GDP)" IN UNdata, [www] http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?q=GDP&d=WDI&f=Indicator_Code%3AMS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS [opens new window] (accessed 17 Mar 2010).
UN STATISTICS DIVISION 2010c "Total expenditure on health as percentage of gross domestic product" IN UNdata, [www] http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?q=Gross+domestic+product&d=WHO&f=inID%3AHSR20 [opens new window] (accessed 17 Mar 2010).
US DEPARTMENT OF STATE 2009 "Madagascar" IN International Religious Freedom Report 2009, [www] http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127241.htm [opens new window] (accessed 17 Mar 2010).
