MADAGASCAR AT A GLANCE Prepared January 2005 Word Version

Madagascar is GMT +3, 8 hours ahead of NYC. The U.S. Mission in Madagascar (Embassy) Remarks after Colin Powell's meeting with President Marc Ravalomanana Washington (Embassy) 202-265-5525; 2374 Massachusetts Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20008 New York, NY (UN Mission) 212-986-9491 Registering with the Embassy in Madagascar

Madagascar, the "Great Red Island," is a developing island nation off the east coast of Africa. It is a living museum offering endless fascination to the zoologist and botanist. Antananarivo, the capital, enjoys a temperate climate but the island has a wide range of microclimates ranging from rain forests in the northeast to desert in the southwest. Facilities for tourism are available, but vary in quality. Visas are required; a 3-month non-renewable tourist visa is available at the airport. Evidence of yellow fever immunizations is also required for all travelers who have been in an infected zone 6 months prior to their arrival here. If you will be traveling outside of Antananarivo, malaria prophylactics are highly recommended. Check with your insurance company to confirm whether your policy applies overseas, including provisions for medical evacuations, as medical facilities are minimal and many medicines are unavailable. Most crime in Madagascar is non-confrontational (pickpockets, snatch and grab, burglary) and travelers are reminded to be aware of their surroundings and not to carry valuables openly. There is little political unrest in Madagascar. Roads outside of the capital are generally not kept in good repair and tend to be narrow and winding with many one-lane bridges. Travel at night on these roads is not recommended due to the possibility of serious accidents. - State Department Travel Advisory circa 2000. Click here for current advisory

FLORA & FAUNA Madagascar is a naturalist paradise with over 80% of plants endemic (found nowhere else on earth), all mammals are endemic save human imports, 90% of reptiles are endemic, and over 50% of birds are endemic. Why? Madagascar split from Africa (Gondwanaland) over 165 millions years ago, during the Jurassic period (before most commonly known dinosaurs). The divergence occurred when prosimians developed, some remained in Africa, developing into monkeys, apes, great-apes (including humans) and some were isolated on Madagascar (lemurs). Some of the last vestiges of the archaic mammals lived on Madagascar, including the Roc bird from 1001 Arabian Nights, a bird large enough to carry away a man, which may have just eked into extinction when Sinbad's voyages were completed. GEOGRAPHY Madagascar is 400 km from the coast of Southern east Africa, south of the equator and transected by the tropic of Capricorn in the south, 20 00 S, 47 00 E. The world's 4th largest island (1st Greenland, New Guinea, Borneo). Slightly more than 1,500 km (1,000 m) long and 570 km wide, 590,000 sq km (227,000 sq m), just smaller than Texas. The island is divided in the center by a north-south mountain chain, with a narrow coastal plain of lush rainforest on the east sloping down from the mountains (Indian Ocean side) and a drier climate on the western side with open savannah and mixed deciduous forest. The south of the island is called the "spiny forest" but is desert. The north is a mix of rainforest and deciduous forest.

CLIMATE Madagascar is tropical with rain falling during the wet-hot season (November to March), which is during the northern hemisphere winter. The wettest is the east and north, the driest is the south and southwest area. The driest-mild season is from April to October. Monsoon season brings cyclones to the northern half of the east coast during February. Regional weather patterns: West - Rainfall decreases from north to south and east to west; Central - Temperate due to altitude; East - No months without rain, best to avoid this area in February; Southwest - Driest area of the country with least vegetation; North - similar to the East if slightly milder; Northwest - sporadic heavy rains and dry periods, this area is dominated by the Massif of Tsaratanana.

HISTORY The first people to arrive in Madagascar were from the Indonesian Islands 2,000 years ago. The language on the island is a Malayo-Polynesian mix with sprinklings of Swahili and Bantu. Political power has resided in the ethnically Malay population, with the least power to those with the greatest resemblance to mainland Africans. However racially diverse, the culture is predominantly uniform among the islanders. There are 18 major "ethnic" divisions on the island. Other predominant racial groups on the island include Arab/Indian/Pakistani, Chinese/Southeast Asian and European. The first Arabs settlements were in the 9th century. The first Europeans (Portuguese) arrived in 1500. It was a haven for pirates from 17th to 19th century, even under the rule of a pirate emperor for some years. There was a power struggle between pirates and the ethnic monarchy, with the monarch winning and ruling leading to European influence. European nations maintained power on the island in some fashion from 19th century, first under British then French until 1960 when the Malagasy regained independence.

CURRENT The government is/was a typical pseudo-African republic with a "elected" government and dictator, officially called a republic. However, Didier RATSIRAKA was dictator/president for over 17 years and lost to Marc RAVALOMANANA in 2001, which almost caused nationwide succession. The former did not want to leave, but the people demanded his resignation, staging peaceful marches and protests in the main cities. Madagascar has had good relations with the United States, its 2nd largest export partner after France. China is its main import partner. Over 17 million people live on the island, most under age of 17. Roughly 50% of the population lives in "urban" areas. 75% lives below the poverty line with many children malnourished, especially in cities. The average woman has over 6 children. Life expectancy is 56 years. Surprisingly the HIV/AIDS rate is relatively low, less than 3%. 10% of households have electricity and running water. The dominant religion is Christianity (Catholicism mostly), less than 10% are Muslim. Most Malagasy practice some sort of traditional ancestral worship. The economy has mainly suffered since independence and probably was relatively stagnant during European influence. The country is ranked as one of the 15th poorest nations on earth. Other factors aside, locusts remain one of the most serious impediments to economic growth. The World Bank considers Madagascar to have a superior growth capacity (4.5%) than that of Africa, which is fairly high even among developed nations. 66% of children reach their second year of primary school and 28% finish, ¼ of Madagascar's children are privately educated, 33% of children receive no education at all, and the literacy rate is 45%. The primary language is Malagasy, French is widely spoken and English is often heard in cities.

CUSTOMS & CULTURE A common language and culture predominate the people as well as a belief in the power of dead ancestors, razana. Razana are active in daily life and are caretakers for their descendents. Their property is not at the disposal of their children after their death. Misfortune is often blamed on angering the razana. Respect of elders and common courtesy is very important in Malagasy society. Traditional beliefs hold in one god and commonly in lesser gods or nature spirits, ody, inhabiting nature. Fady (taboo) is a very important concept in everyday life. They are the dictates of razana (examples: don't hand someone an egg or ask for salt, instead place the egg or ask for "that which flavors food"). Fady are like rules of Halacha in that they are intended to enrich your life be indicating a code of conduct in order to live without trouble. Other important concepts are Vintana, Tody, and Tsiny. Burial practices are very elaborate in Madagascar, probably the most elaborate in the world.

SOURCES Madagascar - The Bradt Travel Guide. Bradt. 1999 The Times Concise Atlas of World History. Barraclough. 1992 CIA World Fact Book - Madagascar UPENN African Studies Department