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Communications

Broadband - fixed subscriptions [time series]

total: 27,211 (2018) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2018 est.)

Broadcast media [time series]

state-owned Radio Nationale Malagasy (RNM) and Television Malagasy (TVM) have an extensive national network reach; privately owned radio and TV broadcasters in cities and major towns; state-run radio dominates in rural areas; relays of 2 international broadcasters are available in Antananarivo (2019)

Internet country code [time series]

.mg

Internet users [time series]

total: 5.45 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 9.8% (2019 est.)

Telecommunication systems [time series]

general assessment: penetration rates below African average; competition among mobile service providers has spurred recent growth in the mobile market and reduced consumer costs; 3G and LTE services available; fiber backbone connects major cities with wireless networks upgraded to LTE; government committed to free WiFi hotspots to ensure universal access; telecom service tax raised to 10%; investment in submarine cable to South Africa and Mauritius; importer of broadcasting and video equipment from China (2020) domestic: less than 1 per 100 for fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity about 41 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 261; landing points for the EASSy, METISS, and LION fiber-optic submarine cable systems connecting to numerous Indian Ocean Islands, South Africa, and Eastern African countries; satellite earth stations - 2 (1 Intelsat - Indian Ocean, 1 Intersputnik - Atlantic Ocean region) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 69,046 (2018) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2018 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total subscriptions: 10,654,710 (2018) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40.57 (2018 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products [time series]

rice, sugar cane, cassava, sweet potatoes, milk, vegetables, bananas, mangoes/guavas, tropical fruit, potatoes

Budget [time series]

revenues: 1.828 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 2.136 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance [time series]

-$35 million (2017 est.) $57 million (2016 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$3.085 billion (2019 est.) $4.107 billion (2018 est.)

Economic overview [time series]

Madagascar is a mostly unregulated economy with many untapped natural resources, but no capital markets, a weak judicial system, poorly enforced contracts, and rampant government corruption. The country faces challenges to improve education, healthcare, and the environment to boost long-term economic growth. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing roughly 80% of the population. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by bushfires, slash-and-burn clearing techniques, and the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are serious concerns to the agriculture dependent economy. After discarding socialist economic policies in the mid-1990s, Madagascar followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization until a 2009 coup d’état led many nations, including the United States, to suspend non-humanitarian aid until a democratically-elected president was inaugurated in 2014. The pre-coup strategy had placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low starting point. Exports of apparel boomed after gaining duty-free access to the US market in 2000 under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA); however, Madagascar's failure to comply with the requirements of the AGOA led to the termination of the country's duty-free access in January 2010, a sharp fall in textile production, a loss of more than 100,000 jobs, and a GDP drop of nearly 11%. Madagascar regained AGOA access in January 2015 and ensuing growth has been slow and fragile. Madagascar produces around 80% of the world’s vanilla and its reliance on this commodity for most of its foreign exchange is a significant source of vulnerability. Economic reforms have been modest and the country’s financial sector remains weak, limiting the use of monetary policy to control inflation. An ongoing IMF program aims to strengthen financial and investment management capacity.

Exchange rates [time series]

Malagasy ariary (MGA) per US dollar - 3,116.1 (2017 est.) 3,176.5 (2016 est.) 3,176.5 (2015 est.) 2,933.5 (2014 est.) 2,414.8 (2013 est.)

Exports [time series]

$4.09 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) $4.41 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.) $4.839 billion (2017 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

vanilla, nickel, gold, clothing and apparel, gemstones (2019)

Exports - partners [time series]

United States 19%, France 18%, United Arab Emirates 7%, China 6%, Japan 6%, Germany 5%, India 5% (2019)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$13.964 billion (2019 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

household consumption: 67.1% (2017 est.) government consumption: 11.2% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 15.1% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 8.8% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 31.5% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -33.7% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]

agriculture: 24% (2017 est.) industry: 19.5% (2017 est.) services: 56.4% (2017 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income [time series]

42.6 (2012 est.) 42.7 (2010)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 34.7% (2010 est.)

