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.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 19,448,815 (July 2007 est.)

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.9% (male 4,297,985/female 4,243,369) 15-64 years: 53% (male 5,117,874/female 5,190,032) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 270,411/female 329,144) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 17.8 years male: 17.6 years female: 18 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: 3.008% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 38.6 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Death rate: 8.51 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.013 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.986 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.822 male(s)/female total population: 0.992 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 57.02 deaths/1,000 live births male: 62.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 51.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.14 years male: 60.23 years female: 64.1 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 5.24 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.7% (2003 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 140,000 (2003 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: 7,500 (2003 est.)

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Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

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Nationality: noun: Malagasy (singular and plural) adjective: Malagasy

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

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Religions: indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

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Languages: French (official), Malagasy (official)

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Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.9% male: 75.5% female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

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 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 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US. 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.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $17.27 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): $5.059 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (2006 est.) G

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DP - per capita (PPP): $900 (2006 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 26.9% industry: 16.5% services: 56.6% (2006 est.)

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Labor force: 7.3 million (2000)

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Population below poverty line: 50% (2004 est.)

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 29% (1999)

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Distribution of family income - Gini index: 47.5 (2001)

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% (2006 est.)

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Investment (gross fixed): 26.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

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Budget: revenues: $879.9 million expenditures: $1.147 billion; including capital expenditures of $331 million (2006 est.)

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Agriculture - products: coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

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Industries: meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism

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Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2000 est.)

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Electricity - production: 984 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - consumption: 915.1 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Oil - production: 90.59 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 14,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2005)

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Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

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Current account balance: -$504 million (2006 est.)

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Exports: $993.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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Exports - commodities: coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products

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Exports - partners: France 32%, US 25.3%, Germany 6%, Italy 5%, UK 4.1% (2006)

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Imports: $1.544 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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Imports - commodities: capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

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Imports - partners: France 13.5%, China 11.7%, Iran 9%, Mauritius 7.4%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2006)

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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $563 million (2006 est.)

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Debt - external: $4.6 billion (2002)

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Economic aid - recipient: $354 million (2001)

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Currency (code): Madagascar ariary (MGA)

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Exchange rates: Malagasy ariary per US dollar - 2,161.4 (2006), 2,003 (2005), 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003), 1,366.4 (2002)

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Fiscal year: calendar year