cies, Marine
Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Law of the Sea

Geography-note: world's fourth-largest island; strategic location
along Mozambique Channel

@Madagascar:People

Population: 14,462,509 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 3,272,236; female 3,196,565)
15-64 years: 52% (male 3,722,459; female 3,792,178)
65 years and over: 3% (male 231,582; female 247,489) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.81% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 41.89 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 13.83 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 90.57 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.88 years
male: 51.7 years
female: 54.1 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.76 children born/woman (1998 est.)

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

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

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

Languages: French (official), Malagasy (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 80%
male: 88%
female: 73% (1990 est.)

@Madagascar:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form: Madagascar
local long form: Republique de Madagascar
local short form: Madagascar
former: Malagasy Republic

Data code: MA

Government type: republic

National capital: Antananarivo

Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo,
Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliary

Independence: 26 June 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Constitution: 19 August 1992 by national referendum

Legal system: based on French civil law system and traditional
Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Didier RATSIRAKA (since 10 February 1997)
head of governme