From the point of view of the traveler (curious, quite heat-resistant and very wealthy – others do not go here), Madagascar is a “continent in miniature”, literally overflowing with exotic life forms, many of which are found only on this island. There are extinct volcanoes and high mountains, valleys and rivers (including the Tsiribihina River),… Read More »
According to abbreviationfinder, Antananarivo is the capital and largest city of Madagascar, and is also the capital of the province of the same name. It is located in the center of the island. It has a population of 1,403,449 residents, made up mainly of the Merino ethnic group. It is a modern city, which is also… Read More »
Population in Madagascar According to directoryaah, the Malagasy population is divided into various subgroups called Foko, which have developed a common identity through the common language Malagasy, but differ considerably in terms of social institutions and traditions. The Malagasy state officially recognizes 18 such Foko, of which the Merina, who maintained their own state in… Read More »
Currency: Ariary (MGA) Exchange rate: 4323.39 MGA per 1 € (15.06.2020) Time zone: GMT + 3 Country code (phone): +261 Climate (for capital): Subtropical (savanna) climate Entry and residence regulations The Federal Foreign Office in particular provides up-to-date information on entry requirements for Madagascar. German citizens need a visa to enter Madagascar, which is issued… Read More »
Living in Antananarivo Antananarivo is the political, economic and administrative center of Madagascar. As early as 1630, the city was the seat of the ruler, and in 1796 the Merina king Andrianampoinimerina made it the center of his empire. The name Antananarivo means “city of a thousand”and comes from the legend that a thousand soldiers… Read More »
The official languages (= official languages) in Madagascar are Malagasy (German: Malagasy, French: Malgache) and French, with Malagasy being the national language. French is spoken by only about 20% of the Malagasy people, but French is understood by a larger proportion of the population. English was also the national language between 2007 and 2010; however,… Read More »
Education The school in Madagascar was first introduced by British teachers in the pre-colonial era. During and in the years after the French colonial era, France’s dominance expanded to include political, economic and cultural areas in Madagascar, and educational policy in the school sector was entirely dedicated to teaching the French language, but also to… Read More »
Urban-rural dualism The majority of Madagascans live in the countryside, only 36.4% live in urban areas. The largest agglomeration area is the capital Antananarivo with approx. 1.8 million residents. The population density is highest here, followed by the highlands and the east coast and partially in the north, while only very low population densities are… Read More »
Culture Apart from customs, manners and traditions, cultural forms of behavior and ways of thinking in Madagascar cannot be generalized, but tendencies can be identified. So “Mora mora” (= “Nice and slow!”) Is not just a saying, but stands for an attitude towards life and the meaning of time. Most Madagascans do not have a… Read More »
The health system in Madagascar is mainly designed by the French model and provides various health care facilities at different levels. In rural areas there are the “Centers de Santé de Base (CSB I), larger villages have the CSB II and in cities there are” Centers Hospitaliers de District de Levels I and II (CHD… Read More »
Religion Religion, belief, God and ancestors are very important to the Malagasy people and are always interwoven. About 40% of the residents of Madagascar have a Christian faith, the other half are animistic and thus representatives of natural religions. 23% of the Malagasy people are Catholic, 18% Protestants. Islam did not gain acceptance in Madagascar… Read More »
In Madagascar, the Family Ministry (Ministère de la Population, de la Protection Sociale et de la Promotion de la Femme = MPPSPF) is responsible for the concerns of families, children and women. This also includes laws to protect children, women and the family. In reality, however, these laws and rights are often not followed –… Read More »
Proportion of literate adults: 74.8% (2018) Major religions: Indigenous Faith (52%), Christianity (41%) Urban population: 36.4% (2017) Life expectancy (female / male): 64.4 (m), 67.4 (w) years (2016), total 65.9 (2016) Gender Inequality Index (GII): not specified (2018) Number of births: 4.13 per woman (2017) Infant mortality: 53.6 per thousand live births (2018) Population According… Read More »
Despite a common language – Malagasy – the population of Madagascar can be described as very heterogeneous. Mainly 18 ethnic groups can be distinguished. These indigenous peoples or tribes with predominantly Asian roots have developed their own traditions and have preserved them to this day, which is expressed in architecture, dance and music, handicrafts and… Read More »
Regional and global trade The export and import rates, which have been rising continuously since the 1990’s, and the resulting trade balance have improved significantly since 2015. Although the import rate is still higher than the export rate, there is an overall upswing, at least in terms of trade dynamics. If one looks at the… Read More »
