Country Name: Madagascar (Republic of Madagascar)

Capital: Antananarivo

Government Type: semi-presidential republic

Background: 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.

Region: Africa

Population: 28,812,195 (2023 est.)

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

Languages: Malagasy (official) 99.9%, French (official) 23.6%, English 8.2%, other 0.6% (2018 est.)

Religions: Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar/Malagasy Lutheran Church/Anglican Church 34%, Roman Catholic 32.3%, other Christian 8.1%, traditional/Animist 1.7%, Muslim 1.4%, other 0.6%, none 21.9% (2021 est.)

Economic Overview: low-income East African island economy; natural resource rich; extreme poverty; return of political stability has helped growth; sharp tax revenue drop due to COVID-19; leading vanilla producer; environmentally fragile

Currency: Malagasy Ariary (MGA)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $2.16 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $44.491 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars

Real GDP Growth Rate: 3.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per Capita: $1,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars

Exports: 

• $4.689 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

• Comparison Ranking: 139

Export Commodities: vanilla, nickel, clothing and apparel, titanium, gold, cloves (2021)

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

Imports: 

• $6.041 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

• Comparison Ranking: 140

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

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

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

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

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

Industrial Production Growth Rate: 

• -1.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

• Comparison Ranking: 185

Labor Force: 15.363 million (2022 est.)

Unemployment Rate: 1.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Natural Hazards: periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation

• Volcanism: Madagascar's volcanoes have not erupted in historical times

Geography:

• Total: 587,041 sq km

• Land: 581,540 sq km

• Water: 5,501 sq km

(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)

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