Madagascar
Madagascar lies in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa opposite Mozambique. The world's fourth-largest island, it is twice the size of Arizona. The country's low-lying coastal area gives way to a central plateau. The island is heavily exposed to tropical cyclones, which bring torrential rains and destructive floods, such as the ones in 2000 and 2004, which left thousands homeless.
Malagasy people are thought to be descendents of Africans and Indonesians who settled on the island more than 2,000 years ago. About three-quarters of Madagascar’s 18.6 million inhabitants live in rural areas. Seventy percent of Malagasy people live on less than $1 per day. The country’s main source of income is agriculture, which employs about eighty-four percent of workers.
Madagascar Facts and Figures
Capital |
Antananarivo |
Population |
18.6 million |
Major Languages |
Malagasy (official), French |
Major Religions |
Indigenous beliefs, Christianity |
Land area |
587,041 sq km |
Climate |
Tropical, subject to torrential rains in summer |
Terrain |
Narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in centre |
Food Production |
Coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts, livestock products |
Natural Resources |
Petroleum, unique wildlife, gemstones |
Literacy (population age 15+) |
71% |
Life expectancy at birth |
54 years (men), 57 years (women) |
Children underweight for age |
42% |
Human Development Index |
146 out of 177 |
Population living below national poverty line |
71% |
Major infectious diseases |
degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis |
Population with access to safe water |
50% |
GDP per capita: |
US $857 |
Government |
Multiparty republic |
TAPFIRE Projects in Madagascar:
Fire Fighting and Emergency Assistance in Antananarivo, Madagascar
Fire Prevention and Protection for the Rural Community of Anjoma Itsara in Madagascar
Basic Diagnostics Laboratory for Community Health Centers in Madagascar
Water and Sanitation Services for the Rural Community of Anjoma Itsara in Madagascar