Or is it Madagascan? Runion is almost elliptical in shape, about 40 miles (65 km) long and 30 miles (50 km . [108] The island is home to around 170 palm species, three times as many as on all of mainland Africa; 165 of them are endemic. How did Madagascar, an island country, become independent - [45], European contact began in 1500, when the Portuguese sea captain Diogo Dias sighted the island, while participating in the 2nd Armada of the Portuguese India Armadas. The nearest mainland state is Mozambique, located to the west. Start Malagasy Republic - Wikipedia [147], At the local level, the island's 22 provinces are administered by a governor and provincial council. Madagascar's official name is the Republic of Madagascar. [46], Approximately 42.5percent of the population is younger than 15 years of age, while 54.5percent are between the ages of 15 and 64. To force capitulation, the French bombarded and occupied the harbor of Toamasina on the east coast, and Mahajanga on the west coast, in December 1894 and January 1895 respectively. The Malagasy Republic, proclaimed on October 14, 1958, became an autonomous state within the French Community. Independence First Republic (1960-1972) Tsiranana's rule represented continuation, with French settlers (or colons) still in positions of power. President Rajoelina could rule as a strongman. [30] In 1891, Saleh bin Osman, a Zanzibari traveler, refers to the island as "Malagaskar" when recounting his journeys, including as part of the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition. Best Answer. Madagascar Overview: Development news, research, data | World Bank [102] This distinctive ecology has led some ecologists to refer to Madagascar as the "eighth continent",[103] and the island has been classified by Conservation International as a biodiversity hotspot. The animal life and vegetation of the island are equally anomalous, differing greatly from that of nearby Africa and being in many respects unique. Independence evolved in three republics until the 21 st century. Lake Tsimanampetsotsa, near the coast south of Toliara (formerly Tular), is a large body of saline water that has no outlet. Geography of Madagascar - ThoughtCo [149] Accusations of media censorship have increased since 2009 because of the alleged intensification of restrictions on political criticism. This settlement was established in 1513 at the behest of the viceroy of Portuguese India, Jeronimo de Azevedo. 2023-05-16 03:42. The negative economic impact of the political crisis was gradually overcome by Ravalomanana's progressive economic and political policies, which encouraged investments in education and ecotourism, facilitated foreign direct investment, and cultivated trading partnerships both regionally and internationally. [216] In contrast, a 2020 study conducted by the Association of Religion Data Archives found 58.1% of the population was Christian, 2.1% Muslim, 39.2% practiced traditional faiths, and 0.6% was nonreligious or adhered to other faiths. Membership in 2011 was estimated at 14,905.[256]. Physiographically, it is part of the Mascarene Islands. The most emblematic instrument of Madagascar, the valiha, is a bamboo tube zither carried to Madagascar by early settlers from southern Borneo, and is very similar in form to those found in Indonesia and the Philippines today. Those schooled during this period generally failed to master the French language or many other subjects and struggled to find employment, forcing many to take low-paying jobs in the informal or black market that mired them in deepening poverty. [190] Air Madagascar services the island's many small regional airports, which offer the only practical means of access to many of the more remote regions during rainy season road washouts. However, the colonial period was accompanied by movements fighting for independence: the Menalamba, the Vy Vato Sakelika, the Democratic Movement for Malagasy Renovation (MDRM). In June 2019 parliamentary elections the party of president Andry Rajoelina won absolute majority of the seats of the National Assembly. Madagascar - Wikipedia The schools were closed by Ranavalona I in 1835,[230] but reopened and expanded in the decades after her death. [165], Madagascar became a member state of the United Nations on 20 September 1960, shortly after gaining its independence on 26 June 1960. In 1896 Madagascar was declared a colony of France, though the native government was retained, and a proclamation was issued abolishing slavery. [165] Fifty-six percent of Madagascar's power is provided by hydroelectric power plants, with the remaining 44% provided by diesel engine generators. In total, the repression of this . On the northwestern coast there are a number of estuaries and bays. The most important seaport in Madagascar is located on the east coast at Toamasina. One of the island's foremost artistic traditions is its oratory, as expressed in the forms of hainteny (poetry), kabary (public discourse) and ohabolana (proverbs). The distance between Madagascar and the East African coastline is 1,000 miles. To the south of Farafangana the coast becomes rocky, and in the southeast there occur many little bays. Three former presidents and the most recent president were the main candidates of the elections. L'insurrection malgache de 1947. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Mauritius | Facts, Geography, & History | Britannica Madagascar has produced a world champion in ptanque, a French game similar to lawn bowling, which is widely played in urban areas and throughout the Highlands. Country Facts | Madagascar When did Madagascar separate from Africa? Chinese, Indian and Comoran minorities are present in Madagascar, as well as a small European (primarily French) populace. The MDRM was accused by the colonial regime of being at the origin of the 1947 insurrection and was pursued by violent repression. When was Tsiranana elected in Madagascar? At least 17 species of lemur have become extinct since humans arrived on Madagascar, all of which were larger than the surviving lemur species.[125]. [42], The oral histories of the Merina people, who may have arrived in the central highlands between 600 and 1,000 years ago, describe encountering an established population they called the Vazimba. At 592,800 square kilometres (228,900sqmi),[46] Madagascar is the world's 46th largest country,[91] the second-largest island country[13] and the fourth-largest island. Madagascar - History Background - Million, Dead, African, and Island As of 2009[update], only 6.8percent of Madagascar's fokontany had access to water provided by Jirama, while 9.5percent had access to its electricity services. [227] According to the United Nations, more than one million people in southern Madagascar are struggling to get enough to eat,[228] due to what could become the first famine caused by climate change.[229]. The gneiss decomposes into red murrum, laterite, and deeper and more fertile red earths, giving Madagascar its colloquial name the Great Red Island. [92] Neighboring islands include the French territory of Runion and the country of Mauritius to the east, as well as the state of Comoros and the French territory of Mayotte to the north west. The IMF agreed to write off half Madagascar's debt in 2004 under the Ravalomanana administration. Reporters are occasionally threatened or harassed, and media outlets are periodically forced to close. [61], Primarily on the basis that the Lambert Charter had not been respected, France invaded Madagascar in 1883 in what became known as the first Franco-Hova War. [46] Eleven countries have established embassies in Madagascar, including France, the United Kingdom, the United States, China and India,[155] while Madagascar has embassies in sixteen other countries. [141] Local timber merchants are harvesting scarce species of rosewood trees from protected rainforests within Marojejy National Park and exporting the wood to China for the production of luxury furniture and musical instruments. Who first discovered Madagascar? - Studybuff A tale of a botanical mystery, colonialism, and savvy marketing. Poverty affects 92% of the population in 2017. Despite the training and leadership provided by British military advisers, the Malagasy army was unable to withstand French weaponry and was forced to surrender following an attack on the royal palace at Antananarivo. Wiki User. [46], In 2010, Madagascar had approximately 7,617km (4,730mi) of paved roads, 854km (530mi) of railways and 432km (270mi) of navigable waterways. [100] In the absence of monkeys and other competitors, these primates have adapted to a wide range of habitats and diversified into numerous species. [13] Its capital and largest city is Antananarivo. Residents of Madagascar could accuse one another of various crimes, including theft, Christianity and especially witchcraft, for which the ordeal of tangena was routinely obligatory. Native chiefs loyal to the French administration were also granted part of the land. Madagascar Gains Independence From France - African American Registry The economy, however, has been growing since 2011, with GDP growth exceeding 4% per year;[179][180] almost all economic indicators are growing, the GDP per capita was around $1600 (PPP) for 2017,[181] one of the lowest in the world, although growing since 2012; unemployment was also cut, which in 2016 was equal to 2.1%[182] with a work force of 13.4million as of 2017. Undernourishment and hunger rates were at 42% in 2018. Largely paved national routes connect the six largest regional towns to Antananarivo, with minor paved and unpaved routes providing access to other population centers in each district. [95], Madagascar's highest peaks rise from three prominent highland massifs: Maromokotro 2,876m (9,436ft) in the Tsaratanana Massif is the island's highest point, followed by Boby Peak 2,658m (8,720ft) in the Andringitra Massif, and Tsiafajavona 2,643m (8,671ft) in the Ankaratra Massif. [135] Violent crime rates are low, and criminal activities are predominantly crimes of opportunity such as pickpocketing and petty theft, although child prostitution, human trafficking and the production and sale of marijuana and other illegal drugs are increasing. The literacy rate is estimated at 64.7%.