Repoblikan'i Madagasikara République de Madagascar Republic of Madagascar
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Tanindrazana, Fahafahana, Fandrosoana  (Malagasy) Patrie, liberté, progrès  (French) "Fatherland, Liberty, Progress"
Anthem: Ry Tanindrazanay malala ô! Oh, Our Beloved Ancestral-land
Capital (and largest city)		Antananarivo 18°55′S, 47°31′E
Official languages		Malagasy, French, English1
Demonym		Malagasy[1]
Government		Republic
-	President	Marc Ravalomanana
-	Prime Minister	Charles Rabemananjara
Independence		from France
-	Date	26 June 1960
Area
-	Total	587,041 km² (45th) 226,597 sq mi
-	Water (%)	0. The flag of Madagascar was adopted on October 14, 1958, two years before independence as Madagascar prepared for a referendum on its status in the The Coat of arms of Madagascar includes an outline map of the island at the center (together with two smaller islands nearby and below it the head of a Zebu A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group This article is about the Malagasy language For the Malagasy ethnic group see Malagasy people. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Madagascar 's population is predominantly of mixed Austronesian and East African origin Antananarivo (ˌtəˌnænəˈriːv or /ˌtəˌnɑːnəˈriːv/ is the Capital and largest city in Madagascar. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory This article is about the Malagasy language For the Malagasy ethnic group see Malagasy people. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its presidends of Madagascar rchs of Madagascar (1787-1897== Merina Dynasty King Andrianampoinimerina ( 1787 - 1810) King Radama Marc Ravalomanana (born December 12, 1949 in Imerinkasinina) is a Malagasy politician who is currently the President of List of the Heads of Government of Madagascar Charles Rabemananjara (born June 9, 1947) is the current Prime Minister of Madagascar. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here Surface areas between 100000 km² and 1000000 km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 13%
Population
-	July 2007 estimate	19,448,815 [2] (55th)
-	1993 census	12,238,914
-	Density	33/km² (171st) 86/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$5 billion (123rd)
-	Per capita	$290 (169th)
Gini (2001)		47. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion most prominently used as a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth 5 (high)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 533 (medium) (143rd)
Currency		Malagasy ariary (MGA)
Time zone		EAT (UTC+3)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+3)
Internet TLD		.mg
Calling code		+261
1Official languages since 27 April 2007

Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar (older name Malagasy Republic), is an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The ariary ( ISO 4217 code MGA is the currency of Madagascar. ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established East Africa Time, or EAT, is a time zone used in eastern Africa. Daylight saving time ( DST A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E An island country is a Country that is wholly confined to an Island, several islands an Island group or several island groups and has no territory on The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface The main island, also called Madagascar, is the fourth-largest island in the world, and is home to 5% of the world's plant and animal species, of which more than 80% are endemic to Madagascar. This is a list of Islands in the world ordered by area. It includes all islands with an area greater than 2500 km² (970 square miles Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. Endemism is the Ecological state of being unique to a place Endemic species are not naturally found elsewhere They include the lemur infraorder of primates, the carnivorous fossa, three bird families and six baobab species. Lemurs make up the infraorder Lemuriformes and are members of a group of Primates known as Prosimians The term "lemur" is derived from the This article is about the taxonomic rank for the sequence of species in a taxonomic list see Taxonomic order In scientific classification used A primate is a member of the biological order Primates ( Latin: "prime first rank" the group that contains Lemurs the Aye-aye The Fossa ( Cryptoprocta ferox) ( or /ˈfɒsə/ is a Mammal endemic to Madagascar. Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. In Biological classification, family ( Latin Baobab is the common name of a Genus ( Adansonia) containing eight species of Trees native to Madagascar (having six species mainland

History

Main article: History of Madagascar

Madagascar, as part of East Gondwana, split from Africa approximately 160 million years ago; the island of Madagascar was created when it separated from India 80 to 100 million years ago. The recorded history of Madagascar began in the 7th century when Arabs established Trading posts along the northwest coast of the island Gondwana (ɡɒnˈdwɑːnə originally Gondwanaland) was a southern Supercontinent that existed about 500 to 200 Ma ago India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country ^[3] Archaeologists estimate human settlement of Madagascar to be between 200 and 500 A. Events By Place World Human population reaches about 257 million Events By Place Europe Possible date for the Battle of Mons Badonicus: Romano-British and Celts defeat an Anglo-Saxon D. , when seafarers from southeast Asia (probably from Borneo or the southern Celebes) arrived in outrigger sailing canoes. Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. Sulawesi (formerly known as Celebes, ˈsɛlɛbiz is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the An outrigger is a part of a boat's Rigging which is rigid and extends beyond the side or Gunwale of a boat A canoe is a small narrow Boat, typically human-powered though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors ^[4] Bantu settlers probably crossed the Mozambique Channel to Madagascar at about the same time or shortly afterwards. Bantu may refer to Bantu expansion, a series of migrations of Bantu speakers Bantu languages Bantu people The Mozambique Channel is a portion of the Indian Ocean between the island of Madagascar and southeast Africa, namely Mozambique.

The written history of Madagascar begins in the 7th century, when Muslims established trading posts along the northwest coast and first transcribed the Malagasy language into Sorabe. The 7th century is the period from 601 to 700 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion This article is about the Malagasy language For the Malagasy ethnic group see Malagasy people. Sorabe, or Sora-be, is an Alphabet based on Arabic used to transcribe the Malagasy language (belonging to the Malayo-Polynesian language

During the Middle Ages, the chiefs began to extend their power through trade with Indian Ocean neighbors, notably East Africa, the Middle East and India. Large chiefdoms began to dominate considerable areas of the island. A chiefdom is a type of complex society of varying degrees of centralization that is led by an individual known as a chief. Among these were the Sakalava chiefdoms of the Menabe, centred in what is now the town of Morondava, and of Boina, centred in what is now the provincial capital of Mahajanga (Majunga). The Sakalava is a traditional name for a group of people of Madagascar numbering approximately 700000 in population This is a page about the Menabe Region in Madagascar See also the Sakalava (oblast in Madagascar. Morondava is a city located in the province of Toliara and the Region of Menabe, of which it is the capital in Madagascar. Mahajanga (French Majunga) is a City, a district and a province on the north-west coast of Madagascar. Mahajanga (French Majunga) is a City, a district and a province on the north-west coast of Madagascar. The influence of the Sakalava extended across what is now the provinces of Antsiranana, Mahajanga and Toliara. The Sakalava is a traditional name for a group of people of Madagascar numbering approximately 700000 in population Antsiranana, named Diogo Soares prior to 1975 is a city at the northern tip of Madagascar. Mahajanga (French Majunga) is a City, a district and a province on the north-west coast of Madagascar. Toliara (also known as Toliary; formerly Tuléar) is a city in Madagascar.

