textiles, wood products, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate: 3.4% (1997 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 1.366 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 5.4 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 2,584 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton,
sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry,
mutton
Exports:
total value: $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: food, beverage, tobacco 17.0%, machinery and transport
equipment 13.3%, other manufactured goods 58%
partners: Bulgaria, other former Yugoslav republics, Germany, Italy
Imports:
total value: $1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1996)
commodities: machinery and equipment 19%, chemicals 14%, fuels 12%
partners: other former Yugoslav republics, Germany, Bulgaria, Italy,
Austria
Debt-external: $1.06 billion (June 1997)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
note: US, $10 million (for humanitarian and technical assistance); in
December 1995, the EU agreed to provide a credit line of ECU 21.7
million for investment projects
Currency: 1 Macedonian denar (MKD) = 100 deni
Exchange rates: denar per US$1-31 (July 1997), 40.5 (September 1996),
38.8 (December 1995), 39 (November 1994), 865 (October 1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 125,000
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 369,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 5 (relays 2)
Televisions: 327,011 (1992 est.)
@Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:Transportation
Railways:
total: 922 km
standard gauge: 922 km 1.435-m gauge (232 km electrified) (1997)
Highways:
total: 10,591 km
paved: 5,500 km (including 133 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,091 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: none, lake transport only
Pipelines: 0 km
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 16 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
under 914 m: 8 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (1997 est.)
@Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Police
Force
Military manpower-military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 536,321 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 432,190 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 16,857 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: 7 billion denars (1993 est.);
note-conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the
current exchange rate could produce misleading results
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: dispute with Greece over name; in September
1995, Skopje and Athens signed an interim accord resolving their
dispute over symbols and certain constitutional provisions; Athens
also lifted its economic embargo on The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia; 20 bilateral agreements remain unsigned in a dispute over
Bulgarian nonrecognition of Macedonian as a language distinct from
Bulgarian; the border commission formed by The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro in April 1996 to
resolve differences in delineation of their mutual border has made no
progress so far; Albanians in Macedonia claim discrimination in
education, access to public-sector jobs and representation in
government; Party for Democratic Action (DPA) calls for a rewrite of
the constitution to declare ethnic Albanians a national group and
allow for regional autonomy
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and
hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine
______________________________________________________________________
MADAGASCAR
@Madagascar:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 47 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 587,040 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km
water: 5,500 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 4,828 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m isobath
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
Terrain: narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
Natural resources: graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz,
tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish
Land use:
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 41%
forests and woodland: 40%
other: 14% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 10,870 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic cyclones
Environment-current issues: soil erosion results from deforestation
and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw
sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna
unique to the island are endangered
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, 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 government: Prime Minister Pascal RAKOTOMAVO (since 21
February 1997)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 29 December 1996 (next to be held NA 2002); prime
minister appointed by the president from a list of candidates
nominated by the National Assembly
election results: percent of the popular vote for president-Didier
RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 50.7%, Albert ZAFY (UNDD) 49.3%; percent of the
National Assembly vote for prime minister-NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the National
Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (138 seats; members are directly
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Senate or
Senat (two-thirds of Senate seats are to be filled from popularly
elected regional assemblies; the remaining third is to be filled by
presidential appointment; members serve four-year terms); note-the
establishment of the Senate has been indefinitely postponed; the total
number of seats in the Senate will be determined by the National
Assembly
elections: National Assembly-last held 16 June 1993 (next to be held
May 1998)
election results: National Assembly-percent of vote by party-NA; seats
by party - CFV coalition 76, PMDM/MFM 16, CSCD 11, Famima 10, RPSD 7,
various pro-Ratsiraka groups 10, others 8
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme); High Constitutional
Court (Haute Cour Constitutionnelle)
Political parties and leaders: Committee of Living Forces or CFV, an
alliance of National Union for Development and Democracy or UNDD
[Emmanuel RAKOTOVAHINY, president], Support Committee for Democracy
and Development in Madagascar or CSDDM [Francisque RAVONY, president],
Action and Reflection Group for the Development of Madagascar or GRAD,
Congress Party for Madagascar Independence-Renewal or AKFM-Fanavaozana
[Richard ANDRIAMANJATO, president], and some 12 other parties, trade
unions, and religious groups; Association of United Malagasys or
Famima [Didier RATSIRAKA, leader]; Confederation of Civil Societies
for Development or CSCD [Guy Willy RAZANAMASY]; Militant Party for the
Development of Madagascar or PMDM/MFM, formerly the Movement for
Proletarian Power [Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA]; Rally for Social Democracy
or RPSD [Evariste MARSON, president]
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Council of Christian
Churches or FFKM; Federalist Movement
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Biclair Henri
ANDRIANANTOANDRO
chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Howard T. PERLOW
embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
mailing address: B. P. 620, Antananarivo
telephone: [261] (2) 212-57, 200-89, 207-18
FAX: [261] (2) 345-39
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green
with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side
@Madagascar:Economy
Economy-overview: Madagascar suffers from chronic malnutrition,
underfunded health and education facilities, a roughly 3% annual
population growth rate, and severe loss of forest cover, accompanied
by erosion. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is the
mainstay of the economy, accounting for 33% of GDP and contributing
more than 70% to export earnings. Industry features textile
manufacturing and the processing of agricultural products. Growth in
output in 1992-97 averaged less than the growth rate of the
population. Growth has been held back by antigovernment strikes and
demonstrations, a decline in world coffee demand, and the erratic
commitment of the government to economic reform. Formidable obstacles
stand in the way of Madagascar's realizing its considerable growth
potential; the extent of government reforms, outside financial aid,
and foreign investment will be key determinants.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$10.3 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 3% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$730 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 33%
industry: 15%
services: 52% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 19.8% (1996)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $477 million
expenditures: $706 million, including capital expenditures of $264
million (1996 est.)
