The Republic of Madagascar gained independence in June 1960, after more than 60 years of French rule. After falling under military rule in the early 1970s, the country's economy went into decline, and was forced to adopt a structural adjustment programme imposed by the International Monetary Fund. Poverty remains rife, and it is estimated that as much as 70% of the population lives on less than $1 a day. Since the appointment of the country's new president Andry Rajoelina, in March 2009, the African Union has suspended Madagascar's membership, and the United States has cut all nonhumanitarian aid.

The country's official languages are Malagasy and French.

Leader: Andry Rajoelina
Capital city: Antananarivo

Economic profile

Monetary unit: Ariary
GDP per capita: $900 (2011) (CIA)
GDP composition by sector:
Agriculture: 26.5% (2010) (CIA)
Industry: 16.7% (2010) (CIA)
Services: 56.8% (2010) (CIA)
GDP growth rate: -2% (2010) (CIA)
Budget:
Government revenue, excluding grants: $896.9-billion (2010) (CIA)
Government expenditure: $1.547-billion (2010) (CIA)
Consumer price inflation: 8.1% (2010) (CIA)
Industries: Meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, and tourism
Exports of goods and services: $1.412-billion (2010) (CIA)
Imports of goods and services: $1.958-billion (2010) (CIA)
Export commodities: Coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, chromite, and petroleum products
Import commodities: Capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, and food

Trade balance: $-600-million (2010) (CIA)

Reserves: $1.038-million (2010) (CIA)
Total investment: 27.2% of GDP (2008) (IMF)
Market capitalisation of listed companies: Figures not available

Social profile

Population: 19,63-million (2011) (World Bank)
Population growth: 2.7% (2011) (World Bank)
Life expectancy at birth: 60.8 years (2011) (World Bank)
Adult literacy: 65% (2008) (World Bank)
School enrolment primary: 160% (2009) (World Bank)

Scholl enrolment secondary: 32% (2009) (World Bank)
School enrolment tertiary: 4% (2009) (World Bank)
Unemployment: 4% (2009) (CIA)
Number of people living with HIV/Aids: 24 000 (2009) (Unicef)