European contact began in the year 1500, when Portuguese sea captain Diogo Dias sighted the island after his ship separated from a fleet going to India. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Diogo Dias, also known as Diogo Gomes, was a 15th century Portuguese explorer India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country ^[5] The Portuguese continued trading with the islanders and named the island as "Sāo Lourenço" (St. Lawrence). In 1665, Francois Caron, the Director General of the newly formed French East India Company, sailed to Madagascar. François Caron (1600-1673 was a French Huguenot refugee to the Netherlands who served the Dutch East India Company (the Vereenigde Oostindische The French East India Company ( French: La Compagnie française des Indes orientales or Compagnie française pour le commerce des Indes orientales) was a The Company failed to establish a colony on Madagascar but established ports on the nearby islands of Bourbon and Ile-de-France (today's Reunion and Mauritius). This article is about a type of political territory For other uses see Colony (disambiguation. Mauritius (pronounced məˈrɪʃəs L’île Maurice /il mɔ'ʁis/ Mauritian Creole: Maurice) officially the Republic of Mauritius, République In the late 17th century, the French established trading posts along the east coast. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

From about 1774 to 1824, Madagascar was a favourite haunt for pirates, including Americans, one of whom brought Malagasy rice to South Carolina. Piracy is Robbery committed at sea or sometimes on shore without a commission from a sovereign Nation (as distinct from Privateering The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The following is a list of varieties of Rice. African varieties African rice New Rice for Africa South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. Many European sailors were shipwrecked on the coasts of the island, among them Robert Drury whose journal is one of the only written depictions of life in southern Madagascar during the 18th century. Robert Drury (born 1687 died between 1743 and 1750 was an English Sailor on the Degrave who was shipwrecked at the age of 17 on the island ^[6]

Beginning in the 1790s, Merina rulers succeeded in establishing hegemony over most of the island, including the coast. Not to be confused with Mirena. The Merina is the largest ethnic group in Madagascar. Hegemony (hɨˈdʒɛməni (Amer /hɨˈɡɛməni/ (Brit (ἡγεμονία hēgemonía) is a concept that has been used to describe and explain the dominance of one social In 1817, the Merina ruler and the British governor of Mauritius concluded a treaty abolishing the slave trade, which had been important in Madagascar's economy. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Mauritius (pronounced məˈrɪʃəs L’île Maurice /il mɔ'ʁis/ Mauritian Creole: Maurice) officially the Republic of Mauritius, République A Treaty is an agreement under International law entered into by actors in international law namely States and International organizations. The history of slavery uncovers many different forms of human exploitation across many cultures throughout history In return, the island received British military and financial assistance. British influence remained strong for several decades, during which the Merina court was converted to Presbyterianism, Congregationalism and Anglicanism. Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity Congregationalist polity, often known as congregationalism is a system of Church governance in which every Local church congregation is independent Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs

With the domination of the Indian Ocean by the Royal Navy and the end of the Arab slave trade, the western Sakalava lost their power to the emerging Merina state. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The Arab Slave trade was the practice of Slavery in West Asia, North Africa, East Africa, and certain parts of Europe (such The Sakalava is a traditional name for a group of people of Madagascar numbering approximately 700000 in population Not to be confused with Mirena. The Merina is the largest ethnic group in Madagascar. The Betsimisaraka of the east coast also unified, but this union soon faltered.

Poster of a H. Galli book about the French war in Madagascar.

France invaded Madagascar in 1883 in what became known as the first Franco-Hova War seeking to restore property that had been confiscated from French citizens. Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Franco-Hova Wars (also Franco-Malagasy Wars) consisted of French military interventions in Madagascar between 1883 and 1896 that (Hova is one of three Merina classes: andriana - aristocracy, hova - common people, andevo - slaves. The term hova was wrongly used by the French to mean Merina. ) At the wars end, Madagascar ceded Antsiranana (Diego Suarez) on the northern coast to France and paid 560,000 gold stripers francs to the heirs of Joseph-François Lambert. Antsiranana, named Diogo Soares prior to 1975 is a city at the northern tip of Madagascar. In 1890 the British accepted the full formal imposition of a French protectorate. In International law, a protectorate is a autonomous territory that is "protected" by a stronger state or entity hense the protector which engages to protect

In 1895, a French flying column landed in Mahajanga (Majunga) and marched to the capital, Antananarivo, where the city's defenders were taken by surprise, as they were expecting an attack from the much closer east coast. Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Mahajanga (French Majunga) is a City, a district and a province on the north-west coast of Madagascar. Antananarivo (ˌtəˌnænəˈriːv or /ˌtəˌnɑːnəˈriːv/ is the Capital and largest city in Madagascar. Twenty French soldiers died fighting and 6,000 died of malaria and other diseases before the second Franco-Hova War ended. Malaria is a vector -borne Infectious disease caused by Protozoan Parasites It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions including

