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 deep 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, hydropower
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, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: world's fourth-largest island; strategic location
along Mozambique Channel
@Madagascar:People
Population: 15,506,472 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 3,504,562; female 3,481,056)
15-64 years: 52% (male 3,964,564; female 4,052,056)
65 years and over: 3% (male 237,691; female 266,543) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.02% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 42.92 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 12.69 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 85.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.95 years
male: 52.71 years
female: 57.26 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.84 children born/woman (2000 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
Capital: Antananarivo
Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo,
Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
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 Tantely Rene Gabriot ANDRIANARIVO
(since NA 1998)
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: Didier RATSIRAKA elected president; percent of vote
- Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 50.7%, Albert ZAFY (AFFA) 49.3%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms); note - the legislature is scheduled to become
a bicameral Parliament with the establishment of a Senate; two-thirds
of the seats of this Senate will be filled by regional assemblies
whose members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third
of the seats will be appointed by the president; the total number of
seats will be determined by the National Assembly; all members will
serve four-year terms
elections: National Assembly - last held 17 May 1998 (next to be held
NA 2002)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - AREMA 63, LEADER/Fanilo 16, AVI 14, RPSD 11, AFFA 6,
MFM 3, AKFM/Fanavaozana 3, GRAD/Iloafo 1, Fihaonana 1, independents 32
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional
Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle
Political parties and leaders: Action, Truth, Development, and Harmony
or AFFA ; Association for the Rebirth of
Madagascar or AREMA ; Congress Party for
Malagasy Independence or AKFM/Fanavaozana [Pastor Richard
ANDRIAMANJATO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National
Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo ; Fihaonana Rally or
Fihaonana ; Group of Reflection and Action for the
Development of Madagascar or GRAD/Iloafo ;
Judged by Your Work or AVI ; Movement for the
Progress of Madagascar or MFM ; National Union
for Development and Democracy or UNDD; Renewal of the Social
Democratic Party or RPSD
Political pressure groups and leaders: Federalist Movement; National
Council of Christian Churches or FFKM
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, IOM (observer), ISO
(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, 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: (202) 265-5525, 5526
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Shirley E. BARNES
embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
mailing address: B. P. 620, Antananarivo
telephone: (2) 212-57, 200-89, 207-18
FAX: (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 faces problems of 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 34% 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. Growth should be in
the 5% range in 2000-01.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $11.5 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.5% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $780 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 34%
industry: 12%
services: 54% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 34.9% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.5% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 7 million (1995)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $553 million
expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)
Industries: meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar,
textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper,
petroleum, tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1999 est.)
Electricity - production: 750 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 33.33%
hydro: 66.67%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 698 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa,
rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products
Exports: $600 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports - commodities: coffee 45%, vanilla 20%, cloves, shellfish,
sugar, petroleum products (1995 est.)
Exports - partners: France 40%, US 9%, Germany 8%, Japan 6%, UK 6%
(1997)
Imports: $881 million (c.i.f., 1998 est.)
Imports - commodities: intermediate manufactures 30%, capital goods
28%, petroleum 15%, consumer goods 14%, food 13% (1995 est.)
Imports - partners: France 39%, Hong Kong 5%, Japan 5%, China,
Singapore (1997)
Debt - external: $4.1 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $838 million (1997)
Currency: 1 Malagasy franc (FMG) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Malagasy francs (FMG) per US$1 - 6,302.9 (October
1999), 5,877.81 (1999), 5,441.4 (1998), 5,090.9 (1997), 4,061.3
(1996), 4,265.6 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Madagascar:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 33,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1995)
Telephone system: system is above average for the region
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 2 (plus 8 repeater stations), FM 7,
shortwave 5 (1998)
Radios: 3.05 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 325,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (1999)
@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 Lakandranon' Ampangalana (Canal des Pangalanes)
Ports and harbors: Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga,
Toamasina, Toliara
Merchant marine:
total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,819 GRT/34,173 DWT
ships by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquified gas 1, petroleum
tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off 2 (1999 est.)
