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___ Madagascar |
![]() Landscape near Andreba a town in the Sofia Region of Madagascar. Image: Arnaud DG |
![]() Flag of Madagascar Destination Madagascar, the big red island. Madagascar is the largest African island situated in the Indian Ocean, about 450 km (280 mi) east of the coast of Mozambique. The fourth largest island in the world has been isolated for about 88 million years and many of its plants and animals are unique to the island. The prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana separated the Madagascar-Antarctica-India landmass from the Africa-South America landmass around 135 million years ago. Madagascar later split from India about 88 million years ago, allowing plants and animals on the island to evolve in relative isolation. With an area of 587,041 km2, the island is slightly larger than France, or almost twice the size of the US state of Arizona. Madagascar is geographically relative close to: the Comoros, Mauritius, Mozambique, Réunion, and South Africa. Madagascar has a population of more than 22 million inhabitants. Capital and largest city is Antananarivo. Spoken languages are Malagasy and French. ![]() |
Republic of Madagascar | Repoblikan'i Madagasikara |
Country Profile |
Background: Madagascar, the Red Island, the Rainbow Island, the Eighth Continent, there are many names for the world's 4th largest island. Madagascar is situated in the south western area of the Indian Ocean east of the coast of Africa about 400 km off the coast of Mozambique. The island is recognized as one of the world's top ten hotspots for biodiversity. Madagascar is inhabited by various ethnic groups of Malayo-Indonesian, mixed African and Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry. Five centuries before the Europeans discovered the island Malayo-Indonesian seafarers arrived in roughly the first century A.D., the Arabs followed in the 6th century to establish trading posts. Since the 16th century French and British influence left its mark. In October 1958 the Malagasy Republic was proclaimed as an autonomous state within the French Community and gained full independence in June 1960. Like many former colonial countries Madagascar went through various political states like uprisings, provisional governments, single-party rule, socialist economic policies, and threat of secession. Today the country is on a slow and steady economical and political growth path from an extremely low level. related countries: France, United Kingdom |
Official Name: Repoblikan'i Madagasikara Republique de Madagascar short form: Madagascar int'l long form: Republic of Madagascar former: Malagasy Republic ISO Country Code: mg Time: Local Time = East African Time (UTC +3h) Actual Time: Sun-Nov-8 06:23 Country Calling Code: +261 Capital City: Antananarivo (Tananarive) Other Cities: Antsirabé (about 500 000), Mahajanga (about 400 000), Toamasina (about 450 000) Government: Type: Republic Independence: 26 June 1960 (from France) Constitution: 19 August 1992 by national referendum Geography: Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique. Area: 587,040 km² (226,658 sq mil.) about the size of Texas or France. Terrain: Mountainous central plateau, coastal plain. Climate: tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south, periodic cyclones. People: Nationality: Malagasy Population: 21 million (est. 2014) Ethnic Groups: 18 separate tribal groups of Malayo-Indonesian, mixed African and Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry, French, Indian, Creole, Comoran. Religions: Indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%. Languages: Malagasy (of Malayo-Polynesian origin), French, (both official), English Literacy: 70% Natural resources: Graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower. Agriculture products: Coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products. Industries: Meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism. Exports - commodities: coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, clothing, chromite, petroleum products Exports - partners: France 15.2%, US 12.7%, China 7.1%, South Africa 5.9%, Japan 5.5%, Netherlands 5.4%, Germany 5.1%, Belgium 5%, India 4.4% (2015) Imports - commodities: capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food Imports - partners: China 24.8%, France 10.3%, Bahrain 5.6%, India 5.5%, Kuwait 4.5%, Mauritius 4.5%, South Africa 4.3% (2015) Currency: Ariary and Malagasy Franc (FMG) |
Note: External links will open in a new browser window. Official Sites of MadagascarMadagascar GovernmentMadagascar government portal site. Assemblée nationale malgache Official site of the Malagasy National Assembly. Ministère des Affaires Etrangères de Madagascar Madagascar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Diplomatic Missions Permanent Mission of Madagascar to the UN Information site of the Permanent Mission. Ambassade de Madagascar au Canada The Embassy of Madagascar in Canada. Représentation de Madagascar en Suisse The Madagascar Embassy in Switzerland. Madagascar Consulate General General Consulate of Madagascar, South Africa. Représentation étrangères à Madagascar List of Foreign Diplomatic Missions in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Malagasy Diplomatic Missions List of Malagasy Diplomatic Missions abroad. Statistics Institut National de la Statistique Malgache The National Institute of Statistics. Maps![]() Detailed map of Madagascar. ![]() Searchable map/satellite view of Madagascar. ![]() Searchable map/satellite view of Madagascar's capital city. Small Map of Madagascar Indian Ocean Map Political map of the West Indian Ocean. ![]() The 54 countries of Africa. ![]() A Relief Map of Africa. ![]() Madagascar's grassy plains which dominate the western landscape are dotted with patches of deciduous forest, and baobab trees, while the south is characterized by desert and spiny forests. Image: Frank Vassen |
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NewsLa Gazette de la Grande Ile Antananarivo daily (in French and Malagasy) L'Express de Madagascar Comprehensive Madagascar News (in French and Malagasy) Madagascar Tribune Madagascar News (in French and Malagasy) Midi Madagasikara Regional News (in French and Malagasy) Mad'Online Online magazine specialized on Madagascar, most articles are reserved to registered users. (English, French, Italian) IRIN News: Madagascar News on relief, development, social, economic and political affairs. |
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Arts & CultureLinks to Malagasy music Artists, lyrics, bibliographies and discographies of Malagasy musicians. |
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Business & EconomyChambre de Commerce, d'Industrie, d'Artisanat et d'Agriculture Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Craft, and Agriculture. Transportation Airline Air Madagascar With information about the Airline and Madagascar. Railroad Fianarantsoa Cote Est The FCE train line links the highland city of Fianarantsoa with the east coast town of Manakara. |
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![]() Lokoho River in Marojejy National Park with Marojejy Massif in background. Image: Eric Mathieu Travel and Tour Consumer Information
Destination Madagascar - Travel and Tour GuidesDiscover Madagascar: accommodation, attractions, festivals, events, tours and much more. Office Maison du Tourisme de Madagascar MTM The official site of Madagascar Tourism, provides travel and tourism information. Explore Madagascar! A country guide made by Air Madagascar. Guide de Madagascar Site pour les voyageurs atravel guid to Madagascar. (in French) Madagascar A guide to Madagascar and its unique and diverse species of wildlife. Antananarivo Antananarivo Official site of the city of Antananarivo, Madagascar's capital (in French and Malagasy). |
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EducationUniversité d'Antananarivo The autonomous University of Madagascar is the primary public university of Madagascar. Université de Fianarantsoa The University of Fianarantsoa. |
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![]() Diademed sifaka in Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, a protected rainforest area in eastern Madagascar. Image: Heinonlein Environment & NatureParcs Nationaux et Réserves Naturelles de Madagascar Official site of Madagascar's National Parks (in French) Madagascar Wildlife Conservation (MWC) A Malagasy non-profit association, which organises and pursues various conservation projects in Madagascar. MBG: Madagascar Biodiversity and Conservation David Parks and Larry Barnes Madagascar site - A photographic tour of Madagascar. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Science and Horticulture: Madagascar The focus of RBG Kew's programme in Madagascar has centered on conservation and sustainable utilisation of Madagascar's plant diversity. |
![]() Baobabs, the sacred trees of Madagascar |
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HistoryAbout Madagascar History, Culture, Cuisine and Language of Madagascar. History of Madagascar Wikipedia article on Madagascar's history. |
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Sources and additional Information on MadagascarAfrican Studies: Madagascar GlobalEDGE: Madagascar |
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