Imports [time series]

$4.7 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.) $4.82 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.) $5.796 billion (2017 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

refined petroleum, rice, cars, packaged medicines, clothing and apparel (2019)

Imports - partners [time series]

China 24%, France 11%, United Arab Emirates 9%, India 7%, South Africa 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

5.2% (2017 est.)

Industries [time series]

meat processing, seafood, soap, beer, leather, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism, mining

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

5.6% (2019 est.) 8.6% (2018 est.) 8.5% (2017 est.)

Labor force [time series]

13.4 million (2017 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

70.7% (2012 est.)

Public debt [time series]

36% of GDP (2017 est.) 38.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) [time series]

$41.82 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.) $43.65 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.) $41.81 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP growth rate [time series]

4.2% (2017 est.) 4.2% (2016 est.) 3.1% (2015 est.)

Real GDP per capita [time series]

$1,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.) $1,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.) $1,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$1.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $1.076 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

15.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

1.8% (2017 est.) 1.8% (2016 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 3.4% male: 3.9% female: 3% (2015 est.)

Energy

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption [time series]

1.587 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

74% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

24% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

675,400 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

1.706 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access [time series]

electrification - total population: 39% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 64% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 23% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

18,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

18,880 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Environment

Air pollutants [time series]

particulate matter emissions: 21.44 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 3.91 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 10.14 megatons (2020 est.)

Climate [time series]

tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Environment - current issues [time series]

erosion and soil degredation results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; agricultural fires; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; wildlife preservation (endangered species of flora and fauna unique to the island)

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Food insecurity [time series]

severe localized food insecurity: due to drought in southern areas and limited income-earning opportunities - an estimated 1.14 million people are food insecure in southern and southeastern regions and require urgent humanitarian assistance; the effects of a severe drought on agricultural production in 2021 and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the loss of incomes due to the economic slowdown, are the key drivers of food insecurity (2021)

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 71.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 6% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 64.1% (2018 est.) forest: 21.5% (2018 est.) other: 7.4% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever water contact diseases: schistosomiasis animal contact diseases: rabies

Revenue from coal [time series]

coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources [time series]

forest revenues: 4.34% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources [time series]

337 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal [time series]

municipal: 395 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 161.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 13 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 39.2% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 4.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling [time series]

municipal solid waste generated annually: 3,768,759 tons (2016 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 587,041 sq km land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,501 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

almost four times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Climate [time series]

tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Coastline [time series]

4,828 km

Elevation [time series]

highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 615 m

Geographic coordinates [time series]

20 00 S, 47 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel; despite Madagascar’s close proximity to the African continent, ocean currents isolate the island resulting in high rates of endemic plant and animal species; approximately 90% of the flora and fauna on the island are found nowhere else

Irrigated land [time series]

10,860 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 0 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 71.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 6% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 64.1% (2018 est.) forest: 21.5% (2018 est.) other: 7.4% (2018 est.)

Location [time series]

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

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 isobath

Natural hazards [time series]

periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation volcanism: Madagascar's volcanoes have not erupted in historical times

Natural resources [time series]

graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, rare earth elements, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Population distribution [time series]

most of population lives on the eastern half of the island; significant clustering is found in the central highlands and eastern coastline as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain [time series]

narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Capital [time series]

name: Antananarivo geographic coordinates: 18 55 S, 47 31 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name, which means "City of the Thousand," was bestowed by 17th century King Adrianjakaking to honor the soldiers assigned to guard the city

Citizenship [time series]

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Madagascar; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: unknown

Constitution [time series]

history: previous 1992; latest passed by referendum 17 November 2010, promulgated 11 December 2010 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic in consultation with the cabinet or supported by a least two thirds of both the Senate and National Assembly membership; passage requires at least three-fourths approval of both the Senate and National Assembly and approval in a referendum; constitutional articles, including the form and powers of government, the sovereignty of the state, and the autonomy of Madagascar s collectivities, cannot be amended

