'Madagascar', or 'Republic of Madagascar' (older name 'Malagasy Republic'), is an
island nation in the
Indian Ocean, off the southeastern coast of
Africa. The main island, also called Madagascar, is the
fourth largest island in the world, and is home to five percent of the world's
plant and
animal species; more than 80 percent of which are
endemic to Madagascar. Most notable are the
lemur infraorder of
primates, the carnivorous
fossa, three
endemic bird
families and six endemic
baobab species.
History
Main articles: History of Madagascar
Despite its location close to the African continent, the first human settlers of Madagascar appear to have come from
Asia, rather than
Africa, between 100 and 500 AD. The culture shows the influence madagascar has given to most of the countrees near it
of the great
Austronesian expansion. Some of the strongest evidence indicating that the settlers of Madagascar came from this region is linguistic: the
Malagasy language belongs to the group of
Malayo-Polynesian languages, the rest of which are spoken in the island nations of
Southeast Asia and the
Pacific Ocean.
The written history of Madagascar begins in the 7th century, when
Arabs established trading posts along the northwest coast and first transcribed the
Malagasy into the Arabic-based alphabet
Sorabe. European contact began in the 1500s, when
Portuguese sea captain
Diogo Dias sighted the island after his ship separated from a fleet going to
India.
In 1665,
François Caron, the Director General of the newly formed
French East India Company, sailed to Madagascar. The Company failed to found a
colony on Madagascar but established ports on the nearby islands of Bourbon and ÃŽle-de-France (today's
Réunion and
Mauritius). In the late 17th century, the
French established trading posts along the east coast.
From about 1774 to 1824, it was a favourite haunt for
pirates, including
Americans, one of whom brought
Malagasy rice to
North Carolina. Many European sailors would be shipwrecked on the coasts of the island. The most interesting of these is
Robert Drury whose journal is one of the only written depictions of life in southern Madagascar during the 18th century
[1].
During the
Middle Ages, the chiefs of the different settlements 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. Among these were the
Sakalava chiefdoms of the
Menabe, centered in what is now the town of
Morondava, and of
Boina, centered in what is now the provincial capital of
Mahajanga (
Majunga). The influence of the
Sakalava extended across what is now the provinces of
Antsiranana,
Mahajanga and
Toliara. But with the domination of the Indian Ocean by the British fleet and the end of the
Arab slave trade, the
Sakalava would lose their power to the emerging
Merina threat. For a short time the Betsimisaraka of the east coast also unified, but this unification was short-lived.
On
October 1 1776, the natives of Madagascar elected
Móric Beňovský (Matthew/Maurice/Móritz Benyowsky/Benovsky/Benyowszky) King / Emperor (Ampansacabé) of Madagascar on the
Mahevelou plane. Among other things, Maurice introduced Latin script for the Malagasy language. (In the history of Madagascar, the King
Andrianampoinimerina (1786–1810) is mentioned as the national unifier—in fact he built upon the efforts of the Ampansacabe Beňovský.)
Beginning in the 1790s,
Merina rulers succeeded in establishing
hegemony over the major part of the island, including the coast. 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. 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.
French intervention and rule
Poster of a H. Galli book about the French war in Madagascar.
Landing of the ''40th Battaillon de Chasseur à Pieds'' in
Majunga, between 5th and 24th May
1895.
France invaded Madagascar in
1883 in what became known as the first
Franco-Hova War (''Hova'' being the name of the Merina aristocrats), seeking to restore property that had been confiscated from French citizens. At the war’s end, Madagascar ceded
Antsiranana (Diego Suarez) on the northern coast to France and paid 560,000
gold francs to the heirs of Joseph-François Lambert. The British accepted the imposition of a French
protectorate over Madagascar in 1885 in return for eventual control over
Zanzibar (now part of
Tanzania) and as part of an overall definition of spheres of influence in the area.