After the conclusion of hostilities, in 1896 the French Parliament voted to annex Madagascar. This article is for the post-Revolutionary and present-day institution Annexation ( Latin ad, to and nexus, joining is the legal incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity (either adjacent or non-contiguous The 103-year-old Merina monarchy ended with the royal family being sent into exile in Algeria. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's In December 1904, the Russian Baltic Fleet docked at Antsiranana (Diego Suarez) for coal and provisions before sailing on to its doomed encounter with the Japanese fleet in the Battle of Tsushima. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - (Дважды Краснознамённый Балтийский флот was the Imperial later Soviet and is now the Russian Navy's Antsiranana, named Diogo Soares prior to 1975 is a city at the northern tip of Madagascar. The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku The Battle of Tsushima ( Japanese: 対馬海戦 tsushima-kaisen, Цусимское сражение Tsusimskoye srazheniye) commonly known as the Before leaving port the Russian sailors were required to put ashore the animals they had acquired, including monkeys, boa constrictors and one crocodile. A monkey is any member of either the New World monkeys or Old World monkeys two of the three groupings of Simian Primates the third group being For other uses see Boa constrictor (disambiguation Boa constrictor is a non-venomous boa Species found in A crocodile is any Species belonging to the family Crocodylidae (sometimes classified instead as the Subfamily Crocodylinae)

During World War II, Malagasy troops fought in France, Morocco, and Syria. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Just before the fall of France, Germany planned to forcibly deport all of Europe's Jews to Madagascar in what was known as the Madagascar Plan. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The Madagascar Plan was a suggested policy of the Nazi government to forcibly relocate the Jewish population of Europe to the island of Madagascar. But action on the plan was never begun. After France fell to Germany, the Vichy government administered Madagascar. Vichy ( Occitan: Vichèi) is a commune in the department of Allier in Auvergne in central France. During the Battle of Madagascar, British troops occupied the strategic island in 1942 to preclude its seizure by the Japanese, after which the Free French took over. The Battle of Madagascar (or Operation Ironclad) was the Allied campaign to capture Vichy French -controlled Madagascar during World Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku The Free French Forces (Forces Françaises Libres FFL) were French fighters in World War II who decided to continue fighting against Axis forces

In 1947, with French prestige at low ebb, a nationalist uprising was suppressed after several months of bitter fighting with 90,000 people killed. The Malagasy Uprising (or Revolt of Madagascar was an attempted revolution against the French by nationalists on the island of Madagascar between 1947 ^[7] The French later established reformed institutions in 1956 under the Loi Cadre (Overseas Reform Act), and Madagascar moved peacefully towards independence. The Loi Cadre (1956 Overseas Reform Act was a French legal reform passed by the French National Assembly on 23 June 1956 The Malagasy Republic was proclaimed on October 14, 1958, as an autonomous state within the French Community. Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar (older name Malagasy Republic) is an Island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. An autonomous area is an area of a Country that has a degree of Autonomy, or freedom from an external authority The French Community (Communauté française was the political entity which replaced in 1958 the French Union, which in turn was the descendant of the French colonial A period of provisional government ended with the adoption of a constitution in 1959 and full independence on June 26, 1960. A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity

Politics

Main articles: Government of Madagascar and Politics of Madagascar

Madagascar is a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Madagascar is head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Politics of Madagascar takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic Republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Madagascar Politics of Madagascar takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic Republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Madagascar The semi-presidential system is a System of government in which a prime minister and a President are both active participants in the day-to-day administration Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its List of the Heads of Government of Madagascar This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State Executive power is exercised by the government. In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Senate and the National Assembly. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. The Senate of Madagascar ( Sénat) is the upper chamber of the Bicameral Parliament of Madagascar. The Parliament has two chambers. The lower house is the National Assembly ( Antenimieram-Pirenena/Assemblée Nationale) The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State

Provinces and regions

Main articles: Provinces of Madagascar and Regions of Madagascar

Madagascar is divided into six autonomous provinces (faritany mizakatena), and 22 regions. |||} Madagascar is divided into six "autonomous Provinces quot ( faritany mizakatena) Antananarivo Province Antsiranana |||} Madagascar is divided into 22 Regions ( faritra) Elections Elections for the regional councils were held on 16 March 2008 The article is about the geographic sense of the term For other uses including Regions and Regional, see Region (disambiguation. The regions will be the highest subdivision level when the provinces are dissolved by 2009.

The regions are further subdivided into 116 districts, 1,548 communes, and 16,969 fokontany. Antananarivo is a province of Madagascar with an area of 58283 km² Analamanga is a region in Madagascar. Analamanga means "blue forest" Bongolava is a region in Madagascar. Capital Tsiroanomandidy Area 16821 km² Population 235000 Population density Itasy is a region in Antananarivo Province of central Madagascar. Vakinankaratra is a region in Madagascar. Capital Antsirabe Chief Lantoniaina Rabenantoandro The region is divided Antsiranana is a province of Madagascar with an area of 43406 km2 Diana is a region in Madagascar. Capital Antsiranana I The region is divided into 5 districts Districts Sava is a region in Antsiranana Province of Madagascar. Its capital is Sambava. Fianarantsoa is a province of Madagascar. Area 103272 km² Population of 3366291 (July 2001 estimate Amoron'i Mania is a region in Fianarantsoa Province of central Madagascar. Atsimo-Atsinanana (South East is a region in Madagascar. Capital Farafangana Chief Jhonson Andrianahy (since 2007 The region Haute Matsiatra is a region in Fianarantsoa Province of Madagascar. Ihorombe is a region in Fianarantsoa Province of Madagascar. It borders Haute Matsiatra region in north Atsimo-Atsinanana in east Vatovavy-Fitovinany is a region in Madagascar. Capital Manakara Chief Philibert Andriatsimanirinarivo (since 2007 Mahajanga is a province of Madagascar with an area of 150023 km² Betsiboka is a region in Mahajanga Province of Madagascar. It borders Boeny Region in north Sofia in northeast Alaotra-Mangoro Boeny is a region in Mahajanga Province of western Madagascar. Melaky is a region in Mahajanga Province of western Madagascar. This is a page about the Sofia Region in Madagascar See also the Sofia Province (oblast in Bulgaria. Toamasina is a province of Madagascar with an area of 71911 km² Alaotra-Mangoro is a region in Toamasina Province of eastern Madagascar. Analanjirofo is a region in Toamasina Province of northeastern Madagascar. Atsinanana is a region in Toamasina Province of eastern Madagascar. Toliara (also Toliary or Tuléar) is a province of Madagascar with an area of 161405 km² Androy is a region in Madagascar. Capital Ambovombe-Androy Chief Andrien Hatrifenjanahary (since 2007 Androy is the Anosy is a region in Toliara Province of Madagascar. It borders Androy region in west Atsimo-Andrefana in north-west Ihorombe Atsimo-Andrefana is a region in Toliara Province of Madagascar. This is a page about the Menabe Region in Madagascar See also the Sakalava (oblast in Madagascar. The major cities have a special status as "commune urbaine", at the same level as the districts.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Madagascar

