AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Info:

Antananarivo (Fides Service)- Madagascar, called the “big island”, has an area of 617,249sq km and a population of more than 16 million people belonging to various ethnic groups each with different customs and traditions. All speak Malagasy the official language and French is also used.
History. Since gaining independence from France in 1960, Madagascar has lived times of instability and political uncertainty. For more than 20 years the country was under a Marxist Leninist regime led initially by Gen. Gabriel Ramanantsoa then by Admiral Didier Ratsiraka. In the 1990 after the return to democracy, Ratsiraka was defeated in elections in 1992 but elected president in 1997. Presidential elections in 2002 saw a battle between Ratsiraka and the president today Marc Ravalomanana at the time mayor of Antananarivo. Ravalomanana claimed victory with 51% majority of the votes in the first round of elections and accused outgoing president Didier Ratsiraka of manipulating the results which showed 46.21% for Ravalomanana and 40.89% for Ratsiraka. A turbulent period followed during which governors of 6 provinces proclaimed independence and loyalty to outgoing president Ratsiraka who had made his stronghold in the country’s main port city Toamasina. The dispute was settled in the Summer of 2002 when Ravalomanana was proclaimed the winner.
Social and economic situation. Madagascar is a poor country. According to recent statistics 75% of the population lives below the poverty line in this potentially rich country with good soil and climate and several market products such as coffee, vanilla, bennet, tobacco, ground nuts, textile plants (sisal, raffia, paka), precious timber (mahogany, rosewood, ebony), and minerals: gold, amethyst, topaz, beryl, quartz, mica and slate. In more recent years the Island has developed its tourist industry.
The prolonged economic crisis and destabilisation of the administrative and economic apparatus render the islanders daily life ever more difficult. Serious unemployment and general impoverishment cause social tension and even violence such as recent bomb blasts on government buildings .
The Catholic Church in Madagascar. First efforts to evangelise started in the 16th century. In 1580 first Dominicans arrived followed by Jesuits in 1610. The Church survived despite the killing of missionaries and banning of Catholicism and in 1861 established itself in Antananarivo the capital. In 1896 the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Madagascar was created.
Madagascar has a population of 16 million of these 3.6 million are Catholics, (19% circa). They are assisted by 533 diocesan priests, including 10 fidei donum, 595 religious and missionary priests, 608 brothers and 3,293 women religious. The presence of Christians is not everywhere the same: in the highlands it reaches 60-80%, in periphery regions it falls to between 20 and 5%
The Christian Churches and communions Catholics, Anglicans, Reformed Churches and Lutherans (circa 40% of the population) form a prestigious federation (Council of Christian Churches FFKM). In the political crisis in 2002 the Churches were united in a spirit of ecumenical effort to help solve the crisis peacefully and promote the common good.
The majority of the people (52% circa) follow Traditional African Religions while Islam represents circa 5% of the Malagasy people. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 20/6/2005 righe 49 parole 573)