e economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: claims Bassas da India, Europa Island,
Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island (all
administered by France)

Climate: tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain: narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Natural resources: graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt,
quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish

Land use:
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 58%
forest and woodland: 26%
other: 11%

Irrigated land: 9,000 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: soil erosion results from deforestation and
overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw
sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna
unique to the island are endangered
natural hazards: periodic cyclones
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified -
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic note: world's fourth-largest island; strategic location
along Mozambique Channel

People
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Population: 13,670,507 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 3,105,958; female 3,034,279)
15-64 years: 52% (male 3,499,021; female 3,573,052)
65 years and over: 3% (male 224,710; female 233,487) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.83% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 42.63 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 14.38 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 93.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.19 years
male: 51.11 years
female: 53.3 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.89 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy

Ethnic divisions: Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo),
Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry -
Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sak