By: Eric Palm
May, or may not
contain above shown
animals
• Madagascar is an island
located off the
southeastern coast of
Africa in the Indian Ocean.
It is the fourth largest
island in the world.
• The capital of Madagascar
is Antananarivo.
• Although Madagascar is
located extremely close to
Africa, many people that
live there do not consider
Madagascar to be a part of
the continent of Africa.
The population
of Madagascar
is 20,650,000.
The population
of
Antananarivo is
1,390,000.
The largest lake in Madagascar is Lake
Alaotra. The fertile plain surrounding the lake
is Madagascar’s most important rice-producing
region.
The lake is only 2 feet deep during the dry season.
Economy of Madagascar
Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay
of the economy. Major exports are coffee, vanilla,
sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava, beans, bananas,
peanuts, and livestock products. Madagascar is the
world's largest producer and exporter of vanilla.
Malagasy Government
The power in the Malagasy government is shared between a president and a
prime minister. The president is elected by the people for a five year period and is
limited to two terms. The prime minister is chosen from the parliament by a group
of peers, but must be approved by the president. The president is the symbol of
national unity and the leader of foreign policy. The prime minister is responsible
for the functioning of government.
Like the United States, the government is made up of an executive, legislative,
and judicial branch. The legislative branch is made up of the Senate and National
Assembly. The Assembly is similar to the United States House of Representatives.
The judicial branch consists of the Supreme Court. There are 11 members of the
Malagasy Supreme Court, compared to 9 in the U.S.
Constitution
Legislative
Congress
National
Assembly
United States
Executive
President
Judicial
Prime
Minister
Senate
Supreme Court
Madagascar
Flag of Madagascar
The flag of Madagascar was adopted on October 14, 1958, 2
years before its independence from France. The white,
red, and green colors of the flag are meaningful to the
history of Madagascar, including the desire for
independence.
Two thirds of the population live below the
international poverty line. Most Malagasy farmers are
barely able to produce enough to for their own families.
Malagasy life expectancy is just over 55 years. There is a
lack of hygiene, chronic malnutrition, and a lack of access
to drinking water in Madagascar.
Holidays in Madagascar
Many of the holidays celebrated by the majority of
the people in Madagascar are the same as those
celebrated by the majority of the people in the
United States since many people practice Christianity.
New Year’s
Language of Madagascar
• Malagasy is the official language of Madagascar.
• Even though the island is large this is the language that
is spoken throughout the island. The island of New
Guinea, which is only 1/3 larger than Madagascar, has
700 languages.
• The Malagasy alphabet has 21 of the same letters as
the English alphabet. It lacks the C, Q, U, W, and X.
• Madagascar is not a Malagasy word, since Malagasy
does not use the letter C and all Malagasy words end in a
vowel. The Malagasy word for their country is
Madagasikara.
Hello Salama Tompko