Isalo National Park

At 587,041 km² (226,657. Madagascar is an island in the Indian Ocean, off the eastern coast of southern Africa, east of Mozambique. Isalo National Park is a National Park in the Toliara Province of Madagascar. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 8 sq mi), Madagascar is the world's 46th-largest country and the fourth largest island. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant It is slightly larger than France and it also is one of 11 distinct physiographic provinces of the South African Platform physiographic division. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Physical geography (also known as geosystems or physiography) is one of the three major subfields of Geography.

Towards the east, a steep escarpment leads from the central highlands down into a ribbon of rain forest with a narrow coastal further east. Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches The Canal des Pangalanes is a chain of natural and man-made lakes connected by canals that runs parallel to the east coast for some 460 km (about two-thirds of the island). The Canal des Pangalanes is a series of man made and natural lakes linked by rivers running down the east coast of Madagascar for about 300 miles A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the The descent from the central highlands toward the west is more gradual, with remnants of deciduous forest and savanna-like plains (which in the south and southwest, are quite dry and host spiny desert and baobabs). A savanna or savannah is a Tropical or Subtropical Grassland or Woodland Ecosystem. In Geography, a plain is an area of land with relatively low relief — meaning that it is flat A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. Baobab is the common name of a Genus ( Adansonia) containing eight species of Trees native to Madagascar (having six species mainland On the west coast are many protected harbours, but silting is a major problem caused by sediment from the high levels of erosion inland. Erosion is the carrying away or displacement of solids ( Sediment, Soil, rock and other particles usually by the agents of currents such as wind

Along the crest of this ridge lie the central highlands, a plateau region ranging in altitude from 2,450 to 4,400 ft (750 to 1350m) above sea level. In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting The central highlands are characterised by terraced, rice-growing valleys lying between barren hills. Here, the red laterite soil that covers much of the island has been exposed by erosion, showing clearly why the country is often referred to as the "Red Island". Laterite (from the Latin word "later" meaning brick or tile is a surface formation in hot and wet tropical areas which is enriched in Iron and Aluminium

The island's highest peak, Maromokotro, at 2,876 m (9,436 ft), is found in the Tsaratanana Massif, located in the far north of the country. The Ankaratra Massif is in the central area south of the capital Antananarivo and hosts the third highest mountain on the island, Tsiafajavona, with an altitude of 2,642 m (8,668 ft). Antananarivo (ˌtəˌnænəˈriːv or /ˌtəˌnɑːnəˈriːv/ is the Capital and largest city in Madagascar. On very rare occasions, this region experiences snow in winter due to its high altitude. "Snowfall" redirects here For other uses see Snow (disambiguation or Snowfall (disambiguation. Further south is the Andringitra massif which has several peaks over 2400 m (about 8,000 ft) including the second and fourth highest peaks, Pic Boby (8,720 ft, 2,658 m) and Pic Bory (8,626 ft, 2,630 m). Other peaks in the massif include Pic Soaindra (8,594 ft, 2,620 m) and Pic Ivangomena (8,385 ft, 2,556 m). This massif also contains the Andringitra Reserve. Andringitra National Park is National Park in the Fianarantsoa Province of Madagascar, 47 km south of Ambalavao.

There are two seasons: a hot, rainy season from November to April, and a cooler, dry season from May to October. South-eastern trade winds predominate, and the island occasionally experiences cyclones. The trade winds (also called trades) are the prevailing pattern of easterly winds found in the Tropics near the Earth's Equator. In Meteorology, a cyclone refers to an area of closed circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth.

Ecology

Tsingy in Madagascar

Main article: Ecoregions of Madagascar

Main article: Malagasy fauna

Madagascar's long isolation from the neighboring continents has resulted in a unique mix of plants and animals, many found nowhere else in the world; some ecologists refer to Madagascar as the "eighth continent"^[8]. Madagascar island, located in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, is the fourth largest island in the world Madagascar has been an isolated island for about 70 million years breaking away from Africa around 165 million years ago then from India nearly 100 million years later Of the 10,000 plants native to Madagascar, 90% are found nowhere else in the world. ^[9]

Madagascar's varied fauna and flora are endangered by human activity, as a third of its native vegetation has disappeared since the 1970s, and only 18% remains intact. ^[9]

The eastern, or windward side of the island is home to tropical rainforests, while the western and southern sides, which lie in the rain shadow of the central highlands, are home to tropical dry forests, thorn forests, and deserts and xeric shrublands. Windward is the direction from which the wind is blowing at the time in question Tropical rainforests are generally found near the Equator. They are common in Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Central For the Australian television series see Rain Shadow (TV series. The Madagascar dry deciduous forests represent a tropical dry forest Ecoregion generally situated in the western part of Madagascar. Madagascar's dry deciduous rain forest have been preserved generally better than the eastern rainforests or the high central plateau, presumably due to historically low population density and scarce water supplies. In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting

Extensive deforestation has taken place in parts of the country. Deforestation is the conversion of Forested areas to non-forest land for use such as Arable land, Pasture, urban use logged area or wasteland Slash-and-burn activity, locally called tavy, has occurred in the eastern and western dry forests as well as the on the central high plateau, reducing certain forest habitat and applying pressure to some endangered species. Slash and burn consists of cutting and burning of Forests or Woodlands to create fields for Agriculture or Pasture for Livestock, or A habitat (which is Latin for "it inhabits" is an Ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular Species. An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation Slash-and-burn is a method sometimes used by shifting cultivators to create short-term yields from marginal soils. For methods see Slash and burn Shifting cultivation is an Agricultural system in which plots of land are cultivated temporarily then abandoned When practiced repeatedly without intervening fallow periods, the nutrient-poor soils may be exhausted or eroded to an unproductive state. A nutrient is food or chemicals that an organism needs to live and grow or a substance used in an organism's metabolism which must be taken in from its environment The resulting increased surface runoff from burned lands has caused significant erosion and resulting high sedimentation to western rivers. Surface runoff is a term used to describe when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess Water, from Rain, Snowmelt, or other sources flows

Encoding

Madagascar is represented in the FIPS 10-4 geographical encoding standard by the symbol MA. The FIPS 10-4 standard Countries Dependencies Areas of Special Sovereignty and Their Principal Administrative Divisions, lists two-letter country codes that ^[10]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Madagascar

Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy. including Fishing and Forestry, is the mainstay of the Madagascar economy, accounting for 34 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP and contributing Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture For the computer security term see Phishing. Fishing is the activity of catching Fish. Forestry is the Art and Science of managing forests tree Plantations and related Natural resources. Major exports are coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts and livestock products. CoFFEE is an Open source Software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL in a digital classroom Vanilla is a Flavoring derived from Orchids of the genus Vanilla native to Mexico. Sugarcane ( Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae tribe Andropogoneae This article is about the Spice; for other meanings see Clove (disambiguation. Cocoa is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of the cacao tree from which Chocolate is made Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many The cassava, yuca, manioc, or mandioca ( Manihot esculenta) is a woody Shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge family native Bean is a common name for large plant Seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae (formerly Leguminosae used for human food or animal For the fruit see Banana. For other meanings see Banana (disambiguation. Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday Comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M Vanilla has historically been of particular importance, and when in 1985 Coca-cola switched to New Coke which involved less vanilla, Madagascar's economy took a marked downturn, but returned to previous levels after the return of Coke Classic. Coca-Cola is a carbonated Soft drink sold in stores restaurants and Vending machines in more than 200 countries New Coke was the unofficial name of the sweeter formulation introduced in 1985 by The Coca-Cola Company to replace its flagship Soft drink, Coca-Cola Coca-Cola is a carbonated Soft drink sold in stores restaurants and Vending machines in more than 200 countries ^[11]

Structural reforms began in the late 1980s, initially under pressure from international financial institutions, notably the World Bank. The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e An initial privatization program (1988-1993) and the development of an export processing zone (EPZ) regime in the early 1990s were key milestones in this effort. A free trade zone ( FTZ) or export processing zone ( EPZ) is one or more special areas of a country where some normal Trade barriers such as A period of significant stagnation from 1991-96 was followed by 5 years of solid economic growth and accelerating foreign investment, driven by a second wave of privatizations and EPZ development. Although structural reforms advanced, governance remained weak and perceived corruption in Madagascar was extremely high. Political corruption is the use of governmental powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain During the period of solid growth from 1997 to 2001, poverty levels remained stubbornly high, especially in rural areas. Poverty (also called penury) is deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life including food clothing shelter and safe Drinking water, and A six-month political crisis triggered by a dispute over the outcome of the presidential elections held in December 2001 virtually halted economic activity in much of the country in the first half of 2002. Real GDP dropped 12. Real GDP is a macroeconomic measure of the size of an economy adjusted for price changes and inflation 7% for the year 2002, inflows of foreign investment dropped sharply, and the crisis tarnished Madagascar's budding reputation as an AGOA standout and a promising place to invest. Foreign direct investment ( FDI) in its classic definition is defined as a company from one country making a physical investment into building a factory in another country In May 2000, the US Congress approved legislation known as the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA (Title I Trade and Development Act of 2000 P After the crisis, the economy rebounded with GDP growth of over 10% in 2003. Currency depreciation and rising inflation in 2004 have hampered economic performance, but growth for the year reached 5. Currency depreciation is the loss of value of a country's currency with respect to one or more foreign reference currencies typically in a Floating exchange rate system In economics inflation or price inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services over a period of time 3%, with inflation reaching around 25% at the end of the year. In 2005 inflation was brought under control by tight monetary policy of raising the Taux Directeur (central bank rate) to 16% and tightening reserve requirements for banks. Thus growth was expected to reach around 6. 5% in 2005.

Following the 2002 political crisis, the government attempted to set a new course and build confidence, in coordination with international financial institutions and donors. International financial institutions, or IFIs, refers to Financial institutions that have been established (or chartered by more than one country and hence are subjects Madagascar developed a recovery plan in collaboration with the private sector and donors and presented it at a "Friends of Madagascar" conference organized by the World Bank in Paris in July 2002. The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Donor countries demonstrated their confidence in the new government by pledging $1 billion in assistance over five years. The Malagasy Government identified road infrastructure as its principle priority and underlined its commitment to public-private partnership by establishing a joint public-private sector steering committee.

In 2000, Madagascar embarked on the preparation of a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs are in many ways the replacement for Structural Adjustment Programs and are documents required by the IMF and World Heavily Indebted Poor Countries ( HIPC) are a group of 37 Developing countries with high levels of Poverty and Debt overhang which are eligible The boards of the IMF and World Bank agreed in December 2000 that the country had reached the decision point for debt relief under the HIPC Initiative and defined a set of conditions for Madagascar to reach the completion point. The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic In October 2004, the boards of the IMF and the World Bank determined that Madagascar had reached the completion point under the enhanced HIPC Initiative. The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e

The Madagascar-U. S. Business Council was formed in Madagascar in 2002. The U. S. -Madagascar Business Council was formed in the United States in May 2003, and the two organisations continue to explore ways to work for the benefit of both groups.

