Madagascar: Country with Rich Floral and Faunal Diversity
The Malagasy are of mixed Malayo-Indonesian and African-Arab ancestry who first inhabited Madagascar. During 1787–1810 Madagascar was ruled by the King Andrianampoinimerina and later on his son Radama I ruled Madagascar from 1810 to 1828. Radama I played vital role in unifying various small provinces to form to the greater kingdom of Madagascar. In 1885 French occupied Madagascar and made its protectorate by abolishing the monarchy and Queen Rànavàlona III was forced into exile to Algiers. Till 1958 Madagascar was a republic under French rule and finally became an independent country in 1960.
Madagascar Profile: Overview of Facts and Figures
Culture, Cuisine and Economy of Madagascar:
The culture of Madagascar is vibrant due to influence of the colonial powers and people who migrated here from the different parts of the world. According to anthropological studies, it is assumed that the first humans arrived in Madagascar about 2000 years ago and they were mostly from regions like India, Arabia and the continent of Africa. Madagascar people have great reverence for their ancestors. Also magic is widely practiced to treat and cure sickness and ailments and bring victory in war.
The cuisine in Madagascar is simple to prepare and tasty. The food of Madagascar is prepared simply without using much of spices but the lack of spices does not make the food insipid. Rice is the staple Madagascar food whereas Zebu is the local cooked beef popular through out the Madagascar. Zebu is also made from chicken, crab, pork, fish, corn, peanuts and potatoes. Fresh fruits and vegetables are also used in abundance.
The economy of Madagascar is based upon agriculture, fishing and forestry. The export of coffee and vanilla contributes much to the Madagascar economy apart from the exports of sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice and cassava.
Tourist Attractions of Madagascar:
Madagascar is famous for its miles stretched golden beaches and biodiversity. The wildlife and forests remain the center of attraction for the tourists. Madagascar nurtures some of the rare varieties of birds and animal species that can’t be seen anywhere in the world. Apart from this Madagascar is also famous for its sparsely crowded beaches, beautiful scenery and tropical islands.
Antananarivo: Antananarivo is the capital city of Madagascar and situated in a slanting valley near the Island center. This city is famous for its colorful flower market, botanical and zoological gardens that feature rare and exotic plant and animal species.
Canal Des: the French colonists constructed Canal Des Pangalanes, which connects number of lakes and rivers along the eastern shore of Madagascar. The Canal site also features lush vegetation that includes vanilla plants, coconut and cinnamon trees.
Major Sight-seeing Places in Madagascar include:
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