Country name [time series]

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 etymology: the name "Madageiscar" was first used by the 13th-century Venetian explorer Marco POLO, as a corrupted transliteration of Mogadishu, the Somali port with which POLO confused the island

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Amy J. HYATT (since June 2021) embassy: Lot 207A, Andranoro, Antehiroka, 105 Antananarivo mailing address: 2040 Antananarivo Place, Washington DC 20521-2040 telephone: [261] 20-23-480-00 FAX: [261] 20-23-480-35 email address and website: antanACS@state.gov https://mg.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Amielle Pelenne NIRINIAVISOA MARCEDA (since 31 October 2019) chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525 FAX: [1] (202) 265-3034 email address and website: contact@us-madagascar-embassy.org https://www.us-madagascar-embassy.org/ consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Andry RAJOELINA (since 21 January 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Christian NTSAY (since 6 June 2018 and re-appointed 19 July 2019) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 November and 19 December 2018 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly, appointed by the president election results: Andry RAJOELINA elected President in second round; percent of vote - Andry RAJOELINA (TGV) 55.7%, Marc RAVALOMANANA 44.3% (TIM)

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side; by tradition, red stands for sovereignty, green for hope, white for purity

Government type [time series]

semi-presidential republic

Independence [time series]

26 June 1960 (from France)

International law organization participation [time series]

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, COMESA, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 11 members; addresses judicial administration issues only); High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle (consists of 9 members); note - the judiciary includes a High Court of Justice responsible for adjudicating crimes and misdemeanors by government officials, including the president judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court heads elected by the president and judiciary officials to serve 3-year, single renewable terms; High Constitutional Court members appointed - 3 each by the president, by both legislative bodies, and by the Council of Magistrates; members serve single, 7-year terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance

Legal system [time series]

civil law system based on the old French civil code and customary law in matters of marriage, family, and obligation

Legislative branch [time series]

description: bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate or Antenimieran-Doholona (reestablished on 22 January 2016, following the December 2015 senatorial election) (63 seats; 42 members indirectly elected by an electoral college of municipal, communal, regional, and provincial leaders and 21 appointed by the president of the republic; members serve 5-year terms); note - in December 2020 Pres RAJOELINA ordered that the senate now have only 18 seats, 6 of which are appointed by the president, the remaining 12 indirectly elected by an electoral college of municipal, communal, regional, and provincial leaders; opposition parties' boycotted this legislative election National Assembly or Antenimierampirenena (151 seats; 87 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 64 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 29 December 2015 (next to be held in 2021) National Assembly - last held on 27 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - HVM 34, TIM 3, MAPAR 2, LEADER-Fanilo 1, independent 2, appointed by the president 21; composition - men 51, women 12, percent of women 19% National Assembly - percent of vote by party -Independent Pro-HVM 18%, MAPAR 17%, MAPAR pro-HVM 16%, VPM-MMM 10%, VERTS 3%, LEADER FANILO 3%, HIARAKA ISIKA 3%, GPS/ARD 7%, INDEPENDENT 9%, TAMBATRA 1%, TIM 13%; composition - men 120, women 31, percent of women 20.5%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 20.1%

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "Ry Tanindraza nay malala o" (Oh, Our Beloved Fatherland) lyrics/music: Pasteur RAHAJASON/Norbert RAHARISOA note: adopted 1959

