estic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain;
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:
3.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
325,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.mg

Internet hosts:
773 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
70,500 (2003)

Transportation Madagascar

Railways:
total: 732 km
narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 49,827 km
paved: 5,780 km
unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
600 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Merchant marine:
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT
registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2

Airports:
116 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 29
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 87
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 42
under 914 m: 43 (2004 est.)

Military Madagascar

Military branches:
People's Armed Forces: comprising Intervention Force, Development
Force, and Aeronaval - Navy and Air - Force; National Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 18 months
(2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 4,004,242 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,373,342 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 169,186 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$69.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Madagascar

Disputes - international:
claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan
de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used
mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment po