n 41%, Muslim 7%

Languages: French (official), Malagasy (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 80% male: 88% female: 73% (1990 est.)

Government Madagascar

Country name: Republic of Madagascar conventional short form: long
form: Republique de Madagascar

Government type: republic

Capital: Antananarivo

Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo,
Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Independence: 26 June 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Constitution: 19 August 1992 by national referendum

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6
May 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last
held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November 2006); prime minister
appointed by the president from a list of candidates nominated by the
National Assembly election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA
(AREMA) 40.89%, Marc RAVALOMANANA 46.21%; note - on 29 April 2002,
the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner by just
over 50% after a recount; RATSIRIKA's prime minister was put under house
arrest on 27 May 2002, and SYLLA was appointed the new prime minister
by President RAVALOMANANA

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
(150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms); note - the legislature is scheduled to become a
bicameral Parliament with the establishment of a Senate; two-thirds of
the seats of this Senate will be filled by regional assemblies whose
members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the
seats will be appointed by the president; the total number of seats will
be determined by the National Assembly; all members will serve four-year
terms elections: election results: National Assembly - percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - AREMA 63, LEADER/Fanilo 16, AVI 14,
RPSD 11, AFFA 6, MFM 3, AKFM/Fanavaozana 3, GRAD/Iloafo 1, Fihaonana 1,
independents 32

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Su