In Europe, meanwhile, diplomats partitioning the African continent worked out an agreement whereby Britain, to obtain the Sultanate of
Zanzibar, ceded its share of
Heligoland to
Germany and renounced all claims to Madagascar in favor of France. 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. Twenty French soldiers died fighting and 6,000 died of
malaria and other diseases before the second Franco-Hova War ended.
Absolute French control over Madagascar was established by military force in 1895–1896, and in 1896 the
French Parliament voted to
annex Madagascar. The 103-year-old Merina monarchy ended with the royal family being sent into exile in
Algeria. In December 1904, the Russian
Baltic Fleet stopped at
Antsiranana (Diego Suarez) for coal and provisions before sailing on to its doomed encounter with the Japanese Fleet in the
Battle of Tsushima. Before leaving port the Russian sailors were required to put ashore the animals they had acquired, including
monkeys,
boa constrictors and one
crocodile.
An 1888 map of Madagascar
During
World War II, Malagasy troops fought in
France,
Morocco, and
Syria. Immediately preceding the fall of France,
Germany initiated planning to forcibly deport all of Europe's
Jews to Madagascar in what was known as the
Madagascar Plan. Action on the plan was never begun. After France fell to Germany, the
Vichy government administered Madagascar. 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.
In 1947, with French prestige at low ebb, a
nationalist uprising was suppressed after several months of bitter fighting with 8,000 persons killed
[2]. The French subsequently established reformed institutions in 1956 under the
Loi Cadre (Overseas Reform Act), and Madagascar moved peacefully toward independence. The Malagasy Republic was proclaimed on
October 14,
1958, as an
autonomous state within the
French Community. A period of provisional government ended with the adoption of a
constitution in 1959 and full
independence on
June 26,
1960.
Politics
Main articles: Politics of Madagascar
Madagascar's first President,
Philibert Tsiranana, was elected when his
Social Democratic Party gained power at independence in 1960 and was reelected without opposition in March 1972. However, he resigned only 2 months later in response to massive
antigovernment demonstrations. The unrest continued, and Tsiranana's successor, Gen.
Gabriel Ramanantsoa, resigned on
February 5,
1975, handing over executive power to Lt. Col.
Richard Ratsimandrava, who was assassinated 6 days later. A provisional military directorate then ruled until a new government was formed in June 1975, under dictator
Didier Ratsiraka.
During the 16 subsequent years of President Ratsiraka's rule, Madagascar continued under a government committed to revolutionary
socialism based on the 1975 Constitution establishing a highly
centralized state. During this period a strategy of
nationalization of private enterprises, centralization of the economy and "Malgasization" of the education system crippled the economy, leaving traces even today of a highly centralized economic system and a high level of
illiteracy. National elections in 1982 and 1989 returned Ratsiraka for a second and third 7-year presidential term. For much of this period, only limited and restrained political opposition was tolerated, with no direct criticism of the president permitted in the press.
With an easing of restrictions on political expression, beginning in the late 1980s, the Ratsiraka regime came under increasing pressure to make fundamental changes. In response to a deteriorating economy, Ratsiraka relaxed socialist economic policies and instituted some
liberal, private-sector reforms. These, along with political reforms like the elimination of
press censorship in 1989 and the formation of more political parties in 1990, were insufficient to placate a growing opposition movement known as
Hery Velona ("Active Forces"). A number of already existing political parties and their leaders, among them
Albert Zafy and
Manandafy Rakotonirina, anchored this movement which was especially strong in
Antananarivo and the surrounding high plateau.
In response to largely peaceful mass demonstrations and crippling general strikes, Ratsiraka replaced his prime minister in August 1991 but suffered an irreparable setback soon thereafter when his troops fired on peaceful demonstrators marching on
Iavoloha, the suburban presidential palace, killing more than 30.
In an increasingly weakened position, Ratsiraka acceded to negotiations on the formation of a
transitional government. The resulting "
Panorama Convention" of
October 31,
1991, stripped Ratsiraka of nearly all of his powers, created interim institutions, and set an 18-month timetable for completing a transition to a new form of constitutional government. The
High Constitutional Court was retained as the ultimate judicial arbiter of the process.
