Discovering Madagascar

»Name

»Capital

»Population

»Flag

»Geography

»Social/economic indicators

»National anthem

»Climate

»History

»President

»Administrative subdivision

»Further information

1. Name

Républic of Madagascar

2. Flag

3. National anthem

4. President

2002 - : Marc RAVALOMANANA

5. Capital

Antananarivo

6. Geography

Madagascar, also known as the Republic of Madagascar, lies some 250 miles (400 km) off the east coast of Africa, south of the equator. It is separated from Africa by the Mozambique Channel and is crossed by the Tropic of Capricorn near the southern town of Toliara. The world's fourth largest island after Greenland, New Guinea, and Borneo, Madagascar is 1,013 miles (1600 km) long by 350 miles (570 km) at its widest point. Madagascar has an area of 226,661 square miles (587 051 km²), 2½ times the size of Great Britain and a little smaller than Texas.

7. Climate

Madagascar has a tropical climate divided into rainy (October - March) and dry seasons (April - September).

In the Highlands: temperatures and rainfall are influenced by altitude. In June, the night-time temperature can drop to freezing in Antsirabe. Storms are frequent in Summer.

East : South-west trade winds drop their moisture on the eastern mountain slopes and blow hot and dry in the west. North-west "monsoon" air currents bring heavy rain in the summer, decreasing southward so that the rainfall in Tolagnaro is half that of Toamasina. The east of Madagascar frequently suffers from cyclones during February and March and these may hit other areas, particularly in the north but also the west. The North-west region (Sambirano) which includes the island of Nosy Be has a micro-climate with frequent heavy rain alternating with clear skies such as in the East.

West : Rainfall decreases from the North to south.

South : It is the driest part of Madagascar.

8. Administrative subdivision

The country is divided into six (6) Autonomous Provinces, themselves subdivided into twenty-two (22) Regions, one hundred and eleven (111) Districts and around one thousand five hundred and fifty-eight (1,558) Communes. These urban and rural Communes are made up of about ten thousand Areas.

Here is the surface area of each Province:

9. Population

The Malagasy form one nation with one basic culture and language - though with many dialects -, but there are eighteen (18) different "tribes" or clans officialy recognised by the government. The division is based more upon historical background and geographic location than upon ethnic grouping. These tribes are listed individually below:

the Antefasy (People-of-the-sands) in Farafangana; the Antemoro (People-of-the-coast) in the South-East of Manakara; the Antesaka in the South-East; the Antakarana (People-of-the-rocks) in Ambilobe and Antsiranana; the Antambahoaka (Those-of-the-people) in Mananjary; the Antandroy (People-of-the-thorn) in the extreme South; the Antanosy (People-of-the-island) in Taolagnaro; les Bara from Ihosy to Mandabe; the Betsileo (The-many-invincibles) in the South of the Mania and Mahatsiatra rivers; the Betsimisaraka (The-many-inseparables) from Antalaha to Mahanoro, mainly in the east coast; the Bezanozano (Many-small-plaits) in Moramanga, Mangoro region; the Mahafaly (Those-who-make-taboos or Those-who-make-happy) in Ampanihy and Betioky; the Merina (People-of-the-Highlands) in Antananarivo; the Sakalava (People-of-the-large-valleys) from Morombe to Analalava; the Sihanaka (People-of-the-swamps) in the Alaotra Lake; the Tanala or Antanala (People-of-the-forest) from Ifanadiana to Iakora; the Tsimihety (Those-who-do-not-cut-their-hair) in Sofia and the Vezo (The-fishermen-people) in Toliara.

There are ethnic subgroups such as: the Tanalana among the Mahafaly; the Sara among the Vezo; the Mikea/Makoa among Masikoro; the Zafimaniry among the Tanala; the Betanimena among the Betsimisaraka; the Zafisoro among Antesaka.