The government of President Ravalomanana is aggressively seeking foreign investment and is tackling many of the obstacles to such investment, including combating corruption, reforming land-ownership laws, encouraging study of American and European business techniques, and active pursuit of foreign investors. President Ravalomanana rose to prominence through his agro-foods TIKO company, and is known for attempting to apply many of the lessons learned in the world of business to running the government. Some recent concerns have arisen about the conflict of interest between his policies and the activities of his firms. Most notable among them the preferential treatment for rice imports initiated by the government in late 2004 when responding to a production shortfall in the country.

Madagascar's sources of growth are tourism; textile and light manufacturing exports (notably through the EPZs); agricultural products and mining. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel A textile is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial Fibres often referred to as thread or Yarn. Madagascar is the world's leading producer of vanilla and accounts for about half the world's export market. Tourism targets the niche eco-tourism market, capitalizing on Madagascar's unique biodiversity, unspoiled natural habitats, national parks and lemur species. The Protected areas network of Madagascar is managed by the Madagascar National Parks Association (PNM-ANGAP Lemurs make up the infraorder Lemuriformes and are members of a group of Primates known as Prosimians The term "lemur" is derived from the Exports from the EPZs, located around Antananarivo and Antsirabe, consist the most part of garment manufacture, targeting the US market under AGOA and the European markets under the Everything But Arms (EBA) agreement. Antsirabe is the third largest city in Madagascar and has a population of approximately 183000 Clothing (also called clothes, accoutrements, accouterments, or habiliments) protects the Human body from extreme Weather In May 2000, the US Congress approved legislation known as the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA (Title I Trade and Development Act of 2000 P Everything But Arms (EBA is an initiative of the European Union under which all imports to the EU from the Least Developed Countries are duty free and Quota Agricultural exports consist of low-volume high-value products like vanilla, litchies and essential oils. An essential oil is a concentrated Hydrophobic Liquid containing volatile Aroma compounds from Plants They are also known as volatile A small but growing part of the economy is based on mining of ilmenite, with investments emerging in recent years, particularly near Tulear and Fort Dauphin. Ilmenite is a weakly magnetic titanium-iron oxide Mineral which is iron-black or steel-gray Toliara (also known as Toliary; formerly Tuléar) is a city in Madagascar. ^[12] Mining corporation Rio Tinto Group expects to begin operations near Fort Dauphin in 2008, following several years of infrastructure preparation. Rio Tinto is a multinational Mining and resources group founded originally in 1873 The mining project is highly controversial, with Friends of the Earth and other environmental organizations filing reports to detail their concerns about effects on the local environment and communities. ^[13]

Several major projects are underway in the mining and oil and gas sectors that, if successful, will give a significant boost to the Malagasy economy. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, In the mining sector, these include the development of coal at Sakoa and nickel near Tamatave. In oil, Madagascar Oil is developing the massive onshore heavy oil field at Tsimiroro and ultra heavy oil field at Bemolanga. Madagascar Oil SA (a subsidiary of Madagascar Oil Limited Bermuda is a Malagasy company focussing on the development exploration and production of Petroleum. Onshore, when used relative to Hydrocarbons refers to an oil, Natural gas or condensate field that is under dry land or to activities or operations Heavy crude oil or Extra Heavy oil is any type of Crude oil which does not flow easily An oil field is a region with an abundance of Oil wells extracting Petroleum (crude oil from below ground Tsimiroro is the name of a large Oil field in the onshore Morondava Basin of Madagascar. Bemolanga is the name of a large Tar sands deposit in the onshore Morondava Basin of Madagascar discovered in the early 1900s

Foreign relations

Madagascar was historically perceived as being on the margin of mainstream African affairs. But it eagerly rejoined the African Union in July 2003 after a 14-month hiatus triggered by the 2002 political crisis. The African Union (abbreviated AU in English, and UA in its other working languages is a Confederation consisting of 53  African From 1978 to 1991, President Ratsiraka emphasized independence and nonalignment and followed an "all points" policy stressing ties with socialist and radical regimes, including North Korea, Cuba, Libya, and Iran. Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. But President Albert Zafy, taking office in 1993, expressed his desire for diplomatic relations with all countries. Albert Zafy (born 1927 is a Malagasy Political figure. He was the president of Madagascar from March 27 1993 to September 5 1996 Early in his tenure, he established formal ties with South Korea and sent emissaries to Morocco. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa

Starting in 1997, globalisation encouraged the government and President Ratsiraka to adhere to market-oriented policies and to engage world markets. Globalization (or globalisation) in its literal sense is the process of transformation of local or regional phenomena into global ones External relations reflect this trend, although Madagascar's physical isolation and strong traditional insular orientation have limited its activity in regional economic organisations and relations with its East African neighbours. East Africa is the Easternmost Region of the African Continent. It enjoys closer and generally good relations with its Indian Ocean neighbours -- Mauritius, Réunion, and Comoros. The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface Mauritius (pronounced məˈrɪʃəs L’île Maurice /il mɔ'ʁis/ Mauritian Creole: Maurice) officially the Republic of Mauritius, République Réunion ( French: Réunion or formally La Réunion; previously Île Bourbon) is an island located in the Indian Ocean, east of The Comoros (ˈkɒməroʊz; جزر القمر Juzur al-Qumur) officially the Union of the Comoros (Union des Comores الإتّحاد القمريّ Active relationships with Europe, especially France, Germany, and Switzerland, as well as with Britain, Russia, Japan, India, and China have been strong since independence. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National More recently, President Ravalomanana has cultivated strong links with the United States, and Madagascar was the first country to benefit from the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA). The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Millennium Challenge Account (MCA run by the Millennium Challenge Corporation, is a bilateral development fund announced by the Bush administration Madagascar is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98). The International Criminal Court ( ICC or ICCt) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for Genocide, crimes against The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (often referred to as the International Criminal Court Statute or the Rome Statute) is the Treaty

President Ravalomanana has stated that he welcomes relations with all countries interested in helping Madagascar to develop. He travels widely promoting Madagascar abroad and has consciously sought to strengthen relations with Anglophone countries as a means of balancing traditionally strong French influence. An Anglophone (or anglophone) is someone who speaks the English language. He has also cultivated strong ties with China during his tenure.

