A new home for an elderly cyclone victim in Madagascar. Picture: Derek Markwell / DFID
The Secretary of State has announced a review of the DFID Bilateral Aid Programme. The information on this page reflects current activity and is not an indication of the direction or possible outcome of the review.
Approximately the size of France and Belgium combined, Madagascar is the world's fourth largest island and is situated off the south-eastern coast of Africa.
The former French colony is heavily exposed to tropical cyclones that bring torrential rains and destructive flooding, such as those witnessed in 2000, 2004 and 2008, which left thousands homeless. Agriculture, fishing and forestry – the foundations of the nation’s economy – are frequently affected by such disasters.
Madagascar has a population of 19.7 million with the proportion of people living on less than US$1 a day is 61%. The main objectives of the government of Madagascar’s development strategy is to reduce the percentage of individuals living on less than $2 a day from 85.1% in 2003 to 50% in 2012, and to increase the rate of growth to 10% by 2012.
Improvements, largely in the education and health sectors, have helped reduce poverty to 67.5% in 2006. The net rate of primary school enrolment increased from 67% in 2000-2001 to 87% in 2005-2006.