The population numbered approximately 2,242,000 at the beginning of the XX^th century and its average annual growth rate was quite low until 1950 (1%). The population sharp increase is thus a relatively recent phenomenon. It reached 2,2% in 1966, 2,7% in 1975 and is estimated at 2,8% in 1993.

The Malagasy population, which was of 6,462,000 inhabitants in 1966 and 7,603 790 in 1975, increased to 12,238,914 according to the 1993 Census Report (RGPH).  It is  estimated at 18,866,000 in 2008 according to the Census Bureau's projection (INSTAT).

Antananarivo provides a base for 30% of Madagascar's population; even more so, it remains the most densely populated Province. Fianarantsoa makes up the second reservoir of population (22%).  Toliara and Toamasina have the same rate: 15% each. Lastly, Mahajanga and Antsiranana are the residence places of 15% and 7 % of the Malagasy.

56.6% of the population are aged below 20.  The percentage of the population aged 65 and above is quite low: 2.7%, which reflects a low life expectancy at birth (57.2 years):  56.3 years for men  and 58.1 for women.  According to estimates, there is also a marked parity between men and women: 99.8 men for 100 women.

There is a very negligible inflow of foreign population in Madagascar. However, European , American, Asian, African and Arab communities exist in the country.

10. Social and economic indicators

a. Malagasy household

The Malagasy household is made up of 4.9 subjects and monogamous customary weddings are the most common in the country: 41.1% of the cases.

b. Health

According to the INSTAT, a Malagasy woman would give birth to 5.2 children if she were to live at the end of her childbearing years. Between the 1991-2003/04 period, for 100,000 live births, 469 women died from maternity-related reasons. Theses women die during pregnancy, labour or the postpartum period.

The infant mortality rate is estimated at 58 per 1.000 live births in 2003-2004. It has sharply decreased since 1997. Madagascar is then ranking among the Sub-Saharan countries with low infant mortality rate.

Malaria holds the highest incidence rate (42.2%) as a source of morbidity in the island; it is followed by diarrhoeic diseases which account for 11.9% of the recorded cases. (Source: INSTAT 2004).

AIDS has become a national concern even though numbers of the people living with this disease are still negligible: 59 Aids sufferers and 226 HIV positives for 218,310 tested subjects in June 2003. To this end, public awareness campains have been carried out everywhere in the country. In 2003, the Ministry of Health and Family Planning shows a 1.1% the HIV prevalence rate and the Government plans to reduce it in the years to come. On February, 27^th 2006, the President himself and his Wife took part in a blood test to set a good example.

c. Education

35.2% of the population aged 6 and above were considered illiterate in 2004 hence a sharp decrease since 2002. in this respect, the gross primary school enrollment trade stabilized approximately to 122% between 2002 and 2004 whereas the net primary school enrollment trade increased and reached 85.6% in 2004 (Source: INSTAT 2004).

d. Unemployment

In Madagascar, the unemployment rate is 2.8% in 2005. It is particularly high in Antananarivo; thus, unemployment is mainly an urban phenomenon and is found in the capital.

e. The National headcount index

In 2004, 72,1% of the population live below the poverty line deemed appropriate for the country. Poverty is mainly a rural phenomenon since in any provinces, the highest rate is always found in rural areas. Antsiranana and Antananarivo record the lowest rates due to the high concentration of economic activities in these provinces: vanilla growing for Antsiranana and free-zone enterprises for Antananarivo.

f. Economy

Madagascar is a farming country; 3 households out of 4 practice an agricultural activity. Different subsistence crops are produced in each area, depending on the climate: rice, cassava and maize,... In addition, the island is also known for the production of many export crops such as vanilla, coffee and clove. Shrimping and tourism are also an important source of foreign currencies for the country.

However, the farming activity on which the Malagasy depend mainly is quite rudimentary and the cultivated surface area as well as the farm yield is still low. Its rate in the Gross Domestic Product is still negligible: approximately 26% in 2005.