In March 1992, a widely representative
National Forum organized by the
FFKM (Malagasy Christian Council of Churches) drafted a new Constitution. Troops guarding the proceedings clashed with pro-Ratsiraka "
federalists" who tried to disrupt the forum in protest of draft constitutional provisions preventing the incumbent president from running again. The text of the new Constitution was put to a nationwide referendum in August 1992 and approved by a wide margin, despite efforts by federalists to disrupt
balloting in several coastal areas.
Presidential elections were held on
November 25,
1992, after the High Constitutional Court had ruled, over Hery Velona objections, that Ratsiraka could become a candidate. Runoff elections were held in February 1993, and the leader of the Hery Velona movement, Albert Zafy, defeated Ratsiraka. Zafy was sworn in as President on
March 27,
1993. After President Zafy's impeachment by the National Assembly in 1996 and the short quasi-presidency of
Norbert Ratsirahonana, the 1997 elections once again pitted Zafy and Ratsiraka, with Ratsiraka this time emerging victorious. A National Assembly dominated by members of President Ratsiraka'a political party
AREMA subsequently passed the 1998 revised Constitution after a popular referendum. It considerably strengthened the presidency, made impeachments more difficult, and created the autonomous provinces.
In December 2001, a presidential election was held in which both major candidates claimed victory. The Ministry of the Interior declared incumbent Ratsiraka of the AREMA party victorious.
Marc Ravalomanana contested the results and claimed victory
[3]. A political crisis followed in which Ratsiraka supporters destroyed bridges and cut major transport routes from the primary port city to the capital to isolate the capital city, a stronghold of Ravalomanana support. Sporadic violence and considerable economic disruption continued until July 2002 when Ratsiraka and several of his prominent supporters fled to
exile in
France. In addition to political differences, ethnic differences played a role in the crisis and continue to play a role in politics. Ratsiraka is from the coastal
Betsimisaraka tribe and Ravalomanana comes from the highland
Merina tribe.
After the end of the 2002 political crisis, President Ravalomanana began many reform projects, forcefully advocating "rapid and durable development" and the launching of a battle against corruption. December 2002 legislative elections gave his newly formed
TIM (Tiako-I-Madagasikara) (I Love Madagascar) Party a commanding majority in the National Assembly. November 2003 municipal elections were conducted freely, returning a majority of supporters of the president, but also significant numbers of independent and regional opposition figures.
Following the crisis of 2002, the President replaced provincial governors with appointed PDSs (
Presidents des Delegations Speciales). Subsequent legislation established a structure of 22 regions to decentralize administration. In September 2004, the Government named 22 Regional Chiefs, reporting directly to the President, to implement its decentralization plans. Financing and specific powers for the regional administrations remain to be clarified.
On
November 18,
2006 General Fidy supposedly declared a
military coup of President Marc Ravalomanana's government
[4] though he later denied this action, claiming to have simply openly called for the president to stand down, with no threat of violence.
[5]
The December 3 election since went on without incident, re-electing Ravalomanana with 54.80 percent of the vote.
[6]
On 4 April 2007, a
referendum about a revised Constitution was held. It was approved with 75.33 percent of the votes (24.67 against). There are several major and minor changes in the revised Constitution. Examples: the autonomous provinces are deleted,
[7] the term "secular state" () is removed from the Constitution,
[8] three official languages (Malagasy, French and English) are included two in addition to the national language (Malagasy). There were no official languages before the revision.
The new Constitution entered into force on 27 April 2007.
Government
The principal institutions of the Republic of Madagascar are a
presidency, a
parliament (
National Assembly and
Senate), a prime ministry and cabinet, and an independent
judiciary. The president is elected by direct
universal suffrage for a 5-year term, renewable twice.
The National Assembly consists of 160 representatives elected by direct
vote every 5 years. The last election was held in December 2002.
The Senate consists of 90 senators, two-thirds elected by local legislators and other Grand Electors and one-third appointed by the president, all for 6-year terms. The current term will run out on 1 May 2007. The dissolution of the Senate was part of one the revised Constitution proposals of 2007, but in the final proposal the Senate remains in place.
A prime minister and council of ministers carries out day-to-day management of government. The president appoints the
prime minister.
The prime minister and members of Parliament initiate
legislation, and the government executes it. The president can dissolve the National Assembly. For its part, the National Assembly can pass a motion of
censure and require the prime minister and council of ministers to step down. The Constitutional Court approves the constitutionality of new laws. Madagascar is also part of the
Indian Ocean Commission.
Provinces and regions
Main articles: Provinces of Madagascar,
Regions of Madagascar
Madagascar is divided into six autonomous provinces (''faritany mizakatena''), and 22
regions. The regions will be the highest subdivision level when the provinces are dissolved.
The regions are further subdivided into 116 districts, 1,548 communes, and 16,969 fokontany.
The major cities have a special status as "commune urbaine", at the same level as the districts.
History
The years after independence 1960, Madagascar had a French-inspired division system.
During the second republic (1975-1991), Madagascar was divided into four levels of government:
#
Faritany (province)
#
Fivondronana (or fivondronampokontany)
#
Firaisana (or firaisampokontany)
#
Fokonolona (or fokontany)
Today, there are five different levels of division:
#
Faritany mizakatena (
autonomous province) (6)
#
Faritra (
region) (22)
#
Distrika (
district) (116)
#
Kaominina (
commune) (1 548)
#
Fokontany (16 969)
The constitution of 1992 ruled that the country should be decentralized into territorial entities. The name, number, and limits of territorial entities should be determined by law. The law passed by the national assembly in 1994 defined three such entity levels:
region (
faritra),
department (
departemanta) and
commune (
kaominina). The communes were created in 1996. The existing provinces were not mentioned in the law.
With former president
Didier Ratsiraka back in power, the constitution was changed in 1998, to include and specifically mention six autonomous provinces, divided into undefined regions and communes. The autonomous provinces, having the same names and territories as the already existing provinces, were created in 2000. Elections for the six provincial councils were held on 3 December 2000, resulting in an AREMA majority in all provinces except Antananarivo.
During the power struggle after the presidential elections in 2001, five of those provinces, whose governors supported Ratsiraka, declared themselves independent from the republic. The new president, Ravalomanana, replaced the provincial governments by special delegations, appointed by the president. This effectively means that the autonomous provinces have ceased to exist as such, and their dissolution is planned (see below).
In 2004, the regions were finally created by the national assembly in law no. 2004-001. Meanwhile the 28 regions originally proposed had become 22. Although they are subdivisions of the provinces, they are representatives (and representing the people) of the republic, not the province. The regions will also take over the assets of the "ex-Fivondronampokontany". It is also mentioned that the communes are the only entities that are operational, and there will be an unspecified period of transition to the new system. The departments are not mentioned in the law, instead the designation "components" of the regions is used.
Also in 2004, the already existing Fokontany were redefined in the presidential decree 2004-299. They are subdivisions of the communes and headed by a chief designated by the mayor.
In 2005, a new entity called "districts" (distrika) was created by presidential decree 2005-012, replacing the department level of 1994. There are 116 districts. They have the same boundaries as the old "Sous-préfectures" or "ex-Fivondronampokontany". They are defined as subdivisions of the regions, and contains one or more "Arrondissements Administratifs". The chief of a district is designated by the chief of the region.
In the 2007 Constitution the autonomous provinces have been removed. Instead, the regions, the communes and the fokontany (but not the districts) are included.
Geography
Main articles: Geography of Madagascar
At 226,642
mi² (587,040
km²), Madagascar is the world's 46th-largest country and its fourth largest
island. It is comparable in size to
Kenya.
Towards the east, a steep escarpment leads from the central highlands down into a ribbon of rain forest with a narrow coastal further east. 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 300 miles (about 2 of the island, the descent from the central highlands toward the west is more gradual, with remnants of deciduous forest and savannah-like plains (which in the south and southwest, are quite dry and host spiny desert and baobabs). Although there are many protected harbours on the west coast, silting up, caused by sediment from the high levels of erosion suffered inland in Madagascar, is a major problem.
A central ridge running the length of the island from north to south creates a clear geographical division between the east and west. 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. 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 known as the “Red Island."
The central ridge is punctuated by three zones of higher mountain massifs. The
Tsaratanana massif in the far north has
volcanic mountains and separate Diego Suarez (
Antsiranana), with its large natural harbour, from the rest of the island. The highest mountain on the island,
Maromokotro, with an altitude of 9,436 ft (2,876 m), is found in this massif. The Ankaratra massif is in the central area south of the capital, Antananarivo and is where the second highest peak on the island, Tsiafajavona, with an altitude of 8,668 ft (2,643 m), is situated. Further south is the Andringitra massif which has several peaks over 8,000 ft (about 2,400 m) including the island’s third and fourth highest peaks, the 8,720 ft (2,658 m) Pic Boby and the 8,626 ft (2,630 m) Pic Bory. Other peaks in the massif, which is where the
Andringitra Reserve, include Pic Soaindra (altitude: 8,594 ft, 2,620 m) and Pic Ivangomena (altitude: 8,385 ft, 2,556 m). The Ankaratra massif is the one part of the island where snow is found (above 8,000 ft, 2,400 m) and may remain for several days.
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.
Ecology
Main articles: Ecoregions of Madagascar
Main articles: Malagasy fauna
Madagascar's long isolation from the neighboring continents (it is the oldest island in the world, isolated for at least 65 million years) 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"
[9].
The eastern, or
windward side of the island is home to
tropical rainforests, while the western and southern sides of the island, which lie in the
rain shadow of the central highlands, are home to
tropical dry forests, thorn forests, and
deserts and xeric shrublands. Madagascar's dry deciduous forests 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. Extensive
deforestation has taken place in parts of the country.
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 is a method sometimes used by
shifting cultivators to create short-term yields from marginal soils. When practiced repeatedly, or without intervening fallow periods, the
nutrient-poor soils may be exhausted or eroded to an unproductive state. The resulting increased
surface runoff from burned lands has caused significant erosion and resulting high sedimentation to western rivers.
Economy
Main articles: Economy of Madagascar
Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy. Major exports are coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts and livestock products. Vanilla has historically been of particular importance, and when
Coca-cola switched to
New Coke in 1985 – which involved less vanilla – Madagascar's economy took a marked downturn (returning to previous levels after the return of Coke Classic).
[10]
Structural reforms began in the late 1980s, initially under pressure from international financial institutions, notably the
World Bank. 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 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. During the period of solid growth from 1997 through 2001,
poverty levels remained stubbornly high, especially in rural areas. 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 12.7% 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. Following resolution of 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 5.3 percent, with inflation reaching around 25% at the end of the year. In 2005 inflation was brought under control by tight monetary policy (the "Taux Directeur", or central bank rate, was raised to 16% and reserve requirements for banks tightened), and growth will 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 the donor community. 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. 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. 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. 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
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 organizations 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 the policies pursued by President 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 (the country is the world's leading producer of
vanilla, accounting for about half the world's export market); and mining. Tourism targets the niche eco-tourism market, capitalizing on Madagascar's unique biodiversity, unspoiled natural habitats,
national parks and lemur species. 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. Agricultural exports consist of low volume high value products like vanilla, litchies and essential oils. A small portion of Madagascar's economy is based on mining of
ilmenite, with investments emerging in recent years, particularly near Tulear and Fort Dauphin.
[11]
There are serval major projects underway in the mining and
oil and
gas sectors that, if successful, will give a significant boost to the Malagasy economy. 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.
Foreign relations
Madagascar, which has historically been perceived as on the margin of mainstream African affairs, eagerly rejoined the
African Union in July 2003 after a 14-month hiatus triggered by the 2002 political crisis. From 1978 until 1991, then-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. Taking office in 1993, President
Albert Zafy expressed his desire for diplomatic relations with all countries. Early in his tenure, he established formal ties with
South Korea and sent emissaries to
Morocco.
Starting in 1997,
globalization encouraged the government and President Ratsiraka to adhere to market-oriented policies and to engage world markets. External relations reflect this trend, although Madagascar's physical isolation and strong traditional insular orientation have limited its activity in regional economic organizations and relations with its
East African neighbors. It enjoys closer and generally good relations with its
Indian Ocean neighbors --
Mauritius,
Réunion, and
Comoros. Active relationships with
Europe, especially
France,
Germany, and
Switzerland, as well as with
Britain,
Russia,
Japan,
India, and
China have been strong since independence. 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). 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).
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.
In November 2004, after an absence of almost 30 years, Madagascar re-opened its Embassy in London. On 15 December 2004 the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, announced the closure of the British Embassy in Antananarivo to save £250,000 a year. 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.
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
Madagascar's population is predominantly of mixed
Austronesian (
Pacific Islander) and
African origin, though those who are visibly Pacific Islander in appearance and culture are the minority, found in the highland regions. Recent research suggests that the island was uninhabited until Austronesian seafarers arrived between about 2,000 to 1,500 years ago. Recent
DNA research shows that the Malagasy are approximately of half Austronesian and half East African stock, although some
Arab,
Indian and
European influence is present along the coast. The Malagasy language shares some 90% of its basic vocabulary with the
Maanyan language from the region of the Barito River in southern
Borneo.
Subsequent
migrations from both the East Indies and Africa further consolidated this original mixture, and 36 separate tribal groups emerged. Asian features are most predominant in the
Merina (3 million) ; the coastal people (called ''côtiers'') are of more clearly African origin. The largest
coastal groups are the
Betsimisaraka (1.5 million) and the
Tsimihety and
Sakalava (700,000 each). 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
[12], 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 have not ceased to exist, 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 percent of the population.
Language
A girl in a Madagascar Village
The
Malagasy language is of
Malayo-Polynesian origin and is generally spoken throughout the island.
French is spoken among the educated population of this former French colony.
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. Many
Peace Corps volunteers are serving to further this effort and train teachers.
In the first Constitution of 1958,
Malagasy and
French were named the "official languages of the Malagasy Republic"
[13].
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
[14] 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.
[15]
Religion
Approximately half of the country's population practices traditional religions, which tend to emphasize links between the living and the dead. 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. The Merina and Betsileo reburial practice of
famadihana, or "turning over the dead" celebrate 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 honor where sometimes the bodies are lifted and carried high above the celebrants heads with singing and dancing before returning them to the tomb. In the 1800s, it is said that members of the Mkodo tribe would sacrifice young women to man-eating trees, although some argue that these tales may be fabrications. Anthropologist
Hermann Baumann recorded male-to-female
transsexual priestesses in traditional Madagascar
religion.
[16]
About 45% of the Malagasy are
Christian, divided almost evenly between
Catholics and
Protestants. Many incorporate the
cult of the dead with their 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. 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. Many of the Christian churches are influential in politics. The best example of this is the Malagasy Council of Churches (FFKM) comprised of the four oldest and most prominent Christian denominations (
Roman Catholic,
Reformed Protestant,
Lutheran and
Anglican).
Islam in Madagascar constitutes about 7-10% of the population. The Muslim traders who first brought Islam had a lasting impact on the people. 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. Many
Muslims are concentrated in the provinces of
Mahajanga and
Antsiranana (Diego Suarez). Muslims are divided between those of Malagasy ethnicity,
Indo-Pakistanis, and
Comorians. Many
Malagasy in the southest have been attracted to the call to come back to the religion of their ancestors and the number of mosques in that region has increased from 10 to 50 in the last ten years.
