Association pour le Déveleppement de l'Energie Solaire Suisse - Madagascar
Lanzenstrasse 18, CH-8913 Ottenbach, +41 44 761 20 61, www.adesolaire.org
Looking at the gross national product Madagascar is one of the ten poorest countries in the world. About half of the approximately 22 million inhabitants live below the poverty line, i.e. they live on less than one US dollar a day. 75% of the population work in agriculture. Due to the high population growth rate, however, harvests become more and more scant.
Although Madagascar is such a poor country, is has a rich culture. Eighteen different ethnic groups live together more or less peacefully. Accordingly, there is a great diversity of languages, clothing, music, customs and traditions. Foreigners travelling the country (“vazaha”) are usually met with great candour and warmth. It is the people just as much as its unique nature that make Madagascar an incomparable country.
Some key data:
| Madagascar | Switzerland | |
|
per capita gross national product |
1 000 US$ | 42 900 US$ |
|
GDP (gross domestic product) |
3 640 Mio. US$ | 242 034 Mio. US$ |
| area | 587 041km² | 41 285 km² |
| population | 21,9 Mio | 7,6 Mio |
| life expectancy | 62♂ 66♀ | 78♂ 84♀ |
| fertility rate (children born/woman) | 5,02 | 1,46 |
| infant mortility rate | 5.1% | 0,5% |
| literacy rate | 76%♂ 63%♀ | 99% |
| poverty rate | 50% | 6,9% |
(Sources: Fischer Weltalmanach 2007, Frankfurt am Main: Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag; CIA Fact Book; Hans Ulrich Kägi: Madagaskar (2003), rano-Verlag, Brütten)