Industries are still underdeveloped in the country except the free-zone enterprises. In 2001, 308 free-zone enterprises were recorded, employing 110 000 people, that is 1/4 of the manufacturing sector labour.

2002 was a bad year for Madagascar's economy because the post-electoral crisis paralysed all economic activities: closing down of many firms, job losses, energy supply problems, decrease of international tourist number (61,674 in 2002, 170,208 in 2001) ... The economic growth rate has reached its lowest level (-12.7%) since the independence.

After the 2002 crisis, the resumption of the economy including the free-zone manufacturing production started from the end of the same year and continued in 2003. In 2003, the free-zone enterprises manufacturing production recorded a 77% sharp increase. The same is true of the other sectors such as tourism, international tourism number also increased to 139,230 in 2003. The GNP reached 9.8% in 2003, 5.3% in 2004 and 5.1 in 2005.

In Octobre 2004, Madagascar met all the conditions required to reach the "completion point" and a significant  part of its debts were written off.

In spite of the resumption, the Malagasy economy suffered from the explosion in prices of oil barrel which was worsened by a strong depreciation of the Ariary hence a galloping inflation since 2004: 13,8 % in 2004 and 18,4 % in 2005.

In addition to the economic recovery plan in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), Madagascar has many assets which should promote the fast economic development of the country inter alia:

– a very vast territory,

– a favorable climat,

– a mainly endemic fauna/flora,

– an enormous potential in farming and fishing,

– abounding mining resources in its subsoil,

- a young population,

- strong and preserved cultural values.

11. History

I. IMPORTANT DATES OF MADAGASCAR'S HISTORY

Up to the xix^th century, the Malagasy chronology is very vague.

a. Old history

During four ou five centuries before and after J.-C., settlement of the island.

b. The Middle Ages

Approximately from the ix^th to the xiv^th century, Arab penetration. The Malagasy population was divided into several clans and tribes.

c. Modern era

d. Contemporary era

II. ORIGINS OF THE MALAGASY PEOPLE

Madagascar's history is very difficult to tell since the information on the country is rare and dubious. On the one hand, the ground has not delivered any skeleton or object proving the existence of prehistoric men. Until proved otherwise, it seems that the settlement of the island goes back to a recent time. On the other hand, the first inhabitants, known as the vazimba left only oral traditions and legends; the oldest: Tantara ny Andriana eto Madagascar starts only in the xv^th century and concerns mainly the Merina people. Thus, Andrianampoinimerina, a king living at the time of Napoleon, is less known than Charlemagne, who reigned thousand years earlier.

Madagascar’s history starts only with the European arrival in the xvi^th- xvii^th centuries. It is then necessary to compare the local habits with those of the other people to find indications on the Malagasy’s distant past.

III. SETTLEMENT OF THE ISLAND

a. Beginning of the Island occupation

The first population settled in isolated groups [clans] in the East coast and the North-West plains and small valleys where the winds pushed them. Disputing grounds, they always fought each other thus they lived on fortified heights which could be easily defended against their enemies’ attacks. They were mainly hunter-gatherers, but they also practised slash-and-burn cultivation. Growing in number, they went to the valleys on the other side of the island. Unfortunately, they have rudimentary production tools to develop these plots of land with broad rivers. Like the majority of Asian people, Madagascar’s first inhabitants were afraid of the Eastern thick forest: they hesitated for a long time to climb the Angavo wooded cliff which is difficult to get to. They believe that this cliff was peopled with evil spirits. Therefore, they had to use the natural ways (Androna, Ihosy).

The first centuries of Madagascar’s history were thus a period of fights, hard and primitive life and continual displacement.

b. The role of the Arabs

Coming from Africa and the Comoros, the Arabs moved in the North-West, the North-East and the South-East of Madagascar especially from the ix^th to the xiv^th centuries. Many traces of their occupation can be found in the island particularly in Vohémar.

Being well-organised, the Arabs:

1° taught new practices: trade, slavery, currencies, calendar, soothsaying (sikidy), writing.

2° designated heads who organize the clans into tribes and extend their territory thanks to the superiority of their weapons. Taimoro heads who commanded the Tanala, Bara and Betsileo tribes were called in Imerina. The South-East population and the Sakalava were the most influenced. The Arab contributions have caused many displacements in the island.

c. Settlement of the Highlands

The settlement of the highlands has been carried out in two stages at a vague date:

1° Nothing is known about the first populations called Vazimba which settlled in Imerina and Betsileo on the xii^th and xiv^th centuries.

2° Then tribes coming from Malaysia, probably the last to arrive in the island crossed the Angavo wooded cliff, subdued the Bezanozano of Ankay and emerged in Imerina. Using force and skill, they succeeded in dominating and pushing back the Vazimba: this is the origin of the merina and betsileo kingdoms.

Those migrants have left many vestiges (raised stones, fortifications...).

IV. MADAGASCAR AND FRANCE IN THE XVIIth AND XVIIth CENTURIES

The French didn’t take part in discovering Madagascar, but many French ships visited the Island in the xvi^th and the xvii^th centuries. The first sustainable European establishment was founded by a French Commercial Company.

a. Fondation of Fort-Dauphin

France needed a port of call when sailing to the Indies. Advised by sailors who had visited Africa and Mauritius’ coasts and had close ties with the Malagasy, the king of France charged, in 1642, a ship belonging to the Compagnie de l’Orient "to take possession of the Island, to found dwellings and to practise trade". Pronis, the person in charge of the expedition preferred the close peninsula (Taolankarana) where Fort-Dauphin is build instead of the Saint-Luce bay which was unhealthy.

Governor Flacourt (from 1648 to 1655) forced the inhabitants to deliver products, especially cattle to France. During the expeditions, he explored the South and the East of the Island. Certain French went even to work for local headmen, some others were sent to La Reunion which was yet uninhabited at that time. Flacourt wrote L’Histoire de la Grande Île de Madagascar, the first book on the country which is still read with interest.

His successors did not show willpower. The Company did not find in the country the expected wealth; the ships came more rarely; the colonists discouraged themselves and Fort-Dauphin was abandoned in 1674.

b. The French in Madagascar in the XIIIth century

The Large Island interested especially:

1. pirates, attracted by the intense traffic to the Indies who settled Sainte-Marie at the beginning of the century.

2. the French colonists from La Reunion and Maurice (called then Bourbon and France), coffee and sugar producers who needed meat and rice which they would seek at the trading post established along the East coast (Foulpointe).

Madagascar was thus dropped in favour of the Mascareignes Islands. However, at the end of the century, travellers went inland and crossed Madagascar from Tamatave to Majunga. Mayeur, one of them discovered with amazement Imerina whose inhabitants can weave cotton and silk, work iron, and irrigate rice plantations...

XI. THE FRENCH CONQUEST

Even during the period of British influence the French maintained a long-standing claim to Madagascar and in 1883 they attacked and occupied the main ports. The Franco-Malagasy war lasted thirty months, and was concluded by a harsh treaty giving France a form of protectorate over Madagascar. Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony, hoping for British support, managed to evade full acceptance of the protectorate but the British government signed away its interest in the Convention of Zanzibar in 1980. The French finally imposed their rule by invasion in 1895. For a year the country was a full protectorate and in 1896 Madagascar became a French colony. A year later, Queen Ranavalona III and the Prime Minister were exiled to Algeria and the monarchy abolished.

a. The 1896 anarchy

The French Government believed the conquest finished when Antananarivo was easily captured and it left just a few troops around the capital. Some members of the Malagasy Government took advantage of the situation and started the "Fahavalo" or rebel movement. The anti-french rebellion was supported by slaves released by France who had no means of support. The population in the other provinces rised up against the Merina (Betsimisaraka, Sakalava). It was the anarchy.

b. The first French Governor-General of Madagascar

Then, Paris appointed Joseph Simon Gallieni Governor-General of Madagascar. He is well-know for the peacemaking actions undertaken in Africa and Indochina. He was an able and relatively benign administrator. He set out to break the power of the Merina aristocracy and remove the British influence by banning the teaching of English. French became the official language.

XII. ANTI-COLONIALISM MOVEMENTS

The regret of the past, the refusal to comply to the established order and the abuses of certain colonists gave birth to the anti-colonialism movements. In addition, the Malagasy claimed the repatriation of the Queen.

The movements can be divided as follows:

- the spontaneous fights of the Menalamba (1895-1898) and of the Sadiavaha (1904-1905) and

- the organized fights of the Vy – Vato – Sakelika (VVS) (1913-1916), of Jean Ralaimongo (1918-1929) and of the "Mouvement Démocratique pour la Renovation Malgache" (MDRM).

In 1947 an uprising by the Malagasy against the French was bloodily repressed (some 80,000 are said to have been killed) but the spirit of independence  lived on and in 1960 the country achieved full independence.

XIII. BRITISH MILITARY TRAINING AND THE TWO WORLD WARS

Britain has played an important part in the military history of Madagascar. During the war which preceded colonisation, British mercenaries trained the Malagasy army to fight the French. The first World War saw 46,000 Malagasy recruited for the Allies and over 2,000 killed. In 1942, when Madagascar was under the control of the Vichy French, the British invaded Madagascar to forestall the possibility of the Japanese Navy making use of the great harbour of Diego-Suarez. Prior to that, in 1941, Hitler considered the forced deportation of European Jews to Madagascar.

In 1943, Madagascar was handed back to France under the free French Government.

XIV. THE MALAGASY REPUBLIC

Since 1896, Madagascar had been run by France. In 1957, the first Malagasy Government was instituted with the outline law. On September 28^th 1958, most of the population agreed to become part of the French Community and on October 14^th of the same year, all the regional councillors proclaimed the Malagasy Republic during an extraordinary congress. This date was chosen as the national holiday.

The 1896 annexion law was abolished on October 15^th 1958 and the colonial period came to its end. The first Constitution of the Malagasy Republic was adopted on April 29^th 1959.

On May 1^st 1959, Philibert Tsiranana, a teacher who is a graduate of the "Ecole Normale de Montpellier" was elected President of the Republic. During his swearing-ceremony in front of the Parliament and the population at Mahamasina, he undertook solemnly to respect the Constitution.

On June 26^th 1960, an agreement between the President of the Malagasy Republic and the French Government gave the independence to Madagascar.

XV. THE MAIN POLITICAL EVENTS SINCE 1989

During the 2^nd Republic, towards the end of the 2^nd presidential term of office, censure was lifted and democratic pluralism instituted in recognition of multiparty system. Some political parties left the National Front for the Defense of the Revolution, protested against the reelection of the retiring president and claimed the setting up of the transitional Government in charge of preparing the advent of the 3^rd Republic preceded by a Constitutional change and a review of the electoral code.

A transitional government was instituted by the Panorama Convention on October 31^st 1991. Transition institutions were established. They were made up of:

- the presidency under the supervision of President Didier RATSIRAKA,

- the State High Authority chaired by Professor Albert ZAFY

- a government lead by a Prime Minister invested with a full power and

- the Economic and Social Recovery Committee.

President Didier RATSIRAKA stayed on as head of the presidency. Professor Albert ZAFY was appointed head of the State High Authority whereas the government was led by Prime Minister Guy Willy RAZANAMASY. The transition government were in charge of organizing forums, preparing an early presidential election as well as the advent of the 3^rd Republic. During the transitional period, the Economic and Social Recovery Committee was created to give recommendation to the government in place of the National Assembly which was dissolved.

A new Constitution resulting from regional and national forums was adopted on September 1992 which gave birth to the 3^rd Republic with a parliamentary system and a once renewable five-year mandate for the president.

Seven candidates standed for election on November 1992. Albert ZAFY won the 2^nd round on March 1993. On September 1995, President Albert ZAFY organized a Constitutional amendement referendum to come back to a presidential system.

Following the motion of censure passed against Prime Minister Emmanuel RAKOTOVAHINY, President Albert ZAFY appointed Norbert Lala RATSIRAHONANA Prime Minister. After the motion of "empêchement" voted against President ZAFY Albert, Prime Minister Norbert Lala RATSIRAHONANA was appointed Head of the State and the Government by the High Constitutional Court. He was then in charge of preparing an early presidential election.

The former President, Didier RATSIRAKA, was re-elected on January 31^st 1997.

On September 1998, he organized a Constitutional amendement instituting the Autonomous Provinces and replacing the term «power» by «function» of the State.

XVI. THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF DECEMBER 16th 2001

The result of the 2001 presidential election for which six candidates standed was controversial. On January 25^th 2002, the Constitutional High Court whose seat was provisionally transferred at the Hôtel Ermitage located at Mantasoa, ordered the 2^nd round to be carried out since any of the two candidates did not obtain over 50% of the recorded votes.

A popular movement of national scope, in the form of a demonstration followed by a strike called for a confrontation of the election statement of offence for the 16,000 polling stations. On the one hand, Didier RATSIRAKA's partisans opposed the confrontation; on the other hand the committee supporting Marc RAVALOMANANA organized, as a mark of protest, demonstrations against the decision pronounced by the CHC of Mantasoa.

On February 22^nd 2002 took place the investiture of Marc RAVALOMANANA as a President of the Republic. It was at that time discribed as an extra-constitutional auto-proclamation by the international community.

The two candidates attempted to resolve the crisis. Then thanks to President ABDOULAYE WADE of Senegal and under the aegis of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), they met in Dakar on April 2002 and signed the «DAKAR I» agreement. According to the terms of the agreement, the organisation of the vote counting was recommended and if any of the two candidates would not obtain over 50% of the recorded votes, a 2^nd round should be carried out.

On April 16^th 2002, the Administrative Courts annulled the appointment of the Constitutional High Court members who had pronounced the decision of Mantasoa. This decision follows upon an appeal lodged by one of the candidates who had applied for his appointment in this high courts. The annulment was based on the non-compliance with the appointment procedures of the Constitutional High Court members. Through the same decision, the Administrative Courts also rehabilitated the former CHC members.

After having counted the votes once again, the Constitutional Court declared Marc RAVALOMANANA victorious at the end of the 1^st round with 51.46% of the recorded votes against 35.90% for Didier RATSIRAKA.

On May 6^th 2002 took place the second investiture - this time official - of Marc RAVALOMANANA as President of the Republic.

In reaction to this, the outgoing president and his partisans ordered the transformation of the Autonomous Provinces into federated States whereas the Malagasy Constitution forbids any attempts which aim at calling national unity into question. Barricades and destruction of bridges and public property took place everywhere in the Island.

On June 2002, a second meeting - the DAKAR II agreement - took place in Senegal under the aegis of the Organisation of African Unity. It aimed at finding common ground to the crisis.

After recognition of the new President's authority by Switzerland, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United-States of America et later on by France, Marc RAVALOMANANA made every effort to restore normality throughout the country and to ensure rapid economic recovery. In each Province, the imminent advance of the liberation army made up of the regular army and the reservists compelled the outgoing president and his close partisans to leave the country in a hurry. The smashing of the uneconomical roadblock didn't came up against any major resistance, excepted in the North of the Island. The Resistance led by Colonel Coutity ended in failure. The restoration of the provision of oil supply allowed to return to normal, ending a time of widespread shortage situation.

12. Further information on Madagascar

Further details on the island can be obtainend by visiting the following websites:

http://www.madagascar-guide.com

http://www.quid.fr/monde.html

http://www.madagascar-vision.com

http://www.madagascar-tourisme.com/madagascar/pbzt/index.htm