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SITUATION
Madagascar is located in the indian ocean, south of equator. Offshore of african coasts, Madagascar is at 400 km east, separated from africa by the Mozambique channel . Northwest are the islands of Comoros, Reunion and Mauritius island lie east of the red island. With its very long shape, the capricorn tropic is going across Madagascar around the city of Tulear.
FIGURES
Fourth biggest island, Madagascar's area is 590.000 km², with 1580 km long from north to south and 570 km wide.
Around the main island are several malagy little islands. The main ones being Nosy be (360 km²) at north west, Nosy Bohara also called Sainte Marie island (200 km²) which is off shore of Tamatave city on the east coast.
Madagascar have kept a unique fauna and flora, due to the facts that the island splitted from the african continent in the early years of the planet, 160 million years ago, and that man arrived only 2000 years ago.
GEOGRAPHYA
huge mointain chain goes from north to south, splitting the island in two, like a spine.
The East side have what some of the primary rain forest left. This forest used to cover all the west coast and plains before man's arrival. The occidental side is larger with a dryer cimate than the east coast's. There, will be found deciduous trees forests, and large areas of savanna.
The highest point of madagascar is Tsaratanàna mountain which is 2880m high, north of the island. The southern part of the island is the 'thorny forest', also known as the 'thorn desert'.
From a bird eye, the red soil of Madagascar being spread in the Mozambique channel by the Betsiboka river, the island seems to be blooding in the ocean.
 CAPITAL CITY - PEOPLE
The capital city of Madgascar is ANTANANARIVO also named Tananarive (in french). Its 1 million citizens live on the highland of Imerina, that is surrounded by twelve sacred hills. Madagascar inhabitants are of African and indonesian origins, and are now forming 18 ethnic groups that share the country with other comunities : pakistanese, chinese, comorian and european.
LANGUAGE - RELIGION
Malagasy is the mother language that belong to the malay and pacific languages. French is spoken in all cities and is official language for business and politics. In the capital city and in touristic regions english is also spoken.
Christianity is the main religion, 60% of the population being religious, half protestant and half catholic. There are also minorities religions such as islamics, hindus, boudhists, taoists, but malagasy people have a strong tradition of ancestors cult that lead the everyday life.
POLITICS - CURRENCY - ECONOMY
Marc Ravalomanana have been elected predisent of the republic on may 6th 2002. Since august 2003 the Ariary currency have become the nation's currency, replacing the old malagasy franc. The main economic resources of the country are agriculture (sugar, coffee, clove and vanilla), mining (graphite, chromium, bauxite, mica), a strong textile industry, and tourism. At least 70% of the people live under poverty line.
 WEATHER - FLORA - FAUNA
Madagascar have a tropical
weather, with two seasons that go opposite to north hemisphere. Austral
summer is from november-december to march. It is a tropical rain
season, hot and humid, the east coast gets most of the rain. Austral winter goes from april to october-november. it is a cool and dry season with strong winds, blowing mostly by night and on the highlands (Tananarive area).
As the island is set from north to south, you will find a wide variety of climates, which are generally dryer at west than east.
Fauna and flora are worldly known for their unique species. Some of the most rare species can be easily seen :
THE LEMURS: about fifty species of which Lemur Catta, the Verreau prophitecus, the Indri, Macaco lemur, the Hapalemur, the Microcèbe, the Aye-Aye…
THE FOSA: this carnivorous mammal is moslty active at sun down, attaquing villages poultry.
THE CHAMELEONS, LIZARDS, CROCODILES, TUURTLES, SNAKES, BIRDS, BUTTERFLIES, INSECTS...
The flora offers a fantastic variety of endemic species : more than 19.000 plants and flowers and more than 1000 varieties of orchids, hibiscus, bougainvillea, Jacarandas trees, frangipani tree, euphorbias, water lily, medicinal plants, seven kinds of Baobabs, Ravenalas trees also known travellers' tree ...
This natural treasure is under constant threat of deforestation, industries and a tense demographic growth.
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