Country

• Formal Country Name: Repoblikan'I Madagasikara (English - Republic of Madagascar; French - Republique de Madagascar)
• Short Country Name: Madagasikara (English/French - Madagascar)
• Capital: Antananarivo (English/French - Tananarive)
• Date of Independence: June 26, 1960 (from being a French colony)
• Government Type: Republic
• Government: Constitution approved August 19, 1992 by national referendum and mandates the separation of powers among executive, legislative, and judicial branches; multiparty political system; and protection of human rights and freedom of speech. President elected by universal suffrage for five-year period with two-term limit. Prime minister nominated by bicameral parliament composed of Senate and National Assembly, and approved by president. Supreme Court has eleven members and forms apex of other judicial bodies. Local government consists of twenty-eight regions with decentralized powers in economic field.

Geography

• Total Area: 587,040.00 sq km (226,657.41 sq mi)
• Topography: East coast has lowlands leading to steep bluffs and central highlands; Tsaratanana Massif in north with volcanic mountains; west coast with many protected harbors and broad plains; southwest with plateau and desert region.
• Climate: Two seasons: hot, rainy from November to April; cooler, dry season from May to October; southeastern trade winds dominate; occasional cyclones.

People

• Population: 1994 estimate 13,427,758; 2001 estimate 15,982,563; 2050 estimate 65,460,246.
• Languages: French (official); Malagasy (official).
• Literacy: 1990 estimate 80.0% total, 88.0% male, 73% female.
• Ethnic Groups: Approximately twenty ethnic groups of mixed Arab, African, and MalayoIndonesian ancestry. Other groups are Comorans, French, IndoPakistanis, and Chinese.
• Religions: Indigenous beliefs 52-55%; Christian (Roman Catholics and Protestants) 40-41%; Muslim 5-7%.
• Life Expectancy: 2001 estimate 53.08 male, 57.68 female.
• Health: 1990 estimate 35% of population lacked adequate access to health services; 1991 estimate infant mortality 114 per 1,000; major diseases include malaria, schistosomiasis, tuberculosis, and leprosy as well as sexually transmitted diseases.

Above information adapted from:

• Metz, H.C.M. 1994. Madagascar: Country Studies. Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/mgtoc.html
• Holt, Rinehart and Winston. 2002. World Atlas Online - Madagascar. MapQuest.com http://go.hrw.com/atlas/span_htm/madagasc.htm