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

National symbol(s) [time series]

traveller's palm, zebu; national colors: red, green, white

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Economic liberalism and democratic action for national recovery or LEADER FANILO [Jean Max RAKOTOMAMONJY] FOMBA [Ny Rado RAFALIMANANA] Gideons fighting against poverty in Madagascar (Gedeona Miady amin'ny Fahantrana eto Madagascar) or GFFM [Andre Christian Dieu Donne MAILHOL] Green party or VERTS (Antoko Maintso) [Alexandre GEORGET] I Love Madagascar (Tiako I Madagasikara) or TIM [Marc RAVALOMANANA] Malagasy aware (Malagasy Tonga Saina) or MTS [Roland RATSIRAKA] Malagasy raising together (Malagasy Miara-Miainga) or MMM [Hajo ANDRIANAINARIVELO] New Force for Madagascar (Hery Vaovao ho an'ny Madagasikara) or HVM [Hery Martial RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA Rakotoarimanana] Total Refoundation of Madagascar (Refondation Totale de Madagascar) or RTM [Joseph Martin RANDRIAMAMPIONONA] Vanguard for the renovation of Madagascar (Avant-Garde pour la renovation de Madagascar) or AREMA [Didier RATSIRAKA] Young Malagasies Determined (Malagasy: Tanora malaGasy Vonona) or TGV [Andry RAJOELINA]and MAPAR [Andry RAJOELINA], and IRD (We are all with Andy Rajoelina) [Andry RAJOELINA]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Madagascar was one of the last major habitable landmasses on earth settled by humans. While there is some evidence of human presence on the island in the millennia B.C., large-scale settlement began between A.D. 350 and 550 with settlers from present-day Indonesia. The island attracted Arab and Persian traders as early as the 7th century, and migrants from Africa arrived around A.D. 1000. Madagascar was a pirate stronghold during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and served as a slave trading center into the 19th century. From the 16th to the late 19th century, a native Merina Kingdom dominated much of Madagascar. The island was conquered by the French in 1896 who made it a colony; independence was regained 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, 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 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. RAVALOMANANA won a second term in 2006 but, following protests in 2009, handed over power to the military, which then conferred the presidency on the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA, in what amounted to a coup d'etat. Following a lengthy mediation process led by the Southern African Development Community, Madagascar held UN-supported presidential and parliamentary elections in 2013. Former de facto finance minister Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA won a runoff election in December 2013 and was inaugurated in January 2014. In January 2019, RAJOELINA was declared the winner of a runoff election against RAVALOMANANA; both RATSIRAKA and RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA also ran in the first round of the election, which took place in November 2018.

Military and Security

Military - note [time series]

one of the military s duties is assisting the gendarmerie with maintaining law and order in rural areas, particularly in areas affected by cattle rustling and banditry (2021)

Military and security forces [time series]

People's Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force; National Gendarmerie (operates under the Ministry of Defense); Ministry of Public Security: National Police (2021) note - the National Gendarmerie is responsible for maintaining law and order in rural areas at the village level, protecting government facilities, and operating a maritime police contingent; the National Police is responsible for maintaining law and order in urban areas; the military is also active in rural areas, particularly in maintaining order in areas affected by cattle rustling and banditry

Military and security service personnel strengths [time series]

the Peoples Armed Forces (PAF) have approximately 13,000 personnel (12,000 Army; 500 Navy; 500 Air Force); est. 10,000 Gendarmerie (2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions [time series]

the PAF's inventory consists mostly of aging Soviet-era equipment; since 2010, it has received limited amounts of second-hand equipment from France, South Africa, and UAE (2021)

Military expenditures [time series]

0.8% of GDP (2020 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2019) 0.6% of GDP (2018) 0.6% of GDP (2017) 0.6% of GDP (2016)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

Madagascar has an all-volunteer military; 18-25 years of age for males; service obligation 18 months; women are permitted to serve in all branches (2021)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 38.86% (male 5,278,838/female 5,196,036) 15-24 years: 20.06% (male 2,717,399/female 2,689,874) 25-54 years: 33.02% (male 4,443,147/female 4,456,691) 55-64 years: 4.6% (male 611,364/female 627,315) 65 years and over: 3.47% (male 425,122/female 509,951) (2020 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

29.22 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

26.4% (2018)

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

44.4% (2018)

Current health expenditure (Current Health Expenditure) [time series]

4.8% (2018)

Death rate [time series]

6.09 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile [time series]

