Part 508

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: dispute with Greece over name; in September 1995, Skopje and Athens signed an interim accord resolving their dispute over symbols and certain constitutional provisions; Athens also lifted its economic embargo on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; Albanians in Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to public-sector jobs and representation in government

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine ______________________________________________________________________

MADAGASCAR

@Madagascar:Geography

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 587,040 sq km land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 4,828 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m isobath exclusive economic zone : 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Terrain: narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Elevation extremes: 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% permanent pastures : 41% forests and woodland: 40% other: 14% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 10,870 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones

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

Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea

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

@Madagascar:People

Population: 14,061,627 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 3,188,839; female 3,114,958) 15-64 years : 52% (male 3,608,508; female 3,680,574) 65 years and over: 3% (male 228,230; female 240,518) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.82% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 42.26 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)