Landscape of Madagascar
Flag of Madagascar

Madagascar

Africa

The island country of Madagascar has a history of political turmoil and government corruption. International organizations have had to intervene and enforce democratic elections that follow Madagascar’s constitution. Unemployment is low, but a vast majority of the country lives in poverty. The environment is at risk of destruction from slash-and-burn farming combined with droughts. Corruption and constant political change keeps foreign investors from participating in Madagascar’s economy.1 1 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ma.html

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About Madagascar

Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 but regained 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. RAVALOMANANA achieved a second term following a landslide victory in the generally free and fair presidential elections of 2006. In early 2009, protests over increasing restrictions on opposition press and activities resulted in RAVALOMANANA handing 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. Numerous attempts have been made by regional and international organizations to resolve the subsequent political gridlock by forming a power-sharing government. Madagascar's independent electoral commission and the UN originally planned to hold a presidential election in early May 2013, but postponed the election until late July 2013, due to logistical delays.

Quick Facts

Population
22,599,098 (July 2013 est.)
Area
587,041 sq km
ISO Code
MG
Continent
Africa
Government
republic
Active Causes
12
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Geography & Environment

Climate

tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain

narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Natural Resources

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

Environmental Issues

soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna unique to t...

People & Society

64.85 years
Avg. Life Expectancy
64.5%
Literacy Rate
32.6% of total population (2011)
Total Urban Population

Languages

French (official), Malagasy (official), English

Religions

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

Health Expenditure

3.8% of GDP (2010) of GDP

Education Expenditure

2.8% of GDP (2011) of GDP

Economy

$1,000
GDP per Capita (PPP)
50% (2004 est.)
Below Poverty Line

Economic Overview

After discarding socialist economic policies in the mid-1990s, Madagascar followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization that has been undermined since the start of the political crisis. 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 boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US, however, Madagascar's failure to comply with...

Causes in Madagascar

Environment

Madagascar’s environmental issues stem from deforestation, erosion, exploitation of resources, and the introduction of foreign species into the ecosystem. The practice of tavy, a slash-and-burn approach to converting rainforests into rice fields, is also a huge threat to the environment. This exacerbates pre-existing issues such as droughts.1 While this practice can be economically beneficial in the short-term, it ultimately renders the land unusable for agricultural purposes. Most of Madagascar’s population is heavily dependent on agriculture and natural resources as a livelihood, and the degradation of the environment is damaging its long-term sustainability.2

Family

Madagascar has a large need for family planning services. In rural areas, it is common to see a young mother taking care of 10 children. The annual population growth rate is 2.7%.1 The government has added family planning to their economic and social development plan, called the Madagascar Action Plan. The goal of family planning facilities is to improve the wellbeing of each member of the family and to meet the demand for contraceptives.2 The average age for first-time births is 19, the infant mortality rate is 42 of 1000 births, and the maternal mortality rate is 353 deaths per 100,000 births.3

Human Rights

The majority of human rights abuses happen intermittently during times of political unrest. The country struggles with an overzealous law enforcement and a military who responds to even small protests with unnecessary amounts of force.1 Arbitrary detentions still occur, although the government did abolish press censorship. Security forces and government authorities are reported to commit human rights violations by using excessive force and perpetuating the culture of impunity. The government’s efforts have failed to stop child trafficking and forced labor. 2

Education

Education is a continual challenge in Madagascar. Following various political crises, families have lost income and government funds for schools have run out. The increase in familial poverty has further decreased the likelihood that children will go to school. Instead, they work to help contribute to their families. For every 10 children that begin primary school, only 6 complete the fifth grade. Additionally, the average adult in Madagascar has only 4.4 years of schooling. This is in part because there is a severe lack of teachers, infrastructure, and resources to provide for the country’s educational demand.1

Poverty

Madagascar is one of the most impoverished countries in the world. With the increase of the population, the rate of poverty has also substantially increased. 70% of the population lives below the poverty line.1 The lack of hygiene and chronic levels of malnutrition have diminished life expectancy, consequently decreasing the work force and exasperating poverty.2

Religion

Around half of the population of Madagascar follows indigenous religions, 25% are Protestant Christian, 16% are other Christian denominations, and the remaining 7% are Muslim.1 Freedom of religion is protected by the country’s constitution and is well-enforced. Religious conflict is seldom reported.2

Clean Water

Around 12 million people in Madagascar lack access to clean water. Moreover, 21 million people have no access to sanitation facilities and services. This leads to the spread of waterborne diseases like cholera and diarrhea, which kill thousands of children each year.1 81% of people who live in urban areas have clean water access, differing greatly from the 35% of rural populations who do.2

Economy

The backbone of Madagascar’s economy is agriculture, especially fishing and forestry. This industry accounts for 24% of the GDP. Madagascar’s government has reformed its economic policy to allow for more freedom of entrepreneurial growth. In recent years, tax reform has simplified and reduced individual and corporate taxes. Corruption has been reported, hindering growth in nearly every economic sector, including the judiciary.1 The unemployment rate is 2.1%.2

Government

Madagascar’s government is a semi-presidential republic. The political unrest and government corruption the country has been known for in the past has acted as a deterrent for foreign investment, despite the relative stability of the government in recent years. The judicial branch is not independent and remains vulnerable to executive influence.1 However, since 2014 the government-run elections have been found to be much more stable, free, and fair.2 Transparency International ranks Madagascar 145th out of 176 countries for high levels of corruption, and ranks the country in the 26th percentile for their control of corruption.3

Health

The leading causes of death in Madagascar are diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory infections, heart diseases, and malnutrition. The average life expectancy is 62.1 In theory, medical services are free, but limited government funding undermines the efficacy of the health clinics and hospitals.2 Government turmoil has negatively impacted the healthcare system because each new leader starts and stops different projects and very few are seen through to completion.3

Children

Child trafficking and the commercial sex industry are prevalent issues for children in Madagascar. Food shortages and poverty continue to make children one of the most vulnerable groups of the population. 41% of the population is younger than 14. Many children grow up without parental protection and become entangled in trafficking, prostitution, or are sold for child labor.1 47% of children have stunted growth, and 10% have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition. An intense drought in 2016 caused school dropout rates to reach 40% and increased the number of children forced into illegal and dangerous work.2

Animals

Rosewood trees, tortoises, chameleons, geckos, and snakes are among the endangered species living on Madagascar. The illegal wildlife trade is one of the leading threats for native animals. Additionally, the slash-and-burn forest clearing technique used by farmers destroys valuable habitats for the native species.1

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