Madagascar     [60]
(Independent in 1960 from France)
ISO COUNTRY CODE: MG
LAND AREA: 592800 sq. km
NUMBER OF ISLANDS BY SIZE (sq. km):

>17,000	>10,000	>1,000	>100	>10	>1	<1	Unknown	TOTAL
0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

DEMOGRAPHY
  POPULATION: 15353000 (1996)
  DENSITY: 26 persons/sq. km    GROWTH RATE: 2%/year
  POP AGR/FISH/MINING: 78%
  URBAN POP: 26% (1994), versus 11% (1960), Annual Growth: 5.8%
  LIFE EXPECTANCY: 57.2 years,  ADULT LITERACY: 45.8%
  INFANT MORTALITY: 87 per/1000 (1994), versus 178 (1960)
  HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX: 0.350

ECONOMY
  GNP: US$3.1 billion
  GDP/Capita: $205  GDP/Capita PPP: $694
  GDP/Capita: 1960 $340, 1970 $357, 1980 $311, 1990 $244
  OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE: $301 million  ODA%GNP: 16.4%
  ODA/Capita: $23

ENVIRONMENT (see also individual islands)
  TOTAL FOREST AREA: 15106,000 ha, 26.0% of land area, 1.0 ha/capita
  NATURAL FOREST AREA: 14889,000 ha
  ARABLE LAND: 4.4% of land area
NATURE CONSERVATION INTEREST:

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
  ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION: 42 kw-hr/capita, versus 36 kw-hr/cap (1970)
  TRADITIONAL FUEL CONSUMPTION: 84% (1993), versus 77% (1973)
  INTERNAL RENEWABLE WATER RESOURCES: 22.8,000 cu.m/cap/year
  SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION (1990-92): 8 kg/cap/year, CHANGE SINCE 1980-82: 29%
  CHANGE IN ANNUAL MARINE CATCH 1980-82 to 1990-92: 306%

INSTITUTIONS
GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENT/SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY: