Language: Malagasy, French, English
Currency: Malagasy ariary (MGA)
Calling Code: +261
Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar,
is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, located in southeast
Africa, east of Mozambique. It is the largest island in Africa and
the fourth largest in the world. It is separated from the mainland
by the Mozambique Channel. Once integrated with the African
continent, it is now separated from it. Because of the island's
isolation, it is home to many of the world's rarest species, 80% of
which are endemic to the island. Among the most notable endemics are
the lemur (primate), the carnivorous pit viper, five families of
birds, and six species of baobab. The Malagasy language is Malagasy,
with Malagasy as the national language and French as a second
language. The majority of the inhabitants of Madagascar are of
traditional faith, Christian, or a combination of both.
According to the United Nations, Madagascar belongs to the Least
Developed Countries. Ecotourism and agriculture are key elements of
Madagascar's development strategy, along with education, health, and
increased investment in the private sector. However, these benefits
are not evenly distributed across the population, creating tensions
over the rising cost of living and declining living standards for
the poor and parts of the middle class.In 2017, the political and
economic crisis of 2009-2013 weakened the economy and quality of
life for the majority of Malagasy citizens remains remain low.
Isalo National Park covers an area of 815 km² and contains 88 species of birds, 15 species of frogs, 33 species of reptiles, 14 species of mammals and 3 species of lemurs.
Perinet Rainforest is a large expanse of virgin jungles situated in the central eastern Madagascar. Much of territory of Perinet Rainforest is protected by Andasibe-Mantadia National Park that covers an area of 155 square kilometers.
Ranomafana National Park lies in the Fianarantsoa Province of Madagascar. Ranomafana National Park covers 41,600 hectares (161 square miles).
Tsingy de Bemaraha is situated in the Melaky Region on the Western Coast of Madagascar.
In Malagasy, the island is called "Madagascar" ([madaɡasʲarə̥]) and its inhabitants are called "Malagasy" ("Malgasy people" in French-speaking countries, Malag.foko malagasy). At the same time, the toponymy "Madagascar" is not of local origin, but originated in Europe during the Middle Ages. The famous Venetian traveler Marco Polo mentions the name Madagayskar in his notes, but it has nothing to do with the island, but is a distorted transliteration of the name of the Somali port Mogadishu, which Polo confused with the island. There does not appear to have been a pre-Madagascar name for the island, but several communities had their own names for the area in which they lived.
Radiocarbon analysis of the bones of a flightless
bird from Aepyornis (Aepyornis) revealed that the marks from cutting
the bird with a stone tool are approximately 15,000 years old.
By archaeological standards, the settlement of Madagascar began
relatively recently. Madagascar was first settled in the 200s to
500s, when settlers from Austronesia arrived by canoe. This theory
is supported by the many similarities between the culture of
Austronesia and that of the inhabitants of Madagascar, such as the
special type of canoes and the particular way rice is cultivated, as
well as the close relationship between the Malagasy language and
that of the inhabitants of southern Kalimantan and the genetic
studies conducted in the early 21st century. The results are
supported by genetic research conducted in the early 21st century.
There is no evidence that Austronesians colonized the African
continent.
At the same time, or somewhat later, Bantu
settlers moved to the island through the Mozambique Channel. At the
same time, the new arrivals occupied mainly coastal territory, while
Austronesian descendants lived in the central part of the island.
Genetic studies indicate that the confluence of Austronesians and
Africans began around the 10th century, resulting in the formation
of a people with the self-designation Malagasy.
In the 7th
century, when the Arabs arrived in Madagascar, literature about
Madagascar began to be written.
The island came to be known
as Madégascar in a casual note by the famous Venetian traveler Marco
Polo about the island's countless treasures. Many modern researchers
believe that it is not actually an island, but rather the port of
Mogadishu, the current capital of Somalia. However, after Italian
maps marked the island as Madagascar, the name stuck and has
remained unchanged ever since.
Despite the widespread
influence of Islamic culture on the island of Madagascar, Islam
never took hold. However, traces of Arab influence remain to this
day, such as the patriarchal system and calendar names for days,
months, and seasons.
The island of Madagascar is located in the Indian Ocean, across the Mozambique Channel, on the eastern coast of South Africa. The island's highest peak is Malmuktul (2876 m), an extinct volcano in the Tsaratanana Mountains in the northern part of the island. The total area of the province is 587,040 km². Length: about 1600 km, width: more than 600 km. The central part of the island is occupied by the alpine Andzafi Plateau, which descends gently to the west and then drops steeply to the lowlands of the eastern coast. In some parts of the island there is a special landscape, called scurvy (malag. tsingy), with limestone rock formations interspersed with vertical grooves creating many sharp corners.
The island can be divided into five main regions: the east coast, the Tsaratanana Mountains, the central highlands, the west coast, and the southwest.
The altitude of the highlands (Central Highlands) ranges from 800 to 1800 meters. The topography varies from place to place. The highlands begin in the Tsaratanana Mountains in the north and continue to the southernmost part ending at the Ivacuanian massif. The central highlands include the volcanic highland plateau of Anzafi, the Ankaratra Range, and the Ivakuani massif. Antananarivo, the provincial capital, is located in the northern part of the high plateau at an elevation of 1276 meters. Fairly frequent seismic activity has been noted in this region.
The west coast is prone to soil erosion, and as a result there are many small harbors and lagoons, especially in the northern part of the island; it was mostly here that pirates settled in the 17th and 18th centuries. Two large oil fields have been discovered on the west coast: Tsimirulu and Bemuranga. The southwestern part is bordered by the Ivacuanian massif and the Isala Roiniforme massif (Malag. Isala Roiniforme) and consists of two parts: the Mahafari plateau and the adjacent desert.
Madagascar's rivers flowing into the Indian Ocean are
usually short and swift, rich in hydropower resources, and abundant in
water throughout the year. Eastern rivers Mananara, Mangul, Maninguri,
Bemaribu, Ivendul, and Mananzari. Rivers flowing to the west coast and
emptying into the Mozambique Channel are generally longer and flow more
slowly than the eastern rivers because of the flattening of the
highlands to the west. Western rivers Sambiranu, Mahajamba, Betibuka,
Mania, North and South Mahavawi, Mangki, Unilahi, Ikpa, and Mandrale.
Madagascar has several large lakes: Lake Alotra, Lake Kinkuni, and
Lake Iftri. The Maningli River in the east also originates from Lake
Alotra.
Madagascar is sometimes called the "Great Red Island" (Mal. Nosy Mena Lehibe) because of its laterite formations. Red soils dominate the entire plateau, but more mineral-rich soils are found in former volcanic sites. Thin "belts" of alluvial soils are found along the entire length of the eastern coast and at the mouths of the western rivers. Clays, sands, and limestones are found on the western coast.
The climate is tropical along the coast, temperate
inland, and dry in the south. The climate is dominated by the southeast
trade winds blowing from the Indian Ocean High, which changes its
position over the ocean with the seasons. Madagascar has two seasons: a
hot rainy season from November to April and a cool dry season from May
to October. The climate varies greatly with elevation and position
relative to the dominant winds. The east coast, with its subequatorial
climate and most direct exposure to the trade winds, receives the most
rainfall, averaging 3,500 mm per year. The region is not only hot and
humid, with tropical fevers prevalent, but it is also famous for the
destructive cyclones that occur during the rainy season, coming mainly
from the direction of the Mascarene Islands. Rain clouds expel much of
the moisture from the higher elevations of the islands to the east, so
the central highlands are quite dry and, thanks to their elevation,
cooler. Thunderstorms are common in the Central Highlands during the
rainy season, and lightning is a serious hazard.
Antananarivo's
average annual precipitation of 1,400 mm falls almost entirely between
November and April. The dry season is pleasant and sunny, but somewhat
cool, especially in the mornings. Frost is rare in Antananarivo, but
common at higher elevations.
Madagascar separated from Africa about 160-165 million
years ago, and from India about 65-70 million years ago. The island is
extremely famous among biologists as a place of great accumulation of
endemic species. Thanks to the unique conditions in Madagascar, species
that became extinct in all other parts of the world lived and developed.
This led to the emergence of very unusual species that occupied a
variety of ecological niches. One striking example is the fossa (lat.
Cryptoprocta ferox), Madagascar's largest predator among mammals.
Outwardly, the fossa is similar to a representative of the cat family,
and it was originally assigned to it, but its closest relatives are
mongooses. Due to convergent evolution, the fossa acquired a cat-like
appearance, and its extinct relatives reached the size of an ocelot. It
has also been established that the entire family of Madagascar viverras
comes from one ancestor, who supposedly crossed the Mozambique Channel
20-30 million years ago. It is believed that since the arrival of man on
the island in the II-V centuries AD many species have been exterminated,
especially the representatives of the megafauna. Among the prehistoric
fauna of Madagascar, the most famous are rachonavis, rajasaurus and
bahariasaurus.
As a result of deforestation in Madagascar
(clearing and burning of forests for agricultural land) - the
consequences of rapid population growth - since the second half of the
20th century, more than 80% of the island's former forest cover has been
destroyed by now, the remaining territories are prone to
desertification.
Madagascar is believed to have been colonized by
various species of land mammals five times. Among the "colonists" the
following can be distinguished: tenrecs, lemurs, Madagascar viverras,
hare-lipped hamsters and the now extinct subspecies of the aardvark.
Bats were also common on the island and hippos once lived.
Lemurs
are a family of endemic primates with about 75 species, including 17
extinct. With the advent of man, all large lemurs were exterminated, the
largest at the moment is indri, weighing about 10 kg. The extinct giant
sloth lemur (lat. Archaeoindris) reached the size of a gorilla and
weighed more than 200 kg. Almost all species of lemurs are on the verge
of extinction and are listed in the Red Book.
Madagascar viverras are
an endemic family of mammalian predators, closely related to mongooses
and numbering 8 species. The family is divided into two subfamilies:
mungo (lat. Galidiinae) and Malagasy civet (lat. Euplerinae).
Previously, an extinct species of giant fossa (lat. Cryptoprocta spelea)
existed on the island, hunting giant lemurs, however, due to the
extermination of lemurs by humans, the giant fossa also died out, having
lost its food supply.
Tenrecs are a non-endemic family of mammals,
however, only three species are found outside Madagascar, while about 30
endemic species live in Madagascar. The family is widespread and has
occupied various ecological niches on the island. For example, the marsh
tenrec (lat. Limnogale mergulus) occupied the niche of a beaver and
outwardly resembles a muskrat, and the small tenrec (lat. Echinops
telfairi) looks extremely similar to a hedgehog.
Rodents are
represented by the endemic subfamily Nesomyinae of the Nesomyidae
family. Just like the tenrecs, they occupied many ecological niches,
outwardly evolving into similarities of such rodents as voles, gerbils,
mice, rats, and even into the likeness of a rabbit. The subfamily
includes 10 genera and 14 species. Presumably, the migration of
Nesomyidae ancestors occurred 20-25 million years ago.
Bats - there
are about 30 species of bats on the island, half of which are endemic. 7
species are listed in the international Red Book, and one species from
the genus of smooth-nosed brownies is on the verge of extinction -
Scotophilus borbonicus (there is no Russian name).
Reptiles - several
endemic species of chameleons are found on the island, it is also
believed that Madagascar is the birthplace of day geckos, which are
common, however, not only there. There are also four rare endemic
species of turtles on the island: the rayed turtle, the Madagascar
beak-chested turtle, the spider turtle and the flat-tailed turtle.
In
terms of birds, the following three families of birds are endemic to
Madagascar: two species of shepherd's partridges (lat. Mesitornithidae),
five species of ground raksha (lat. Brachyptericias) and four species of
philepittids (lat. Philepittidae).
Coleoptera - 109 endemic species
from the genus Pogonostoma and 65 endemic species from the genus
Physodeutera.
Extinct species - in addition to the mentioned giant
lemurs and the giant fossa, in Madagascar there were three species of
pygmy Malagasy hippos and the epiornis family (lat. Aepyornithidae) -
giant flightless birds, possibly serving as a prototype of the Roc bird.
Both have died out as a result of human activity. The last epiornisidae
were presumably killed at the end of the 19th century.
The list of
spiders of Madagascar includes a large number of endemic species.
Eight families of plants are endemic to Madagascar:
Asteraceae (Lat.: Asteropeaceae), Asteraceae (Lat.: Didymelaceae),
Asteraceae (Lat.: Didiereaceae), Calliphoraceae (Lat.: Kaliphoraceae),
Melanophyllaceae (Lat: Melanophyllaceae), Physenaceae (Lat.:
Physenaceae), Sarcolaenaceae (Lat.: Sarcolaenaceae), and Sarcophagaceae
(Lat.: Sphaerosepalaceae).
Madagascar has issued a number of
stamps depicting its endemic flora and fauna.
Madagascar's close relationship with France was the cornerstone of Madagascar's foreign policy in the early years of independence, and the country signed 14 agreements and treaties with France: the Agreement on Economic and Financial Cooperation, signed in June 1960, clarifies and regulates Madagascar's status as a member of the Franc zone. Other economic agreements guaranteed the integrity of France's existing economic interests and maintained its strong influence over the Malagasy economy. The Malagasy role was largely limited to the influence of decision makers in the upper echelons of government and the contribution at the grassroots level of small farmers producing food for their own consumption or for export. Other sectors were the exclusive domain of French conglomerates, large farmers, or Chinese or Indian intermediaries.
According to the IMF, Madagascar's GDP in 2007 was
$18.12 billion and $16.821 billion according to the World Bank, ranking
116th and 115th respectively in the world rankings and 124th in the CIA
Fact Book. 2007 per capita income, according to the same financial
institutions, was US$1,068 (157th in the world) and US$878 (161st in the
world).
The main sectors of Madagascar's economy are agriculture,
fishing, and the cultivation of spices and spices for export. The main
exports are coffee, Bourbon vanilla (Madagascar is the world's largest
producer), cocoa powder, sugar, rice, tapioca, beans, bananas, and
peanuts.
Structural reforms in the economic sector began in the
1980s, mainly under pressure from foreign financial institutions,
especially the World Bank. Privatization programs were implemented
(1988-1993) and free trade zones (English Export Processing Zones) were
introduced, but after a slight upturn in the late 1980s, a period of
stagnation followed in 1991-1996. A second wave of privatization
revitalized the economy between 1996 and 2001, but overall, living
standards did not improve nationwide, especially outside of urban areas
The political crisis of 2002, related to the conflict between Didier
Ratsiraka's supporters and the new president, Marco Ravalomanana, dealt
a major blow to the country's economy GDP declined by 12.7% in 2002;
from 2002 to 2005, a period of fighting inflation, GDP gradually
increased, not least due to injections of foreign funds by foreign
countries and financial institutions.
The main sources of current
economic growth are tourism, exports of textile and light industrial
products, agricultural products, and minerals. Thanks to the island's
unique fauna, biotourism is attracting more and more people from
different parts of the world. About 80% of the island's total flora and
fauna is endemic, and 5% of the planet's total species diversity is
found in Madagascar. Free trade zones near Antananarivo and Antsirabe
aim to trade with the United States and Europe. Natural resources
include coal, ilmenite, and nickel, which are mainly mined for export.
Two large oil fields have been discovered in the southern part of the
republic.
Madagascar and Mauritania are the last countries in the
world that do not use a decimal currency. The Madagascar Aliari is equal
to 5 Iranian billani.
Madagascar is a member of the international
organization of ACT countries.
Visas
A Madagascar tourist visa is available for
entry into Madagascar from most countries (information is current as of
March 2020).
US$37 or €35 for a stay of 30 days or less.
US$45 or
40 euros for a stay of 60 days or more.
The Visa on Arrival counter
at Antananarivo Airport is no longer issuing visas for 90-day stays as
of November 2018.
Visas must be paid in cash: in USD or EUR. You
will also be asked for the address of your first accommodation.
You can obtain a 30-day extended visa for Ar 80.000 at the Immigration
Office of the Ministry of Interior, a 5-minute walk from the Carlton
Hotel in Antananarivo, or at the commissariat of police stations
throughout Madagascar. The maximum stay on a tourist visa is 90 days;
after 90 days you can go to Reunion or Mauritius and then come back.
Immunizations
The following vaccinations are required: polio,
hepatitis A, hepatitis B, MMR, typhoid fever, etc. (please check with
your doctor). If you are passing through a country where yellow fever is
endemic, you will be required to show proof of yellow fever vaccination
before being allowed to enter Madagascar.
By plane
International flights to Madagascar are usually to Antananarivo (TNR
IATA) or Nosibe (NOS IATA). Air Madagascar (AirMad) is the national
carrier and has flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle, Marseille, and
Guangzhou:
Airlink South Africa operates daily flights from
Johannesburg.
Air France operates flights from Europe, North America,
and South America via Paris-Charles de Gaulle.
Air Austral offers
flights from Paris, Marseille, Bangkok, Chennai, Johannesburg,
Mauritius, and Seychelles to Antananarivo, Nosibe, and Toamasina.
Transfers at Reunion Island.
Air Mauritius flies from Europe, Asia,
and Australia via Mauritius.
Kenya Airways offers scheduled flights
from Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa via Nairobi.
Turkish
Airlines (Turkish Airlines) operates via Istanbul from Europe, North
America, South America, and Asia, with lower fares, but with two stops,
one via Mauritius and one via Istanbul.
Ethiopian Airlines operates
from Africa, Europe, North and South America, and Asia via Addis Ababa.
Comores Aviation flies from Moroni and Anjouan.
EWA Air flies to
Mayotte from Mahajanga, Antiranana, and Nosibe.
A cab to Tana
costs R40,000, but drivers may ask for R60,000. Otherwise, you can go to
the nearby town of Ivat and take a cab be (a local shared-ride cab
larger than a van) for about 600Ar. You also have to buy a seat for your
luggage, which costs 1200Ar.
By ship
There used to be the only
regular service between Toamasina and Mauritius on the east coast via
Reunion. This route has been out of service since December 2014.
Tsaradia Airlines (part of Air Madagascar) serves many
cities throughout Madagascar and is a much faster option than driving,
as many roads are in poor condition. Tsaradia Airlines is notorious for
flight schedule changes and flight cancellations. Tsaradia Airlines is
notorious for flight schedule changes and flight cancellations, but if a
flight is canceled, they will provide a hotel or book you on the next
flight.
The good news is that airfares have become cheaper.
Currently, one can fly from Antananarivo to Nosibe for R420,000 with 20
kg of baggage and R360,000 without baggage.
Tsaradia Airlines tickets
can be booked on their website.
Passengers arriving in Madagascar
on Air Madagascar's long-haul flights no longer receive the 25% discount
on Tsaradia Airlines.
As of 2023, Madarail operates only one service between Moramanga (115 km east of Antananarivo) and Ambila Lemaitso on the east coast in 9 hours. Due to the colonial-era nature of the railroad, it often breaks down due to poor maintenance and may be out of service for several weeks.
Most roads in Madagascar are low-grade (with the exception of two routes leading from Tana). Many roads are potholes and become a quagmire during the rainy season. Traveling by road is usually much more time consuming than one would normally expect; renting a 4WD vehicle can alleviate this problem but is more expensive, but still very cost-effective if you are not traveling alone and can split the rental fee among members of your group (at least US$70/day/car as of October 2014). In most cases, car rentals include a driver and his/her accommodations, but check when booking the rental car. Most companies do not allow car rentals without a driver.
Taxi-brousse (intercity rides) is the way most natives
get around the country. There are three main modern roads in the
country: the RN7 from Tana to Toliara, the RN2 from Tana to Tomasina
(via Bricaville), and the RN4 from Tana to Mahajanga. Travel between
these towns takes about one day, but travel between Tana and the
southeastern coastal town of Taolagnaro takes three or four days due to
the condition of the roads. Travel is cramped and air conditioning is
not expected. During the dry season, it is dusty. Traveling by cab brose
is guaranteed to test your patience and sanity, but there is no better
way to get in touch with the locals and experience Madagascar the way
the Malagasy do.
Cabs are by far the cheapest means of
transportation, but don't expect them to leave or arrive on time. In
fact, drivers wait until the small 15-passenger buses are full before
leaving, so delays of several hours can never be ruled out. During the
trip, however, you will be able to enjoy Madagascar's breathtaking
scenery. Destinations to most national parks and towns can be reached
from "Antananarivo" and the driver will gladly drop you off en route to
your final destination.
Cotise Transport is the best choice for
travel to Mahajanga, Morondava, Fianarantsoa, and Toamasina.
Besadi
Plus buses depart on time, whether full or not. It offers free wifi and
goes between Antananarivo and Nosibe via Ambanja and from Antananarivo
to Sant Marie via Toamasina. The ticket includes sea transfers.
In Tana, the cheapest way to get around is in a large cab (taxi-be), slightly larger than a minivan. They have one aisle and the seats can be folded down so they can cram even more people into them. Buses run frequently during peak season. The fare is around 600Ar, and as of November 2018, one of the buses to Kotice Transport, number 183, costs 400Ar.
If you are looking for an unusual holiday, a yacht
charter to Madagascar might be a good choice.
For those who would
like to bareboat, a “guide” is usually included in the price of the
yacht charter. Although obligatory, he comes with the price and is
essential for the multitude of services he will provide. He will prepare
the food, recommend anchorages, know where to fish and refill the water
tanks. He will speak the local language and have an established
relationship with the local people. He will protect the boat from theft
when you leave it to explore on land. The guide lives completely on the
exterior of the boat and does not require a cabin. A yacht charter to
Madagascar is a bit of a “Robinson Crusoe” adventure. Once you embark,
you will not be able to stock up provisions again and must live off the
fish and seafood you will catch for yourself (or with your guide). So
take great care with your provisioning list.
This problem can be
avoided by chartering one of the crewed catamarans. The boats are
designed for stability so sea sickness is not really a problem. The crew
prepare the boat with linen, food and drinks before your arrival
-basically these boats are like a personal floating hotel. Depending on
which boat you choose you could receive excellent service and food and
suggestions of where to go and what to do. Choose your catamaran
carefully as there are some really old ones in service- make sure the
crew can speak your language.
Madagascar is a great place to tour by bike and
staying in small towns and villages along the way gives a real sense of
what the country is all about. A mountain bike or heavy duty tourer at
least is required as the roads can be in poor to terrible condition. In
the rainy season on the east coast the main north-south road can become
impassable, possibly leading to a two-day walk - over soft sand in one
section - this is not an easily rideable route. Generally there is
little to no traffic which makes cruising around a great pleasure. The
people are amazingly friendly and you'll be greeted with crowds of
children shouting 'Vazaha' in every village.
There are few or no
facilities for cyclists, so be prepared to camp rough (ask if it is
somebody's land and never too near a family grave) or sleep in very
basic guesthouses. Likely you will be invited to stay in people's
houses. Bring a spare tire, puncture kit, chain, brake or gear cable,
derailleur and all the tools you need.
On June 26, 1960, the independence of the Republic of
Madagascar was declared. Democratic elections resulted in the Social
Democratic Party led by Filiberto Tsiranana coming to power.
The
neo-colonial regime under Tsiranana led to a sharp decline in living
standards and deepened social and ethnic contradictions. The country
suffered a severe economic crisis, which led to massive anti-government
demonstrations and rebellions.
Under these circumstances, the
Tsilanana government was forced to transfer power to the military on May
18, 1972. The new government was headed by General Gabriel Ramanantua.
The Ramanantua government revised the unequal 1960 Franco-Madagascar
Agreement and signed a new agreement in 1973 confirming Madagascar's
sovereignty and the withdrawal of French troops. The activities of
foreign capital were restricted and controls on import and export
operations were introduced.
In 1975, some army officers and
rebels supported by the police launched an armed insurgency; in February
1975, the Ramanantua regime resigned. A group of officers staged another
coup d'etat, and on June 15 of the same year, the Supreme Revolutionary
Council, headed by Foreign Minister Didier Ratsiraka, was formed. The
new government was socialist oriented: in December 1975, a referendum
approved the Charter of the Socialist Revolution in Madagascar and a new
constitution, and Ratsiraka was elected President of the Republic for a
seven-year term.
The government began to address the challenge of
overcoming the legacy of colonialism and the consequences of
neo-colonial rule, aiming to strengthen political independence and
achieve economic self-reliance. Banks and most large corporations were
nationalized.
The capitation and livestock taxes were abolished
and the minimum wage was increased.
From 1991 to 2002, Ratsiraka
returned to power periodically, but his powers were severely limited.
In 2002, tycoon businessman Marc Ravalomanana assumed the presidency
and began promoting broad economic and political reforms and an
anti-corruption agenda.
In January 2009, a confrontation erupted
between President Marc Ravalomanana and Capital City Mayor Andri
Razuelina, which later erupted into bloody clashes between supporters of
the two. on February 7, 2009, some 10,000 supporters of the mayor
gathered for a demonstration and headed for the presidential palace, but
were stopped by armed soldiers. After some demonstrators attempted to
break through the barriers, soldiers opened fire, killing about 40
people and wounding about 300. Supporters of the mayor accused the
president of abusing his authority.
On March 17, 2009, the
country's president, Marc Ravalomanana, was actually removed from office
by rivals who had sided with the military, which had previously taken a
neutral position. According to conflicting reports, Ravalomanana was
expelled from the presidential palace by military forces led by Major
General Hipolite Ramarsun. He announced the formation of a provisional
government led by former mayor Andri Razuelin. Razuelina immediately
dismissed eight cabinet members, further weakening the former
president's position. Meanwhile, the African Union, whose summit will be
held in Antananarivo, condemned this "coercive attempt. "On March 20,
2009, the African Union suspended Madagascar's membership in connection
with the coup.
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, the
country was classified as a hybrid regime in the Democracy Index in
2018. National Structure
Madagascar's parliament is bicameral: the
National Assembly (127 seats) is elected by the population for a
four-year term, and the Senate (100 seats) is composed of two-thirds of
the representatives of the regional assemblies, with one-third appointed
by the president.
According to the results of the 2013 elections,
the party of former President Rajoelina, "With President Andri
Rajoelina," has 49 seats, the "Ravalomanana Movement" has 20 seats, the
"Political Group" has 13 seats, "Unite Together" has 5 seats, "Economic
Liberalism" has 5 seats, "Democratic Action for National Reconstruction"
has 5 seats, " Madagascar Green Party" has 2 seats, other political
parties have 28 seats, and independent parties have 25 seats.
Provinces
Administratively, the country is divided
into six autonomous provinces (Malag faritany mizakatena) and 22
regions. The division into provinces was a French initiative in 1946,
and initially there were only five provinces, but Antiranana later
gained autonomy in the 1950s. (The new Constitution adopted in 1992
specified the division of the Republic into three levels of independent
territorial units: regions (malag. faritra), provinces (malag.
departemanta), and municipalities (malag. kaominina). Thus, the
provinces were again removed from the Constitution, but they continued
to exist in effect. 1997, after Didier Ratsiraka was reelected
president, it was sought to introduce the provinces into the
Constitution as "autonomous" administrative units. 2000, an amendment
was adopted. 2001, the president was elected. Marc Ravalmanana replaced
the provincial governors with his own appointees, making their position
President by Special Delegation (PSD); in 2007, a referendum was held to
abolish the provinces, and in the near future, through administrative
reform, the regions will become the supreme territory of the state.
However, the new constitution adopted in 2010 reintroduced the six
autonomous provinces.
Demography
Malagasy is an ethnic group that forms the main population of
Madagascar. They speak Malagasy (Malgash), which belongs to the
Indo-Melanesian group of the Austronesian language family. The total
number is about 20 million people. The word itself goes back to the
adjective from the word "Madagascar"; thus, Malagasy is "Madagascar" in
the Malagasy language, whose name, in turn, also means "Madagascar".
Malagasy are divided into two subgroups - the highlanders and the
inhabitants of the coast. The mountain peoples are the Imerina
(gelding), Sihanaka and Betsileu, and the inhabitants of the coast
include all the rest - for example, Betsimisaraka, Sakalava and
Mahafali. The division into two subgroups may be due to the history of
human migration to the island. In the second to fifth centuries AD,
Madagascar was settled by immigrants from Austronesia, who mainly
settled on the High Plateau. After some time, a second wave of
migration, consisting of representatives of the Bantu tribes, came to
the island from East Africa through the Mozambique Strait. African
settlers occupied a relatively free coastal zone. The Bantu came to the
island as a result of the slave trade. There are other versions of the
settlement of Madagascar, including those suggesting that the first
inhabitants of the island were people of the Negroid race, and the
Austronesians came later.
Thus, the highlanders can be
conditionally called the descendants of immigrants from Malaysia and
Indonesia, but it should be remembered that despite the noticeable
difference in external features depending on the tribe, the population
of the island actively mixed. Recent studies of the mitochondrial DNA of
the inhabitants of the island have confirmed the guesses of some
scientists about the Austronesian origin of the population. Tribal list:
Hill tribes:
Merina
Betsileu
Mixed Tribes:
Bara
Mikea
Sihanaka
Tanala
Coastal Tribes:
Antakarana
Antanusi
Antemuru
Antendruy
Antesaka
Betsimisaraka
Mahafali (people)
Sakalava
Tsimikheti
According to the 2010 Constitution of the Republic of
Madagascar, Malagasy is the national language. The official languages of
Madagascar are Malagasy and French. Madagascar is a member of the
International Organization of French-Speaking Countries.
According to the statistics of the Malagasy Academy of Sciences, 0.57%
of the inhabitants of Madagascar speak only French, 15.87% of Malagasy
people (mainly educated population) speak both Malagasy and French, and
83.61% of Malagasy people know no language but Malagasy.
Malagasy
is the westernmost member of the Malayo-Polynesian language family of
Austronesian languages and is therefore unrelated to the neighboring
African languages. This fact was established in the 18th century.
Malagasy is related to the languages of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the
Philippines. The closest is the language spoken in the Barito River
basin in southern Kalimantan. This means that people from there settled
in Madagascar, but it is not known exactly why this colonization
occurred. Later settlers from Indonesia mixed with East Africans and
Arabs.
In addition to Bantu, Swahili, and Arabic, Malagasy
includes French (once the language of the Madagascar colonial
government) and English (spoken by island-based pirates in the 18th
century). Madagascar has a written literature dating from the 15th
century and a rich oral poetry tradition and legends.
According to the U.S. State Department in 2011, 52% of
Malagasy people believe in the traditional ancestor worship of
Austronesian settlers, which emphasizes the connection between the dead
and the living (although according to the Pew Research Center in 2010,
only 4.5% of Malagasy people follow a folk religion, 85% are
Christians). The largest number of adherents to this religion are the
Imerina people. They believe that after death one merges with the souls
of one's ancestors and that all souls form a kind of hierarchy of
"divinity. Among the Gerding and Betsileu tribes, a tradition that is
rather strange from a European point of view is practiced, known as
Famadihana, which means "turning of the dead". During this ceremony, the
remains of the dead are removed from the catacombs and wrapped in new
shrouds (silk sheets), and throughout the holiday they dance joyfully
next to the remains, sometimes even holding them in their arms. When the
ceremony is over, the remains are returned to the crypt.
About
41% of the population is Christian, belonging to the Roman Catholic
Church and various Protestant denominations (Assemblies of God,
Lutheran, Anglican, and Adventist). Most believers seek to blend
ancestor worship with the Christian tradition. Thus, for example, not
all Christians have abandoned the practice of Famadihan, especially for
Catholics. A Catholic priest may come to the ceremony and bless the
participants. Protestant churches, on the other hand, have a very
negative attitude toward the practice of ancestor worship, calling on
their flocks to abandon "devil worship." The Christian Church in
Madagascar is a fairly influential political institution.
The
rest of the population (about 7%) adheres to Islam, which was introduced
by Arab traders around the 10th century. Islam is particularly prevalent
on the west coast of the island, due to the large number of ports that
were once Arab outposts. Thanks to Islam, the Malagasy language came to
be written in an Arabic script called Slave, but it never took hold as
the primary means of writing the Malagasy language (the Latin script is
now used). More recently, there has been a trend toward a growing
population professing Islam.
The culture of Madagascar is influenced by the two basic cultures of the Magara people, Austronesian and Bantu; from the 10th century it was influenced by the Arabs, and from the 16th century onward by Europe, especially France in the 20th century.
Madagascar's cuisine consists primarily of the rice
dish vari (Malag. vary [ˈvarLm_2B2]) and the side dish lauka (Malag.
vary [ˈvarLm_2B2]). In the south, crushed dried corn is sometimes used
in place of rice. French, Chinese, Indian, and East African culinary
traditions, coupled with Arabic cuisine, have greatly influenced
Madagascar's cuisine.
Rice
Several varieties of rice are grown
on the island, making it difficult to single out one main variety. They
vary in the way they are cooked and the finished product, ranging from
dry rice (malag. vary sosoa, vari susua) to rice with a texture similar
to risotto (malag. vary sosoa, vari susua). It is not uncommon for those
who can afford it to prepare several different rice dishes in one meal.
Instead of plain water, lanung ampang (the leftover dregs of burnt rice
(with a distinctive aroma), poured over boiling water, filtered, and
cooled) is used. Vali amin'anana (Malag. vary amin'anana
[ˈvar_2CCjamʲˈnananə̥]), consisting of rice, meat and chopped greens, is
widely popular. For breakfast, rice is lightly dusted with sugar, topped
with fruit, or served with fried eggs and sausage lauka. Wealthier
people sometimes serve French bread and butter instead of rice, and use
less sugar or sweetened milk.
Side Dishes
Side dishes served
in a typical Madagascar home depend greatly on the time of year and the
produce available in the area. Typical side dishes include vuandjubli
(pork stew with bambara nuts), kituza (cured zebu meat with spices),
trondro gasy (Mal. trondro gasy [ˌ ʂ ʐ ˈ ʷ ˈ ˈ ʲ] - cod, pollock,
haddock and other white fish or stewed with zucchini and tomatoes),
rumazava (beef stir-fried with ginger, tomatoes, and onions and
garnished with herbs), tsalamas (beans cooked in tomato sauce), and
seafood of all kinds. Spices and seasonings used include garlic, onions
(of various kinds), ginger, tomatoes, mild curries, and salt. In coastal
areas, coconut milk, vanilla, and cloves are also used.
Unlike
African cuisine, Madagascar cuisine is not very spicy, but recently
spicy semi-finished sauces made on the coast with traditional fruits
(mango, lemon, etc.) have appeared and are gaining popularity in the
country. Some of these sauces are served with the popular rasali kalauti
salad consisting of beans, cabbage, and carrots.
The most popular drink among Malagasy people is the
already mentioned ranun'ampangu. Coffee and tea are also widely
distributed, and wine and rum are also produced on the island. Raw milk
is rarely consumed and is used to make yogurt and cheese.
The
dessert tradition in Madagascar is a French take on indigenous cuisine.
Thus, any fresh fruit dusted with granulated sugar, from the common
apple to the exotic baobab fruit or the endemic "pokpok," can be
considered a dessert. Chocolate is used in many complex desserts and
French pastries, as Madagascar grows good quality cacao, which could not
help but influence the local cuisine, especially in desserts.
Musical instruments, singing styles, and the meaning
of music vary widely from region to region. The music of the highland
plateau peoples is speculated to have originated in Austronesian
culture, while the music of the coastal regions is strongly influenced
by African traditions.
The traditional instrument of Madagascar
is the valiha (malag. valiha), a hollow bamboo stringed instrument. The
sodina (malag. sodina) is the most popular instrument in Madagascar.
(sodina)-a bamboo flute with three to five holes; the "ancestor" of the
sodina is the Malay bamboo flute Surin. Kabosy (Malag. kabosy)-a wooden
guitar common on the islands, with four to six strings and considered a
direct "descendant" of the Arabic lute. The kabosy is sometimes called
mandoliny (Malag. mandoliny). It is a wooden box with strings inside
that sounds like a harmonica.
In the south, there is also the
Malag. jejy voatova, a stringed instrument with an African cob-like
resonator, and the three-stringed bowed instrument, the lukanga (Malag.
In the highlands, music plays not only a spiritual and
entertainment role, but also a political and educational one. The
Hiragashi lasts all day, during which one or two troupes perform music,
dance, and oratory. This tradition dates back to the 18th century. It
began when Andrianampoinimerina, the first king of Madagascar, used a
band of musicians to draw attention to his political speeches when he
was still a prince. Later, the troupe, which was already performing in
the absence of the king, began to include elements of political satire
or simply criticism in their musical numbers. There is a high degree of
audience involvement during Hiragashi, with intense expressions of
satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the musicians' and speakers' skills
through applause, cheers, and hooting. Heigashi was also used during the
French colonial period to communicate the most important political news
to the people of the interior, who did not know French or could not
read.
After the independence of the Republic of Madagascar, the
Hiragash came to be seen as the personification not only of the mountain
people, but of the Malagasy culture as a whole. Even though the Hiragash
are mainly distributed in central Madagascar, they are becoming
increasingly popular among the coastal population. Many aspiring
politicians enlist the help of hiragashi troupes to attract public
interest in their performances. Generally, hiragana troupes do not
support any particular political party, but there are exceptions. One of
the most popular troupes today is Ramilisun Fenuarivo (some of their
performances).
The performance of hiragi is strictly regulated,
and all troupes acting in this genre are obliged to follow this order.
The costumes of the men and women, the instruments of the performers
(there are few traditional instruments in Madagascar), and even the
names of the troupes are regulated.
Madagascar is represented in international soccer
tournaments. The team will host its opponents at the 22,000-seat
Mahamasina Stadium. The Madagascar Football Federation hosts the
country's soccer championships, cups, and Super Cups.
In 2007,
the country hosted the Indian Ocean Games.
On October 31, 2002,
the match between AS Adema and SO Lemirne ended in a 149-0 win for AS
Adema, but the SO Lemirne players scored a goal themselves in protest
against the refereeing.
In 1990, the National Assembly of Madagascar passed a
law guaranteeing freedom of speech. In addition, freedom of the media in
Madagascar is guaranteed by the constitution.
There are about 15
private and national publishing houses in the country. Among them:
Association of Malagasy Journalists;
National Information Agency
"Taratra";
Midi Madagasikara - founded in 1983, published in French
and Malagasy;
Madagascar Tribune;
Express de Madagasca;
Imungu
Wauwau - AKFM party newspaper;
Lacroa'ni Madagasikara is a Catholic
weekly in Malagasy and French founded in 1927. The largest clerical
publication in Madagascar;
The journal oficielle de la Republique de
Madagascar - The official newspaper of the Republic of Madagascar - is a
weekly government gazette in French and Malagasy. Publishes official
announcements, laws and government orders.
On the territory of
the country there is a state television and radio company RTNM (Fr.
Radiodiffusion Television Nationale de Madagascar - National Radio
Broadcasting and Television of Madagascar), which includes the radio
station Radio Nationale Malagasy (launched on April 29, 1931 as Radio
Tanarive) and the TV channel TVM (Fr. Télévision Malagasy).
The natural incidence of plague is quite active on the
island, infecting humans every year; until 1995, the number of cases had
decreased from several thousand in 1924 to a dozen in 1995; since 1995,
the incidence has begun to increase again, both in rural and urban
areas. A serious problem for health services is that Madagascar is
characterized by a severe course of plague and plague sepsis, with
frequent complications of secondary lung disease. It was also in
Madagascar that the first strain of plague pathogen resistant to
streptomycin was isolated.
According to the Ministry of Health,
in December 2013, the plague outbreak returned to Madagascar, spreading
to five of the 112 districts; as of December 13, 89 people had become
ill, of whom 39 died. As of December 13, 89 people were ill, of whom 39
died.