Madagascar’s youthful population – just over 60% are under the age of 25 – and high total fertility rate of more than 4 children per women ensures that the Malagasy population will continue its rapid growth trajectory for the foreseeable future. The population is predominantly rural and poor; chronic malnutrition is prevalent, and large families are the norm. Many young Malagasy girls are withdrawn from school, marry early (often pressured to do so by their parents), and soon begin having children. Early childbearing, coupled with Madagascar’s widespread poverty and lack of access to skilled health care providers during delivery, increases the risk of death and serious health problems for young mothers and their babies. Child marriage perpetuates gender inequality and is prevalent among the poor, the uneducated, and rural households – as of 2013, of Malagasy women aged 20 to 24, more than 40% were married and more than a third had given birth by the age of 18. Although the legal age for marriage is 18, parental consent is often given for earlier marriages or the law is flouted, especially in rural areas that make up nearly 65% of the country. Forms of arranged marriage whereby young girls are married to older men in exchange for oxen or money are traditional. If a union does not work out, a girl can be placed in another marriage, but the dowry paid to her family diminishes with each unsuccessful marriage. Madagascar’s population consists of 18 main ethnic groups, all of whom speak the same Malagasy language. Most Malagasy are multi-ethnic, however, reflecting the island’s diversity of settlers and historical contacts (see Background). Madagascar’s legacy of hierarchical societies practicing domestic slavery (most notably the Merina Kingdom of the 16th to the 19th century) is evident today in persistent class tension, with some ethnic groups maintaining a caste system. Slave descendants are vulnerable to unequal access to education and jobs, despite Madagascar’s constitutional guarantee of free compulsory primary education and its being party to several international conventions on human rights. Historical distinctions also remain between central highlanders and coastal people.

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 75.9 youth dependency ratio: 70.5 elderly dependency ratio: 5.5 potential support ratio: 18.3 (2020 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

improved: urban: 87.9% of population rural: 36.3% of population total: 55.5% of population unimproved: urban: 12.1% of population rural: 63.7% of population total: 44.5% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

2.9% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.3% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

1,800 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

42,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density [time series]

0.2 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 39.82 deaths/1,000 live births male: 43.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 36.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

Languages [time series]

Malagasy (official) 99.9%, French (official) 23.6%, English 8.2%, other 0.6% (2018 est.) note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 67.86 years male: 66.54 years female: 69.22 years (2021 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.7% male: 78.4% female: 75.1% (2018)

Major infectious diseases [time series]

Major urban areas - population [time series]

3.532 million ANTANANARIVO (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio [time series]

335 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 20.3 years male: 20.1 years female: 20.5 years (2020 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]

19.5 years (2008/09 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality [time series]

noun: Malagasy (singular and plural) adjective: Malagasy

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

5.3% (2016)

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

0.18 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population [time series]

27,534,354 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution [time series]

most of population lives on the eastern half of the island; significant clustering is found in the central highlands and eastern coastline as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate [time series]

2.31% (2021 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian, indigenous, Muslim

Sanitation facility access [time series]

improved: urban: 42.5% of population rural: 16.6% of population total: 26.1% of population unimproved: urban: 57.5% of population rural: 83.4% of population total: 73.9% of population (2017 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 10 years (2018)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.7 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 3.4% male: 3.9% female: 3% (2015 est.)

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 39.2% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 4.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France); the vegetated drying cays of Banc du Geyser, which were claimed by Madagascar in 1976, also fall within the EEZ claims of the Comoros and France (Glorioso Islands, part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands)

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 83 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 26 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 1 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 57 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 38 under 914 m: 18 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 27 by type: general cargo 14, oil tanker 2, other 11 (2021)

National air transport system [time series]

number of registered air carriers: 4 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 18 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 541,290 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 16.25 million mt-km (2018)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

major seaport(s): Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara (Tulear)

Railways [time series]

total: 836 km (2018) narrow gauge: 836 km 1.000-m gauge (2018)

Roadways [time series]

total: 31,640 km (2018)

Waterways [time series]

600 km (432 km navigable) (2011)