MADAGASCAR. Republic of Madagascar
A state on the island of Madagascar and the adjacent small islands in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa.
Area - 587,000 km². Capital - Antananarivo (over 1 million), largest cities: Fianarantsoa, Toamasina, Antsirabe, Antsiranana. Administrative-territorial division - 6 faritany (provinces). Population - 15.1 million (2004); 99% are Malagasy, in addition, there are French, Comorians, Arabs, Chinese, Indians, and Pakistanis.
Official languages - Malagasy and French. Religion: about 50% of the population adheres to local traditional beliefs, about 45% are Protestants and Catholics, the rest are Muslims, Buddhists, and Taoists. Currency - Malagasy franc.
It has diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation (established with the USSR on September 29, 1972).
National holiday - June 26 - Independence Day (1960).
Madagascar is a republic. The head of state is the president (M. Ravalomanana), elected by direct universal suffrage for a term of 5 years. Legislative power is exercised by a parliament consisting of two chambers: the National Assembly (elected by direct universal suffrage for 5 years) and the Senate (part of the senators are appointed by the president, part are elected by electors from territorial associations). Every 2 years, half of the Senate is renewed. The head of government (Jacques Sylla) is appointed by the president.
There are over 20 political parties and associations in Madagascar. Major parties: I Love Madagascar (TIM), Pillar and Support for the Salvation of Madagascar (AREMA), Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Revival (LEADER - Fanilou) and the Congress Party for the Independence of Madagascar - Renewed (AK FM - Fanavozana), as well as opposition blocs: the "Panorama" group - a bloc of moderate centrist parties and AFFM - an association of "irreconcilable opposition" parties.
The trade union movement has not developed; trade unions exist under political parties.
In the 14th-15th centuries, a number of feudal states formed in Madagascar, which became part of the Malagasy Kingdom in the 19th century. Since 1896 - a colony of France. In 1958, Madagascar became an autonomous republic within the French Community.
The pro-French regime of F. Tsiranana, which came to power after the proclamation of the independence of the Malagasy Republic (June 26, 1960), was overthrown as a result of popular uprisings in 1972, and the country was governed by a military-civilian government. After a prolonged political crisis, power passed in June 1975 to the Supreme Revolutionary Council headed by D. Ratsiraka. In the same year, a referendum was held, as a result of which the Malagasy Republic was renamed the Democratic Republic of Madagascar, the program document "Charter of the Malagasy Socialist Revolution" was adopted, proclaiming a course of socialist orientation, and a constitution was enacted, with D. Ratsiraka becoming the president of the country.
Since the late 1980s, a mass protest movement against the existing regime unfolded in Madagascar. Under pressure from the opposition, D. Ratsiraka was forced to enter into negotiations in June 1991, resulting in the suspension of the activities of the Supreme Revolutionary Council and the National People's Assembly (parliament).
On August 19, 1992, a national referendum approved a draft new constitution, according to which the official name of the country is the Republic of Madagascar. In February 1993, in early presidential elections, Albert Zafy was elected head of the "third republic." In July 1996, the National Assembly voted for the impeachment of the president, which was confirmed by the Constitutional Court. In December 1996, early presidential elections were held in the country. D. Ratsiraka was elected president of the republic.
In December 2001, the country held regular presidential elections.
One of the two candidates who reached the second round, M. Ravalomanana, refused to recognize the results of the vote count and participate in the second round along with President D. Ratsiraka. In February 2002, he proclaimed himself president.
Madagascar is a member of the UN (since 1960), and the African Union - formerly OAU (since 1963).
Madagascar is an agrarian country. GDP growth in 2004 was 5%. In agriculture, 76.3% of the self-employed population is engaged.
Its share in GDP is 33.6%. Agricultural production accounts for over 80% of foreign exchange earnings. Livestock (in millions): cattle - 10, goats and sheep - about 3, pigs - over 1.4.
Industry is poorly developed. In 2004, its share in GDP did not exceed 14%. There are 810 industrial enterprises. About 600 are small and medium-sized, accounting for about 70% of the total number of workers in the industry.
Resources extracted: graphite - about 14,000 tons, chromites - 74,000 tons, mica - 387,000 tons, quartz, uranium-thorium ores, rare metals. There are deposits of iron ore, coal, bauxite. Electricity production - 430 million kWh.
The deficit of foreign trade turnover (2004) - 350 million dollars, exports - coffee, vanilla, cloves, shrimp, textiles, chromites; imports - machinery and equipment, raw materials, consumer goods, food products, energy carriers. Main trading partners: France, USA, Germany, Japan, South Africa. In November 2004, the Paris Club wrote off a large part of Madagascar's external debt (1.4 out of 2 billion dollars) as part of the HIPC initiative. Major creditors: international organizations (IMF, World Bank), France, Germany, USA.
Railways - about 1,000 km. The road network - about 40,000 km. Air transport is well developed. Main seaports - Toamasina, Mahajanga.
In Madagascar, over a dozen newspapers and magazines are published. The National Information Agency "Taratry" (ANTA).
There are state and private radio stations and television channels operating.