POLITICS
Conventional Long Form Name of country: Republic of Madagascar
Capital City: Antananarivo
Type of Government: Republic
Date of Independence: June 26th, 1960
National Holiday: Independence Day - June 26
Chief of State: President Andry Nirina Rajoelina
Head of Government: Prime Minister Jean Omer Beriziky
Description of Executive Branch/Powers: President elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 3 December 2006 (next to be held on 8 May 2013); Prime minister appointed by the president; note- a power-sharing agreement in the summer of 2009 established a 15-month transition, occluding a general elections tentatively scheduled for 8 May 2013 after repeated delays.
Description of Legislative Branch/Powers: Bicameral legislature consist of a Senate or Senat. National Assembly - last held on 23 September 2007 (next to be held on 3 July 2013); note - a power-sharing agreement in the summer of 2009 established a 15-month transition, concluding in general elections tentatively scheduled for 3 July 2013 after repeated delays.
Description of Judicial Branch/Powers: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle
Suffrage: 18 years of age
Name of Madagascar Ambassador to the U.S.: Jocelyn Bertin Radifera
Location of Madagascar embassy in the U.S.: Washington, D.C.
Location(s) of Madagascar's consulate(s) in the U.S.: New York, San Diego, and Philadelphia
Name of U.S. Ambassador to Madagascar: Eric M. Wong
Location of U.S. embassy in Madagascar: Antehiroka
Location(s) of U.S. consulate(s) in Madagascar: Point Liberty, Andranoro, Antehiroka, Antananarivo
Name of THEIR representative to UN: Zina Andrianarivelo-Razafy
Description of the Symbolism of flag: Two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side; by tradition, red stands for sovereignty, green for hope, white for purity.
National Symbol: N/A
Descriptions of International Disputes: Claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France); the vegetated drying cays of Banc du Geyser, which were claimed by Madagascar in 1976, also fall within the EEZ claims of the Comoros and France.
Glorioso Islands, part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.
Quantity of refugees inside country and country of origin of refugees: France
Quantity of Internally Displaced Persons: N/A
Quantity of Stateless Persons: N/A
Description of current human trafficking issues related to this country: Madagascar is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; poor Malagasy women hired as domestic workers in Lebanon and Kuwait are vulnerable to abuse by recruitment agencies and employers; an increasing number of Malagasy men were victimized by labor trafficking abroad in 2012; Malagasy children are subjected to domestic servitude, prostitution, forced begging, and forced labor within the country, often with the complicity of family members; coastal cities have child sex tourism trades, with Malagasy men being the main clients.
Description of Illicit Drug trafficking/use: Illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption.
Transshipment point for heroin.
Capital City: Antananarivo
Type of Government: Republic
Date of Independence: June 26th, 1960
National Holiday: Independence Day - June 26
Chief of State: President Andry Nirina Rajoelina
Head of Government: Prime Minister Jean Omer Beriziky
Description of Executive Branch/Powers: President elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 3 December 2006 (next to be held on 8 May 2013); Prime minister appointed by the president; note- a power-sharing agreement in the summer of 2009 established a 15-month transition, occluding a general elections tentatively scheduled for 8 May 2013 after repeated delays.
Description of Legislative Branch/Powers: Bicameral legislature consist of a Senate or Senat. National Assembly - last held on 23 September 2007 (next to be held on 3 July 2013); note - a power-sharing agreement in the summer of 2009 established a 15-month transition, concluding in general elections tentatively scheduled for 3 July 2013 after repeated delays.
Description of Judicial Branch/Powers: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle
Suffrage: 18 years of age
Name of Madagascar Ambassador to the U.S.: Jocelyn Bertin Radifera
Location of Madagascar embassy in the U.S.: Washington, D.C.
Location(s) of Madagascar's consulate(s) in the U.S.: New York, San Diego, and Philadelphia
Name of U.S. Ambassador to Madagascar: Eric M. Wong
Location of U.S. embassy in Madagascar: Antehiroka
Location(s) of U.S. consulate(s) in Madagascar: Point Liberty, Andranoro, Antehiroka, Antananarivo
Name of THEIR representative to UN: Zina Andrianarivelo-Razafy
Description of the Symbolism of flag: Two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side; by tradition, red stands for sovereignty, green for hope, white for purity.
National Symbol: N/A
Descriptions of International Disputes: Claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France); the vegetated drying cays of Banc du Geyser, which were claimed by Madagascar in 1976, also fall within the EEZ claims of the Comoros and France.
Glorioso Islands, part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.
Quantity of refugees inside country and country of origin of refugees: France
Quantity of Internally Displaced Persons: N/A
Quantity of Stateless Persons: N/A
Description of current human trafficking issues related to this country: Madagascar is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; poor Malagasy women hired as domestic workers in Lebanon and Kuwait are vulnerable to abuse by recruitment agencies and employers; an increasing number of Malagasy men were victimized by labor trafficking abroad in 2012; Malagasy children are subjected to domestic servitude, prostitution, forced begging, and forced labor within the country, often with the complicity of family members; coastal cities have child sex tourism trades, with Malagasy men being the main clients.
Description of Illicit Drug trafficking/use: Illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption.
Transshipment point for heroin.