Navigator
Madagascar
(information)
Population as of 2020: 27.6 million 51 of 193
highest next higher next lower lowest
Region: Island off the coast of East Africa
Nominal G.D.P. in 2024: $17.42 billion 136 of 193
highest next higher next lower lowest
Top Exports
Total exports: **~$2.5–2.9 billion (2024)**
**Diversified but still concentrated:** mining + spices + apparel dominate
| Rank | Export Category | Notes |
| ---- | ------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| 1 | **Nickel & nickel products** ⭐ | Largest export (~$480M+) |
| 2 | **Coffee, tea & spices (vanilla, cloves)** | Globally competitive sector |
| 3 | **Ores, slag & ash (titanium, chromite)** | Key mining exports |
| 4 | **Textiles & apparel** | Important manufacturing export |
| 5 | **Seafood (shrimp, fish)** | Major coastal export |
| 6 | **Graphite & industrial minerals** | Growing strategic mineral |
| 7 | **Precious metals (gold)** | Smaller but valuable |
| 8 | **Sugar & agricultural products** | Traditional export |
| 9 | **Essential oils & plant extracts** | Includes ylang-ylang |
| 10 | **Coffee & cocoa products** | Secondary agricultural exports |
Key individual export products (by value)
| Rank | Product | Notes |
| ---- | ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| 11 | **Unwrought nickel** | #1 export (~$480M) |
| 12 | **Vanilla** | #2 export (~$270M); world-leading supplier |
| 13 | **Cloves** | Major spice export (~$220M) |
| 14 | **Titanium ores (ilmenite)** | Key mineral (~$165M) |
| 15 | **Non-knit men’s suits & apparel** | Major manufacturing export (~$160M) |
| 16 | **Graphite** | Strategic mineral export |
| 17 | **Shrimp & seafood products** | Key fisheries export |
| 18 | **Coffee beans** | Traditional export |
| 19 | **Essential oils (ylang-ylang, others)** | Niche high-value export |
| 20 | **Sugar** | Agricultural export |
Key Takeaways
* ⛏️ **Mining leads exports**
* Nickel is the **single largest export**, with titanium and graphite also important
* 🌿 **Global dominance in vanilla**
* Madagascar produces **~80–85% of the world’s vanilla**
* 🧵 **Apparel remains important**
* Textile exports (especially to the U.S.) are a major source of jobs
* 🦐 **Diverse agricultural base**
* Includes:
* cloves
* coffee
* seafood
* essential oils
* ⚖️ **Moderate diversification (compared to many African peers)**
* Unlike countries dominated by one commodity, Madagascar has:
* mining
* agriculture
* manufacturing
Top Importers of Madagascar’s Exports (2024)
| Rank | Country | Notes |
| ---- | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1 | **France** | Largest partner; vanilla, cloves, apparel, and seafood. |
| 2 | **United States** | Apparel (AGOA), vanilla, seafood. |
| 3 | **China** | Nickel, minerals, and raw materials. |
| 4 | **Japan** | Nickel and industrial minerals. |
| 5 | **Netherlands** | EU trade hub; spices and agricultural goods. |
| 6 | **Germany** | Vanilla, spices, and apparel. |
| 7 | **South Korea** | Nickel and industrial inputs. |
| 8 | **India** | Cloves, spices, and agricultural products. |
| 9 | **United Kingdom** | Vanilla and seafood. |
| 10 | **Singapore** | Commodity trading hub (minerals). |
Key Patterns
* ⛏️ **Mining shapes Asian trade**
* Countries like **China, Japan, and South Korea** import **nickel and minerals**
* 🌿 **Spices drive European demand**
* **France, Germany, Netherlands, UK** import:
* vanilla
* cloves
* essential oils
* 🧵 **Apparel links to the U.S.**
* **United States** is a major buyer due to:
* trade preferences (AGOA)
* low-cost manufacturing
* 🌍 **Balanced global structure**
* Unlike many resource economies, Madagascar exports to:
* **Europe (spices & apparel)**
* **Asia (minerals)**
* **U.S. (apparel & vanilla)**
