Madagascar - some facts

It is  the fourth largest island in the world, about twice the size of all of New Zealand. Settled about two thousand years ago by people from Indonesia, it is not Indonesian; colonised by the French for over 100 years it is not European; and although only 300 miles off the African continent it is not African. It is unique, home to about 18 million people. The Malagasy today are an admixture of the original settlers from Indonesia, African, Arab, Chinese, Indian and European. Their first language, Malagasy, is essentially Malayo-Polynesian. French is an official language and last year English was established as the third official language.

After many years of political unrest there is now some stability with the current democratically elected regime intent on improving the wellbeing of not only the people but the total environment on which they depend.  Madagascar is committed to achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and has developed its MAP (Madagascar Action Plan).

See www.madagacar.gov.mg/MAP  for details on their strategies for reducing extreme poverty and protecting the environment with its unique flora and fauna which they term eco-eco harmonisation (ecological and economic balance).