Madagascar
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| - | '''Madagascar''', officially the '''Republic of Madagascar''' ({{lang-mg|Repoblikan'i Madagasikara}} {{IPA-mg|republiˈkʲan madaɡasˈkʲarə̥|}}; {{lang-fr|link=no|République de Madagascar}}) and previously known as the '''Malagasy Republic''', is an [[island country]] in the [[Indian Ocean]], off the southeastern coast of [[Africa]]. The nation comprises the island of Madagascar (the fourth-largest island in the world), as well as numerous smaller peripheral islands. Following the prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent [[Gondwana]], Madagascar split from [[India]] around 88 million years ago, allowing native plants and animals to evolve in relative isolation. Consequently, Madagascar is a [[biodiversity hotspot]]; over 90 percent of [[wildlife of Madagascar|its wildlife]] is found nowhere else on Earth. The island's diverse ecosystems and unique wildlife are threatened by the encroachment of the rapidly growing human population. | + | '''Madagascar''', officially the '''Republic of Madagascar''' and previously known as the '''Malagasy Republic''', is an [[island country]] in the [[Indian Ocean]], off the southeastern coast of [[Africa]]. The nation comprises the island of Madagascar (the fourth-largest island in the world), as well as numerous smaller peripheral islands. Following the prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent [[Gondwana]], Madagascar split from [[India]] around 88 million years ago, allowing native plants and animals to evolve in relative isolation. Consequently, Madagascar is a [[biodiversity hotspot]]; over 90 percent of [[wildlife of Madagascar|its wildlife]] is found nowhere else on Earth. The island's diverse ecosystems and unique wildlife are threatened by the encroachment of the rapidly growing human population. |
| - | Initial human settlement of Madagascar occurred between 350 BCE and 550 CE by [[Austronesian peoples]] arriving on [[outrigger canoe]]s from [[Borneo]]. These were joined around 1000 CE by [[Bantu peoples|Bantu]] migrants crossing the [[Mozambique Channel]]. Other groups continued to settle on Madagascar over time, each one making lasting contributions to Malagasy cultural life. The [[Malagasy people|Malagasy ethnic group]] is often divided into eighteen or more [[Ethnic groups of Madagascar|sub-groups]] of which the largest are the [[Merina people|Merina]] of the central highlands. | ||
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| - | Until the late 18th century, the island of Madagascar was ruled by a fragmented assortment of shifting socio-political alliances. Beginning in the early 19th century, most of the island was united and ruled as the [[Merina Kingdom|Kingdom of Madagascar]] by a [[List of Malagasy monarchs|series]] of Merina [[andriana|nobles]]. The monarchy collapsed in 1897 when the island was absorbed into the [[French colonial empire]], from which the island regained independence in 1960. The autonomous state of Madagascar has since undergone four major constitutional periods, termed Republics. Since 1992 the nation has officially been governed as a constitutional democracy from its capital at [[Antananarivo]]. However, in a [[2009 Malagasy political crisis|popular uprising in 2009]] the last elected president [[Marc Ravalomanana]] was made to resign and presidential power was transferred in March 2009 to [[Andry Rajoelina]] in a move widely viewed by the international community as a ''[[coup d'état]]''. | ||
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| - | In 2012, the population of Madagascar was estimated at just over 22 million, 90 percent of whom live on less than two dollars per day. [[Malagasy language|Malagasy]] and French are both official languages of the state. The majority of the population adheres to [[Malagasy mythology|traditional beliefs]], Christianity, or an amalgamation of both. Ecotourism and agriculture, paired with greater investments in education, health and private enterprise, are key elements of Madagascar's development strategy. Under Ravalomanana these investments produced substantial economic growth but the benefits were not evenly spread throughout the population, producing tensions over the increasing cost of living and declining living standards among the poor and some segments of the middle class. | ||
| + | From about 1774 to 1824, Madagascar gained prominence among pirates and European traders, particularly those involved in the [[Atlantic slave trade|trans-Atlantic slave trade]]. The small island of [[Île Sainte-Marie|Nosy Boroha]] off the northeastern coast of Madagascar has been proposed by some historians as the site of the legendary pirate utopia of [[Libertalia]]. | ||
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Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar and previously known as the Malagasy Republic, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, off the southeastern coast of Africa. The nation comprises the island of Madagascar (the fourth-largest island in the world), as well as numerous smaller peripheral islands. Following the prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana, Madagascar split from India around 88 million years ago, allowing native plants and animals to evolve in relative isolation. Consequently, Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot; over 90 percent of its wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth. The island's diverse ecosystems and unique wildlife are threatened by the encroachment of the rapidly growing human population.
From about 1774 to 1824, Madagascar gained prominence among pirates and European traders, particularly those involved in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The small island of Nosy Boroha off the northeastern coast of Madagascar has been proposed by some historians as the site of the legendary pirate utopia of Libertalia.
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Madagascar" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