Airports: 133 (1999 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 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 104
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 59
under 914 m: 42 (1999 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: 3,525,754 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 2,092,308 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 149,157 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $29 million (FY94)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (FY94)
@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:Introduction
Background: Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland
became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades
of one-party rule, the country held multiparty elections in 1994 under
a provisional constitution, which took full effect the following year.
@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: sub-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: Sapitwa 3,002 m
Natural resources: limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited
deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
Land use:
arable land: 34%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 39%
other: 7% (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: 10,385,849
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population
and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age
and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 2,335,440; female 2,324,012)
15-64 years: 52% (male 2,671,580; female 2,766,560)
65 years and over: 3% (male 117,932; female 170,325) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.61% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 38.49 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 22.44 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 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: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 122.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 37.58 years
male: 37.2 years
female: 37.98 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.33 children born/woman (2000 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%, indigenous
beliefs
Languages: English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages
important regionally
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58%
male: 72.8%
female: 43.4% (1999 est.)
@Malawi:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form: Malawi
former: Nyasaland
Data code: MI
Government type: multiparty democracy
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
note: there may be three new districts named Balaka, Likoma, and
Phalombe
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: 28-member cabinet named by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: Bakili MULUZI reelected president; percent of vote -
Bakili MULUZI (UDF) 51.4%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MCP-AFORD) 44.3%
Legislative branch: National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - UDF 48%, MCP 34%, AFORD
15%, others 3%; seats by party - UDF 93, MCP 66, AFORD 29, others 4,
vacancy 1
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: Alliance for Democracy or AFORD
; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [Gwanda
CHAKUAMBA, president, John TEMBO, vice president]; Malawi Democratic
Party or MDP ; Social Democratic Party or
SDP ; United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili
MULUZI] - governing party
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, OPCW,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, 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: (202) 797-1007
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Amelia Ellen SHIPPY
embassy: address NA, in new development area in Lilongwe
mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
telephone: 783 166
FAX: 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
Government - note: the executive exerts considerable influence over
the legislature
@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 37% of GDP and 85% of export revenues. The economy
depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF,
the World Bank, and individual donor nations. The government faces
strong challenges, e.g., to spur exports, to improve educational and
health facilities, to face up to environmental problems of
deforestation and erosion, and to deal with the rapidly growing
problem of HIV/AIDS.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.4 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.2% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $940 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 37%
industry: 29%
services: 34% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: 54% (1990-91 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 45% (1999)
Labor force: 3.5 million
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 86%, wage earners 14% (1990
est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $490 million
expenditures: $523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY99/00 est.)
Industries: tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer
goods
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 922 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 2.39%
hydro: 97.61%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 857 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn,
potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; cattle, goats
Exports: $510 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: tobacco, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts,
wood products
Exports - partners: South Africa 15%, US 9%, Germany 9%, Netherlands
7%, Japan (1998)
Imports: $512 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities: food, petroleum products, semimanufactures,
consumer goods, transportation equipment
Imports - partners: South Africa 38%, Zimbabwe 18%, Zambia 8%, Japan
4%, US, UK, Germany (1998)
Debt - external: $2.3 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $416.5 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Malawian kwacha (MK) = 100 tambala
Exchange rates: Malawian kwachas (MK) per US$1 - 46.3494 (December
1999), 44.0881 (1999), 31.0727 (1998), 16.4442 (1997), 15.3085 (1996),
15.2837 (1995)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Malawi:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 34,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 382 (1995)
Telephone system:
domestic: fair system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links,
and radiotelephone communications stations
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 4 (plus 15 repeater stations),
shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios: 2.6 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1999)
Televisions: 0 (1999)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)
@Malawi:Transportation
Railways:
total: 789 km
narrow gauge: 789 km 1.067-m gauge
Highways:
total: 28,400 km
paved: 5,254 km
unpaved: 23,146 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi); Shire River, 144 km
Ports and harbors: Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota,
Chilumba
Airports: 44 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 39
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 23 (1999 est.)
@Malawi:Military
Military branches: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment),
Police (includes paramilitary Mobile Force Unit)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,397,385 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,229,676 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $17 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.8% (FY96/97)
@Malawi:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in
Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)
______________________________________________________________________
MALAYSIA
@Malaysia:Introduction