Industries: meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar,
textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper,
petroleum, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (1993 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 220,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 595 million kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 43 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice,
cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products
Exports:
total value: $493 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: coffee 45%, vanilla 20%, cloves, shellfish, sugar,
petroleum products (1995 est.)
partners: France 41%, US, Japan, Italy (1995)
Imports:
total value: $612 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: intermediate manufactures 30%, capital goods 28%,
petroleum 15%, consumer goods 14%, food 13% (1995 est.)
partners: France 40%, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, US (1995)
Debt-external: $4.4 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $454 million (1992-96)
Currency: 1 Malagasy franc (FMG) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Malagasy francs (FMG) per US$1-5,302.9 (December
1997), 5,090.9 (1997), 4,061.3 (1996), 4,265.6 (1995), 3,067.3 (1994),
1,913.8 (1993)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 96,000 (1988 est.)
Telephone system: system is above average for Africa
domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and
tropospheric scatter links
international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations-1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 2.565 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (repeaters 36)
Televisions: 260,000 (1992 est.)
@Madagascar:Transportation
Railways:
total : 883 km
narrow gauge: 883 km 1.000-m gauge (1994)
Highways:
total: 49,837 km
paved: 5,781 km
unpaved: 44,056 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: of local importance only; isolated streams and small
portions of Canal des Pangalanes
Ports and harbors: Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga,
Toamasina, Toliara
Merchant marine:
total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,624 GRT/28,621 DWT
ships by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil
tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2 (1997 est.)
Airports: 136 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 30
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 106
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 60
under 914 m: 42 (1997 est.)
@Madagascar:Military
Military branches: Popular Armed Forces (includes Intervention Forces,
Development Forces, Aeronaval Forces-includes Navy and Air Force),
Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment
Military manpower-military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 3,308,300 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 1,964,545 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 140,429 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $29 million (1994)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 1% (1994)
@Madagascar:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: claims Bassas da India, Europa Island,
Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island (all
administered by France)
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild
varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point
for heroin
______________________________________________________________________
MALAWI
@Malawi:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, east of Zambia
Geographic coordinates: 13 30 S, 34 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 118,480 sq km
land: 94,080 sq km
water: 24,400 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:
total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to
November)
Terrain: narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills,
some mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary
with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Mount Mlanje Sapitwa 3,002 m
Natural resources: limestone, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal,
and bauxite
Land use:
arable land: 18%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 39%
other: 23% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 280 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment-current issues: deforestation; land degradation; water
pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes;
siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography-note: landlocked
@Malawi:People
Population: 9,840,474 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 2,249,108; female 2,228,934)
15-64 years: 52% (male 2,512,768; female 2,584,516)
65 years and over: 2% (male 111,089; female 154,059) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.66% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 40.22 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 23.68 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 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 133.77 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 36.59 years
male: 36.64 years
female: 36.54 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.62 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian
Ethnic groups: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni,
Ngonde, Asian, European
Religions: Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, traditional
indigenous beliefs
Languages: English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages
important regionally
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 56.4%
male: 71.9%
female: 41.8% (1995 est.)
@Malawi:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form: Malawi
former: Nyasaland
Data code: MI
Government type: multiparty democracy
National capital: Lilongwe
Administrative divisions: 24 districts; Blantyre, Chikwawa,
Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Lilongwe, Machinga
(Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata
Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba
Independence: 6 July 1964 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day 6 July (1964); Republic Day 6 July
(1966)
Constitution: 18 May 1995
Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; judicial
review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note-the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet named by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 17 May 1994 (next to be held by May 1999)
election results: Bakili MULUZI elected president; percent of vote-NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (177 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 17 May 1994 (next to be held by May 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-UDF 84,
AFORD 33, MCP 55, others 5; note-because of defections and
byelections, the seats in the National Assembly were held at the end
of the year as follows: UDF 84, MCP 47, AFORD 34, independents 8, and
vacant 4
note: the constitution of 18 May 1995, in addition to reducing the age
at which universal suffrage is conferred from 21 to 18 years, provided
for a bicameral legislature; by 1999, in addition to the existing
National Assembly, a Senate of 80 seats is to be elected
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice
appointed by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of
the Judicial Service Commission); magistrate's courts
Political parties and leaders:
ruling party: United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI]
opposition groups: Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA];
Congress for the Second Republic or CSR [Kanyama CHIUME]; Malawi
Congress Party or MCP [Gwanda CHAKUAMBA, president/John TEMBO, vice
president]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA, president];
People Democratic Party or PDP [Rolf PATEL]; Social Democratic Party
or SDP [Eston KAKHOME, president]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Willie CHOKANI
chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 797-1007
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Amelia Ellen SHIPPY
embassy: address NA, in new capital city development area in Lilongwe
mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
telephone: [265] 783 166
FAX: [265] 780 471
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red,
and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band
@Malawi:Economy
Economy-overview: Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least
developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with
about 90% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture
accounts for 45% of GDP and 90% of export revenues. The economy
depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF,
the World Bank, and individual donor nations. The new government faces
strong challenges, e.g., to spur exports, to improve educational and
health facilities, and to deal with environmental problems of
deforestation and erosion.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$8.6 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 6% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$900 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 45%
industry: 30%
services: 25% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 83.4% (1995)
Labor force:
total: 3.5 million
by occupation: agriculture 86%, wage earners 14% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $530 million
expenditures: $674 million, including capital expenditures of $129
million (1993)