With continued population growth of currently approx. 2.7%, persistent structures and only low investment dynamics, it is likely that the seriously low standard of living of the population of Madagascar will deteriorate further, the overexploitation of nature will increase and political unrest will become probable. In order to counteract the downward spiral in an economically,… Read More »
The industry Industry is Madagascar’s weakest economic segment. Only around 9% of those in employment work in the secondary sector and generate around 26% of GDP. Up until 2009 the country relied heavily on promoting industrial production, but the political crisis also stopped or slowed down many reform plans here. The industry is now recovering;… Read More »
Madagascar’s economy is dominated by agriculture. The Madagascans, who often operate in subsistence, have long been unable to increase production due to natural limiting factors such as soil erosion, decreasing soil fertility and the consequences of climate change. Today, even food imports can not prevent major famines. Reform plans to improve the infrastructure and make… Read More »
Estimated GDP: $ 12.55 billion (2019; estimated) Per capita income (purchasing power parity): US $ 929.9 (2018) Rank of human development (HDI, 2018): Rank 162 (out of 189), value: 0.521 Proportion of poverty (less than $ 2 per day): 70.7% (2017) Distribution of income (Gini coefficient): 42.7 (2012) (no more recent data available) Economic Transformation… Read More »
Governance and the rule of law Since the elections held in 2013, the political climate in Madagascar has become more democratic and, overall, relatively stable political conditions can be positively emphasized, but in principle one cannot speak of a functional multi-party system in which a government pursues social interests and democracy-compliant strategies are implemented. Since… Read More »
Relations with France At no other European country Madagascar has still so close relations as with France. The foreign policy of Madagascar was shaped immediately after or in the 1st republic by the still very close relations with the former colonial power France. Conventions and agreements with French trading partners such as the Compagnie Marseillaise… Read More »
Human rights and corruption Human rights have been violated frequently in Madagascar’s history. Many people died a cruel death under the cruel Queen Ranavalona I, but also during the French colonial times during the wars of occupation. The protection of human rights is anchored in the Malagasy constitution and is also required internationally as a… Read More »
In 2009 there was bloody unrest and a coup, in the course of which Andry Rajoelina took power. He was convinced that a new government without Ravalomanana would give Madagascar the much needed development and accused the president of disregarding the constitution and acting as a dictator. The 2009 coup was internationally criticized, but ultimately… Read More »
Different government models with fluctuating development after independence from France, bloody coup attempts, the military government in the 1970’s, non-transparent elections, corruption and mismanagement, high national debts and the overexploitation of nature have marked Madagascar domestically. For a large part of the population, living conditions remain precarious and dominated by poverty. As a result of… Read More »
The judiciary in Madagascar is based on the French system. The two-tier jurisdiction, which was valid until the 1970’s, divided into a general jurisdiction for Malagasy people and a local jurisdiction for foreigners, was transferred to one system. The Supreme Court (Cour Suprême) is the highest instance and has its seat in Antananarivo. Other courts… Read More »
Form of government and constitution Madagascar is a democratic republic and has a semi-presidential system of government. The president is directly elected by the Malagasy people for five years. He can rule for two terms of office, i.e. remain in office for a maximum of ten years. The parliament consists of two chambers, the Senate… Read More »
3rd Republic (1993-2010) It was not until 1993 that Albert Zafy was elected as the new president. He won against Ratsiraka (33%) with 66% of the vote. At this point in time, many hoped for a new beginning, for Madagascar to regain economic strength and to alleviate the suffering population. But Zafy’s attempt to rehabilitate… Read More »
Independence Day: June 26, 1960 Head of state: Andry Rajoelina Head of government: Prime Minister Christian Ntsay Political system: Semi-presidential system of government Democracy Status Index (BTI): Rank 73 (of 137) (2020) Corruption Index (CPI): Rank 158 (of 180) (2019) Ibrahim Index of African Governance: Rank 35 (out of 54) (2020), Score: 44.4 / 100… Read More »
The cruel widow of Radama I, Ranavalona I, ruled for 33 years and established a kingdom that was characterized by brutal oppression, the prohibition of Christianity and the expulsion of Europeans. Ranavalona established a veritable reign of terror. In particular, the “justice” carried out in the manner of a divine judgment with the help of… Read More »
Early history Data on the early historical settlement of Madagascar are imprecise and incomplete. Archaeological finds such as cut marks on fossil bones or the remains of human settlements are considered to have proven that the first humans around 300 BC. have set foot in Madagascar. According to the Malagasy legend, the Vazimba were the… Read More »