In November 2004, after an absence of almost 30 years, Madagascar re-opened its embassy in London. A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one State or an international Inter-governmental organization (such as the United Nations) present in London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. On 15 December 2004 the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, announced the closure of the British embassy in Antananarivo to save £250,000 a year. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the John Whitaker Straw (born 3 August 1946 most commonly known as Jack Straw, is a senior British Labour Party Politician. He also announced an end to the DFID-funded Small Grants Scheme, the only aid Britain gave to this, one of the world's poorest countries. The embassy closed in August 2005 despite petitions and protests from African heads of state, a European commissioner, the Malagasy Senate, many British companies, 30 or so NGOs operating in Madagascar, and members of the public. A petition is a request to change some thing most commonly made to a government official or public entity

The British Embassy was previously closed (also for financial reasons) from 1975 to 1980. The Anglo-Malagasy Society are campaigning to have it re-opened once again.

Demographics

Antananarivo, Madagascar

Main article: Demographics of Madagascar

A village

Madagascar's population is predominantly of mixed Austronesian (i. Madagascar 's population is predominantly of mixed Austronesian and East African origin The Austronesian people or Austronesian-speaking people, are a population group present in Oceania and Southeast Asia who speak or had ancestors who spoke e. Pacific Islander) and African origin. Pacific Islander (or Pacific Person, pl Pacific People, also called Oceanic[s] ' is a geographic term to describe the Austronesian The term African people can refer to people who live in Africa, or people who trace their ancestry to Indigenous inhabitants of Africa. Those who are visibly Austronesian in appearance and culture are the minority, found mostly in the highland regions. Recent research suggests that the island was uninhabited until Austronesian seafarers arrived about 1,500 to 2,000 years ago. Recent DNA research shows that the Malagasy people are approximately of half Austronesian and half East African descent, although some Arab, Indian and European influence is present along the coast. Deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) is a Nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Malagasy language shares some 90% of its basic vocabulary with the Maanyan language from the region of the River Barito in southern Borneo. Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia.

Subsequent migrations from the East Indies and Africa consolidated this original mixture, and 36 separate tribal groups emerged. Human migration denotes any movement by Humans from one locality to another sometimes over long distances or Austronesian features are most predominant in the Merina (3 million) ; the coastal people (called c�tiers) are of more clearly African origin. Not to be confused with Mirena. The Merina is the largest ethnic group in Madagascar. The largest coastal groups are the Betsimisaraka (1. The coast is defined as the part of the land adjoining or near the Ocean. 5 million) and the Tsimihety and Sakalava (700,000 each). The Tsimihety are an ethnic group located in north central Madagascar, numbering around one million (approx The Sakalava is a traditional name for a group of people of Madagascar numbering approximately 700000 in population The Vezo live in the southwest. Two of the southern tribes are the Antandroy and the Antanosy.

During the French colonial administration (1895-1960) and some time after independence, people were officially classified in ethnic groups. This practice was abandoned in the first census (1975) after independence^[14], so any recent classification and figures for ethnic groups is an unofficial estimate. There is for instance no mention of ethnicity or religion in the national identity cards. Also, territorial divisions (provinces, regions) do not follow any ethnic division lines, despite an attempt by the colonial administration in the early 20th century. Ethnic divisions continue, and may cause violence, but their role is limited in today's society. Regional political parties are also rare, although some parties have their most of their support in certain areas.

Only two general censuses, 1975 and 1993, have been carried out after independence.

In 1993 (last census) there were 18,497 foreign residents on Madagascar, or 0. 15% of the population.

Language

A girl in a Madagascar village

The Malagasy language (pronounced Mala-gass) is of Malayo-Polynesian origin and is generally spoken throughout the island. This article is about the Malagasy language For the Malagasy ethnic group see Malagasy people. The Malayo-Polynesian languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages, with approximately 351 million speakers French is spoken among the educated population of this former French colony. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people English, although still rare, is becoming more widely spoken and in 2003 the government began a pilot project of introducing the teaching of English into the primary grades of 44 schools, with hopes of taking the project nationwide. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Many Peace Corps volunteers are serving to further this effort and train teachers. The Peace Corps is an independent United States federal agency.

In the first Constitution of 1958, Malagasy and French were named the "official languages of the Malagasy Republic"^[15]. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people

No official languages were recorded in the Constitution of 1992. Instead, Malagasy was named the "national language". However, many sources still claimed that Malagasy and French were official languages, as they were de facto. In April 2000 a citizen brought a legal case on the grounds that the publication of official documents in the French language only was unconstitutional. The High Constitutional Court observed in its decision^[16] that, in the absence of a language law, French still had the character of an official language.

In the Constitution of 2007, Malagasy remains the national language, while official languages are reintroduced: Malagasy, French and English. The motivation for the inclusion of English is partly to improve relations with the neighbouring countries where English is used, and to encourage foreign direct investment. Foreign direct investment ( FDI) in its classic definition is defined as a company from one country making a physical investment into building a factory in another country ^[17]

Religion

See also: Islam in Madagascar and Roman Catholicism in Madagascar

Approximately 50% of the country's population practice traditional religion, which tends to emphasize links between the living and the dead. Islam has been well-established in what is now known as Madagascar for centuries and today Muslims represent 7% of the population or approximately 1 The Catholic Church in Madagascar is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and Curia in The Merina in the highlands particularly tend to hold tightly to this practice. They believe that the dead join their ancestors in the ranks of divinity and that ancestors are intensely concerned with the fate of their living descendants. An ancestor is a Parent or ( recursively) the parent of an ancestor (i The Merina and Betsileo reburial practice of famadihana, or "turning over the dead", celebrates this spiritual communion. In this ritual, relatives' remains are removed from the family tomb, rewrapped in new silk shrouds, and returned to the tomb following festive ceremonies in their honour where sometimes the bodies are lifted and carried high above the celebrants heads with singing and dancing before returning them to the tomb. For the New York prison see The Tombs. A Tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead.

