What is GDP? GDP stands for gross domestic product, GDP is the sum of all of the finished goods produced within a country during a certain period of time, which is then divided by the country's middle of the year population. So GPD is basically what the average person in that country would live on per year. So an average Madagascan person will live on 463.00 this is an extremely low GDP and only allows the very essential products for survival. Between 1970 and 1995, Madagascar GDP fell by 40 per cent, while the population doubled, reaching more than 18 million. 2005 statistics show that 68.7 per cent of people in Madagascar were living below the poverty threshold, when this was recorded.