Madagascar

Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, and previously known as the Malagasy Republic. Malagasy and French are its official languages. Its official currency is Malagasy Ariary (MGA). The largest African island is situated in the Indian Ocean, about 450 km (280 mi) east of the coast of Mozambique. Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world has been isolated for about 88 million years and many of its plants and animals are unique to the island.

Although, the country is located some 250 miles (400 km) from the African continent, Madagascar’s population is not primarily related to African peoples, but rather to those of Indonesia, more than 3,000 miles (4,800 km) to the east.

The first people arrived in Madagascar between 350 BC and 550 AD from Borneo on outrigger canoes. These Austronesian first settlers were joined around 1000 AD by Bantu migrants crossing the Mozambique Channel.

The Malagasy are of mixed Malayo-Indonesian and African-Arab ancestry. Indonesians are believed to have migrated to the island about 700. King Andrianampoinimerina (1787–1810) ruled the major kingdom on the island, and his son, Radama I (1810–1828), unified much of the island. The French made the island a protectorate in 1885, and then, in 1894–1895, ended the monarchy, exiling Queen Rànavàlona III to Algiers. A colonial administration was set up, to which the Comoro Islands were attached in 1908, and other territories later. In World War II, the British occupied Madagascar, which retained ties to Vichy France.

More than 20 ethnic groups coexist on the island. Their common language, also called Malagasy, is most closely related to a language spoken in southeast Borneo. Other groups such as Arabs, Indians, and Chinese continued to settle on Madagascar over time, each one making lasting contributions to Malagasy cultural life. The Malagasy way of thinking includes a mixture of cultures, as well as their appearance and fashion style. It is a melting pot. Madagascar is part of the African Union, but that is now being reconsidered due to the recent 2009 political turmoil regarding the African Union members. A majority of the population 80 percent of which is estimated to live below the poverty line depends on subsistence farming for survival.

Politics

Independence Leads to Ratsiraka’s Repressive Regime

An autonomous republic within the French Community since 1958, Madagascar became an independent member of the community in 1960. In May 1973, an army coup led by Maj. Gen. Gabriel Ramanantsoa ousted Philibert Tsiranana, president since 1959. Cdr. Didier Ratsiraka, named president on June 15, 1975, announced that he would follow a socialist course and, after nationalizing banks and insurance companies, declared all mineral resources nationalized. Repression and censorship characterized his regime. Ratsiraka was reelected in 1989 in a suspicious election that led to riots as well as the formation of a multiparty system in 1990. In 1991, Ratsiraka agreed to share power with the democratically minded opposition leader, Albert Zafy, who then overwhelmingly won the presidential elections in Feb. 1993. But Zafy was impeached by Parliament for abusing his constitutional powers during an economic crisis and lost the 1996 presidential election to Ratsiraka, who again became president in Feb. 1997.

The Dec. 2001 presidential election between incumbent president Didier Ratsiraka and Marc Ravalomanana, the mayor of Antananarivo, proved inconclusive and a runoff vote was scheduled. But Ravalomanana claimed the election was rigged, and in Feb. 2002 he declared himself president. In response, Ratsiraka proclaimed martial law and set up a rival capital in Toamasina. Madagascar in effect found itself with two presidents and two capitals. After a recount in April, the high constitutional court declared Ravalomanana the winner with 51.5% of the vote. Ratsiraka, after first refusing to accept the outcome, fled to France in July, and Madagascar’s six-month civil war ended. In Dec. 2006, Ravalomanana won reelection with 54.8% of the vote.

After a bitter power struggle with opposition leader Andry Rajoelina, the former mayor of the capital, Antananariv, Ravalomanana resigned as president in March 2009. He handed power over to the military, which in turn transferred control to Rajoelina, who then suspended Parliament. The turmoil began when Rajoelina was elected mayor of the capital in December 2007, defeating the president’s candidate. Tension peaked between the two in Dec. 2008 when Ravalomanana, becoming increasingly autocratic, shuttered a television channel and radio station owned by Rajoelina. Rajoelina then staged weekly protests that grew increasingly violent. In Feb. 2009, Ravalomanana fired Rajoelina as mayor, and the opposition protests intensified, prompting Ravalomanana to submit power to the military in March. Military leaders handed over the presidency to Rajoelina in March 2009. He was 35 years-old at the time, making him the youngest president in the country’s history. In August 2009, the two sides agreed to a power-sharing deal. However, the agreement was never implemented as supporters of Ravalomanana and Rajoelina bickered over the details and Rajoelina withdrew his support of the deal in December.

In November, 2010, Military officers, who just overthrew the government in 2009, claimed to have done so again by deposing of President Andry Rajoelina. Rajoelina responded by declaring on television that he is still in charge. He told reporters he was “not bothered by declarations from a handful of people.”

In March, 2011, Rajoelina reappointed Camille Vital as prime minister of a transitional government, aiming to end a two-year political and economic crisis. The reappointment came after Vital and his government resigned because 8 of 11 political parties signed an agreement to form a new administration that will take the country to elections in either late 2011 or early 2012. Vital has been asked to form a new cabinet for the transitional government. The country has been in economic and political turmoil since Rajoeling replaced Ravalomanana, which led to Madagascar’s suspension from the African Union and the South African Development Community. Aid from various donors has also been suspended.

 Prime Minister Vital Resigns

In Oct. 2011, Prime Minister Albert Camille Vital and his government resigned. Omer Beriziky was named the new prime minister. Beriziky took office on Nov. 2, 2011. On Nov. 21, he named his government: Hery Rajaonarimampianina as finance minister, Florent Rakotoarisoa as interior minister, Pierrot Rajaonarivelo as foreign minister. General Lucien Rakotoarimasy remained on as armed forces minister.

Rajaonarimampianina Wins 2013 Presidential Election

In Dec. 2013, Madagascar held its presidential and parliamentary elections. The presidential elections were a run-off between the top two candidates of an earlier round, Jean Louis Robinson and Hery Rajaonarimampianina. Rajaonarimampianina won the runoff, receiving 54% of the vote.

Rajaonarimampianina took office on Jan. 25, 2014. He previously served as Minister of Finance. He has been the CEO of Air Madagascar since 2011. In April 2014, President Rajaonarimampianina named Roger Kolo prime minister. However, less than a year later, Kolo and his cabinet resigned over criticism of its poor handling of frequent power outages. In Jan. 2015, Rajaonarimampianina appointed air commodore Jean Ravelonarivo prime minister.

On May 26, 2015, Madagascar’s parliament voted, by a 121-4 vote, to remove President Rajaonarimampianina from office because of “alleged constitutional violations and general incompetence.” Next, the country’s constitutional court would decide if parliament’s decision to dismiss Rajaonarimampianina could be enacted legally.

The president of the Senate, Rivo Rakotovao, an ally of Rajaonarimampianina, became acting president of Madagascar. Rajaonarimampianina was among three dozen contenders for the presidential post, which, as expected, also included Ravalomanana as well as Rajoelina. As none of the candidates in the November 7 election won more than the requisite 50 percent of the vote, the two top vote-getters—Rajoelina, with about 39 percent, and Ravalomanana, with about 35 percent—were set to advance to a runoff scheduled for December. Rajaonarimampianina trailed the two former presidents, winning less than 9 percent of the vote. Provisional results from the December 19, 2018, runoff election showed Rajoelina as the winner, taking more than 55 percent of the vote. Ravalomanana, however, denounced the results as being tainted by electoral problems and filed complaints with the High Constitutional Court, seeking to have the election results cancelled. On January 8, 2019, however, the court upheld the results, having rejected Ravalomanana’s complaints, and Rajoelina was cleared to ascend to the presidency. His inauguration ceremony was held on January 19, 2019.

Climate

Madagascar’s climate is tropical along the coast, temperate inland, and arid in the south. It’s climate varies from tropical to temperate and this variation results in the abundance of water in the North and the Central regions and scarcity in the South. In fact, among the large volume of the water resources – although it is enough to fulfill the water demands of the country – Madagascar fails to use them productively.

The cyclone season in Madagascar occurs between December and April. While the hot, wet season extends from November to April and the cooler, drier season from May to October. The climate is governed by the combined effects of the moisture-bearing southeast trade and northwest monsoon winds as they blow across the central plateau. The trade winds, which blow throughout the year, are strongest from May to October.

Madagascar is one of the world’s highest priority countries for biodiversity conservation due to its exceptional species richness, high number of unique plant and animal species; and the magnitude of threats facing these ecologically, culturally, and economically valuable resources.