About 45% of the Malagasy are Christian, divided almost evenly between Catholics and Protestants. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings The Catholic Church in Madagascar is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and Curia in Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Many incorporate the cult of the dead with their other religious beliefs and bless their dead at church before proceeding with the traditional burial rites. They also may invite a pastor to attend a famadihana. A pastor is an official person within a Protestant group of people and related to the positions of Priest or Bishop within the Anglican, Roman Catholic The Roman Catholic church is open to its members continuing these practices, while more conservative Protestant denominations tend to condemn them to be superstitions or demon worship that should be abandoned. Superstition ( Latin superstitio, literally "standing over" derived perhaps from standing in awe used in Latin as a unreasonable or excessive belief Many of the Christian churches are influential in politics. The best example of this is the Malagasy Council of Churches (FFKM) comprising the four oldest and most prominent Christian denominations (Roman Catholic, Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar, Lutheran and Anglican). The Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar ( Malagasy: Fiangonan'i Jesoa Kristy eto Madagasikara) ( FJKM) is the second-largest Christian The Malagasy Lutheran Church (in Malagasy it is known as FLM Fiangonana Loterana Malagasy) is a Christian denomination in Madagascar and France Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs

Islam in Madagascar constitutes about 7% of the population. Islam has been well-established in what is now known as Madagascar for centuries and today Muslims represent 7% of the population or approximately 1 The Muslim traders who first brought Islam in the 10th century had a deep influence on the west coast. For example, many Malagasy converted to Islam and the Malagasy language was, for the first time, transcribed into an alphabet, based on the Arabic alphabet, called Sorabe. The Arabic alphabet is the script used for writing several languages of Asia and Africa such as Arabic, Persian, and Urdu. Sorabe, or Sora-be, is an Alphabet based on Arabic used to transcribe the Malagasy language (belonging to the Malayo-Polynesian language Muslims are concentrated in the provinces of Mahajanga and Antsiranana (Diego Suarez). A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Mahajanga (French Majunga) is a City, a district and a province on the north-west coast of Madagascar. Antsiranana, named Diogo Soares prior to 1975 is a city at the northern tip of Madagascar. Muslims are divided between those of Malagasy ethnicity, Indo-Pakistanis, and Comorians. The Comoros (ˈkɒməroʊz; جزر القمر Juzur al-Qumur) officially the Union of the Comoros (Union des Comores الإتّحاد القمريّ The number of mosques in the south-east region has increased from 10 to 50 in the last ten years. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger ^[18] Recently, there has been some growth in Islam through conversion.

Culture

• Cuisine of Madagascar
• Music of Madagascar
• List of writers from Madagascar
• Salegy is a popular music form. Cuisine of Madagascar traditionally consists of a base of rice ( vary) with some form of accompaniment ( laoka) although in the southwest Madagascar is an island off the east coast of Mozambique in the Indian Ocean. This is a list of prominent and notable writers from Africa, including Poets Novelists Children's writers Essayists and Scholars listed There is a sudden interest in American culture and European popular culture, which is eroding the more traditional culture, and especially the music.

Miscellaneous topics

• Andavadoaka, Madagascar: A small fishing village located on the southwest coast of Madagascar
• Communications in Madagascar
• Foreign relations of Madagascar
• List of Madagascar-related topics
• Military of Madagascar
• Transport in Madagascar
• Firaisan'ny Skotisma eto Madagasikara
• National parks of Madagascar
• Malagasy diplomatic missions
• 2006 Malagasy coup d'état attempt
• Government of Madagascar
• Malagasy consular missions
• Cuisine of Madagascar
• The Madagascar Project, Project set up to help Malagasy communities tackle the causes and effects of poverty

References

External links

Government

• The Madagascar Government official site
• National Assembly of Madagascar official site (English)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of MadagascarOfficial site
• Embassies and Consulates
  • Canada Hungary Washington DC

News

• allAfrica.com - Madagascar news headline links
• - Madagascar conservation story

Overviews

• BBC News Country Profile - Madagascar
• CIA World Factbook - Madagascar
• MADAGASIKARA.it many information about madagascar and specially NOSY BE - Madagascar
• WildMadagascar.org Overview, news, photos, cultural history. English and French

Directories

• Madagascar at the Open Directory Project
• Stanford University - Africa South of the Sahara: Madagascar directory category
• The Index on Africa - Madagascar directory category
• University of Pennsylvania - African Studies Center: Madagascar directory category
• Yahoo! - Madagascar directory category

Ecology

• National Parks and Reserves
• Conservation.org - Madagascar
• Madagascar Wildlife Conservation MWC is a Malagasy non-profit association, which organises and pursues community-based conservations projects

Miscellaneous

• Azafady UK charity and Malagasy NGO working in southeast Madagascar to alleviate poverty, improve well-being and protect beautiful unique environments with the help of its award winning volunteering programmes. The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory
• Shama Foundation of Madagascar charitable organization providing scholarships for underprivileged students in Madagascar
• Opinions of La Haute Cour Constitutionelle du Madagascar
• Madagascar Constitution
• Madagascar travel guide from Wikitravel
• Blue Ventures award winning not-for-profit organisation dedicated to facilitating projects and expeditions that enhance global marine conservation and research. Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide. Based in Andavadoaka, South West coast of Madagascar. Andavadoaka is a small Fishing Village located on the southwest coast of Madagascar.
• Foko-madagascar not-for-profit organization and Rising Voices grantee project dedicated to the use of ICT as a tool to promote sustainable development, especially combining human development and the protection of the environment.