[17] Recently, several tribes in Madagascar have been converting to Islam. One particular occasion is the Intimor tribe of the southeast, of which 17,500 converted en-masse .
[18]
Culture
★
Cuisine of Madagascar
★
Music of Madagascar
★
List of writers from Madagascar
★
Salegy is a popular music form. There is a sudden interest in American culture and European popular culture, which is eroding the more traditional culture, and especially the music.
★ The Malagasy economy took a brief downturn during the 1980s when
Coca-Cola, the world's leading purchaser of vanilla, switched to the
New Coke formula that contained synthetic
vanillin. The situation reversed itself when the company reintroduced its classic formula.
Madagascar in Film
Many movies have been filmed on the country or reference is made to it. Some include the 1994 Cuban film
Madagascar and the 2005 Dreamworks animation movie ''
Madagascar'' featuring a few zoo animals from New York who find themselves on the wilderness of the coast (where the
lemur and
fossa populations are highly featured). The 2006
James Bond film ''
Casino Royale'' is featured in the beginning of the movie where James Bond chases a bombmaking terrorist suspect
Mollaka through a shantytown, a construction site, and an embassy. Madagascar is set as a location in the Bond movie but was actually filmed in the
Bahamas.
Miscellaneous topics
★
Andavadoaka, Madagascar: A small fishing village located on the South West 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
★
Cuisine of Madagascar
References
1. From MADAGASCAR to the MALAGASY REPUBLIC by Raymond K. Kent pg 65-71
2. 1947 L'insurrection à Madagascar - Jean Fremigacci - Marianne
3. Ravalomanana Marc, de President de la Rue, Ã President du Palais
4. Madagascar general in coup move Johnny Hogg in BBC News, November 18, 2006.
5. Attempted "coup" fizzles in desire for peaceful poll IRIN, November 20, 2006.
6. ARavalomanana likely to win presidential election IRIN, December 11, 2006.
7. Final results of referendum on Madagascar's constitution announced, China View - Xinhua online, 27 April 2007.
8. Référendum à Madagascar: le oui mène largement (deux-tiers des bureaux) Jeune Afrique, accessed 2007-06-10
9. The Eighth Continent: Life, Death, and Discovery in the Lost World of Madagascar
10. http://www.goway.com/africa/madagascar/mad_quickfacts.html
11. Madagascar - Mining: Heavy Minerals Mining [1]
12. L'ethnicisation des rapports sociaux à Madagascar [2]
13. "Le malgache et le français sont les langues officielles de la République Malgache." Constitution, Titre I, Art. 2; Constitutional Law 14 October 1958.
14. Haute Cour Constitutionnelle De Madagascar, Décision n°03-HCC/D2 Du 12 avril 2000 [3]
15. Madagascar adopts English as official language, ClickAfrique.com, 10 April 2007.
16. Feinberg, Leslie: Transgender Warriors, page 40. Beacon Press, 1996.
17. Madagascar, Southern Africa
18. [4] 17,500 of Intimor Tribe come back to Islam
External links
; Government
★
The Malagasy Government official site
★
National Assembly of Madagascar official site (English)
★
Embassy of Madagascar in Canada government information and links
★
Consulate of Madagascar consular mission to Hungary
★
Embassy of Madagascar in Washington DC
★
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of MadagascarOfficial site
; News
★
allAfrica.com - ''Madagascar'' news headline links
; Books
; Tourism
★
; Overviews
★
BBC News Country Profile - ''Madagascar''
★
CIA World Factbook - ''Madagascar''
★
WildMadagascar.org Overview, news, photos, cultural history. English and French
★
Madagascar Take a virtual tour of Madagascar
; Industry
★
Madagascar Oil Official site
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