The island harbors lush rain forests, tropical dry forests, plateaus and deserts. Its more than 3,000 miles of coastline and over 250 islands are home to some of the world’s largest coral reef systems and most extensive mangrove areas in the Western.

Tourism

The island nation of Madagascar has developed its own distinct ecosystems and extraordinary wildlife since it split from the African continent an estimated 160 million years ago. Approximately 95 percent of Madagascar’s reptiles, 89 percent of its plant life, and 92 percent of its mammals exist nowhere else on Earth.

The country is undoubtedly one of Africa’s most fascinating countries, and certainly one of the continent’s most unique. An island nation surrounded by the crystalline waters of the Indian Ocean, it’s most famous for its incredible flora and fauna – from its charismatic lemurs.
More than 11,000 endemic plant species, including seven species of baobab tree, share the island with a vast variety of mammal, reptiles, amphibians, and others. From 1999 to 2010, scientists discovered 615 new species in Madagascar, including 41 mammals and 61 reptiles.

Madagascar has several critically threatened species including the Silky Sifaka, a lemur, which is one of the rarest mammals on earth. Its nam “angel of the forest” refers to its white fur. Another threatened species, the rare Ploughshare tortoise, is found only in a small area of northwestern Madagascar where as few as 1,000 of these animals survive. Ploughshare tortoises can be sold illegally for up to $200,000 on exotic pet markets.

Madagascar appeals to both animal lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Much of the country’s wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth. At national parks like Lokobe, Mantadia and Isalo, visitors can come face-to-face with creatures like lemurs, birds, chameleons.

The single best thing you can do to have a fun and safe trip on this beautiful island is to speak the local language. Even ten words will make your trip monumentally better than if you speak French.

Madagascar’s number-one beach destination, the island of Nosy Be has all the ingredients you’d expect: soft white sand, turquoise waters and wonderful seafood. A paradise for water-based activities with its sunny climate most of the year, diving is the top draw, and there is plenty of swimming, snorkelling, sailing and fishing.

Economy

The economy of Madagascar is a market economy and is supported by Madagascar’s well-established agricultural industry and emerging tourism, textile and mining industries. Malagasy agriculture produces tropical staple crops such as rice and cassava, as well as cash crops such as vanilla and coffee. Madagascar’s wealth of natural resources supports its sizable mining industry.

Madagascar’s economic freedom score is 60.5, making its economy the 99th freest in the 2020 Index. Its overall score has increased by 3.9 points because of higher scores for judicial effectiveness and property rights. Madagascar is ranked 8th among 47 countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, and its overall score is well above the regional average and approximately equal to the world average.

This year marks the return of Madagascar’s economy to the ranks of the moderately free after three years as mostly unfree. GDP growth has been on the upswing as well.

The government aims to maintain economic growth through a structural reform agenda that is intended to enhance investment capacity and reduce the fiscal risks of its state-owned electricity and water utilities. To achieve those goals, the government will need to strengthen the rule of law, make the labor market more flexible, and maintain political stability to boost investor confidence.

The top individual income and corporate tax rates are 20 percent. Other taxes include value-added and capital gains taxes. The overall tax burden equals 11.5 percent of total domestic income. Government spending has amounted to 16.8 percent of the country’s output (GDP) over the past three years, and budget deficits have averaged 2.0 percent of GDP. Public debt is equivalent to 39.7 percent of GDP.

Poor regulatory governance has a negative effect on the business climate, although construction permitting and credit access have been improved. A new system that randomly assigns judges to cases and allows them to manage cases electronically has improved the enforcement of contracts. Agriculture, fishing, and forestry employ roughly 80 percent of the population. The government plans to reduce spending on fuel and electricity subsidies.

The total value of exports and imports of goods and services equals 74.7 percent of GDP. The average applied tariff rate is 5.7 percent, and 11 nontariff measures are in force. The investment regime’s inefficiency and lack of transparency undermine prospects for dynamic growth in new investment. The relatively high cost of financing is a barrier to entrepreneurial growth in the private sector, particularly for small and medium-size firms.

Madagascar produces around 80% of the world’s vanilla and its reliance on this commodity for most of its foreign exchange is a significant source of vulnerability. Economic reforms have been modest and the country’s financial sector remains weak, limiting the use of monetary policy to control inflation.