ead and write (1990 est.)

_#_Labor force: 4,900,000; 90% nonsalaried family workers engaged in
subsistence agriculture; 175,000 wage earners--agriculture 26%, domestic
service 17%, industry 15%, commerce 14%, construction 11%, services 9%,
transportation 6%, other 2%; 51% of population of working age (1985)

_#_Organized labor: 4% of labor force

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Democratic Republic of Madagascar

_#_Type: republic

_#_Capital: Antananarivo

_#_Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (plural--NA,
singular--faritanin); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa,
Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

_#_Independence: 26 June 1960 (from France; formerly Malagasy
Republic)

_#_Constitution: 21 December 1975

_#_Legal system: based on French civil law system and traditional
Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

_#_Executive branch: president, Supreme Council of the Revolution,
prime minister, Council of Ministers

_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Popular National Assembly
(Assemblee Nationale Populaire)

_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme), High
Constitutional Court (Haute Cour Constitutionnelle)

_#_Leaders:

Chief of State--President Adm. Didier RATSIRAKA (since 15 June
1975);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Guy RASANAMAZY (since
8 August 1991)

_#_Political parties and leaders: a presidential decree issued early
last year, legalized the existence of political parties outside of the
Ruling Front; some thirty political parties now exist in Madagascar, the
most important of which are the
Advance Guard of the Malagasy Revolution (AREMA), Didier RATSIRAKA;
Congress Party for Malagasy Independence (AKFM), RAKOTOVAO-ANDRIATIANA;
Congress Party for Malagasy Independence-Revival (AKFM-R), Pastor Richard
ANDRIAMANJATO;
Movement for National Unity (VONJY), Dr. Marojama RAZANABAHINY;
Malagasy Christian Democratic Union (UDECMA), Norbert ANDRIAMORASATA;
Militants for the Establishment of a Proletarian Regime (MFM), Manandafy
RAKOTONIRINA;
National Movement for the Independence of Madagascar (MONIMA), Monja
JAONA;
Socialist Organization Monima (VSM, an offshoot of MONIMA), Tsihozony
MAHARANGA

_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18

_#_Elections:

President--last held on 12 March 1989 (next to be held March 1996);
results--Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 62%, Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA (MF