-Area: 587 000 square kilometres, the equivalent of France and Benelux (5000km of coasts).

-Population: approximately 20 million inhabitants in 2006.

-life expectancy: approximately 50 years.

-Capital: Antananarivo ( Tananarive), 2 million inhabitants with its suburb.

-highest peak: Mont Tsaratanana (2886 m).

-Languages: Malagasy derives from malayo-Polynesian languages, influenced throughout the centuries by the bantou languages, Arabic, the Swahili and European. French is well understood everywhere, even if communication can become a problem in the bush, you will be very well understood by the Malagasy people. However, there are about ten different dialects according to regions and ethnic groups.

-Président: Marc Ravalomanana ( Democratic republic), reelected end of 2006 for a 5 years term issued.

-Visas: A visa of 30 days is issued at the airport of Antananarivo, with a possibility of extending your stay for a maxim length of 3 months ( 40€ ). A 90 day visa is issued by the Malagasy Consulate or Embassy within 5 working days before departure ( 35€ ).

-Passeport: your passport must be valid 6 months after the date of return.

-Recommended vaccines:: DT polio, Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Yellow fever and a antimalaria treatment.

                   (vaccines are no compulsory, but they remain highly recommended).

-Currency: since January 1st, 2005, Ariary has replaced the Malagasy franc (1 Ar = 5 Fmg); (1 € = on 2700 Ar) on January 1st, 2007..

-High plateaux:Dry season from April to October and rainy season from October to March. Temperatures in the year, 10 ° Mini and 26 ° Maxi. 

-East coast: it rain all year long, the driest months are September, October, November. Average temperatures in the year, 17 ° Mini and 30°Maxi.

-West coast: Dry season almost all year long with some rains from December to March. Average temperatures , 15 ° Mini and 32 ° Maxi.

-Fauna: approximately 90 % of endemic species. You can find on the island an impressive quantity of magnificant species; more than thirty sorts of lemurs, tortoises sea turtles and fresh water turtles, the famous crocodile of the Nile, tens of sorts of tree-dwelling frogs.
As far as reptiles are concerned, still find snakes (all harmless), geckos, uroplatus, and the famous chameleons
The island also shelters a multitude of beautifully coloured butterflies, as well as trap-door spiders, scorpions, or a few scolopendrids. More than 250 species of birds live in Madagascar, among which kingfishers, herons, coua, mésites or else flycatcher.
At sea: Dolphins, humpbacked whales, sharks, fish, jellyfishes, squids, spiny lobsters and octopuses; not to forget two prehistoric species: the protopterus and the coelacanth.

-Flora: The very varied flora according to the regions is also composed of 90 % of endemic species.
- Ravinala, the Raffia, the Palm tree tièdre, coconut trees, banana trees, Brazilian rosewood and the mahogany the East of the island; whereas: the pachypodium, the eucalyptus, the bush, the didiéracea, the didieracea, the aloe and seven sorts of baobabs proliferate in the West and in the South of the island.

The origin of the island and its populating still remains uncertain today, the most ancient traces of human presence on the island dates 1500 years back. The first people to walk on the red island come from Indonesia. Very good sailors, the Indonesian back merchants sailed across the Indian Ocean aboard their sailing canoes. They are said to have discovered Madagascar by chance when landing on the north coast of the island.

Populating little by little the coast then the highlands these sailors would be the ancestors of the people Sakalava. Between 9th 13th century, other Indonesian immigrants originate the tribes Merinas and Betsiléos and settle down in the highlands. 

Around th 16th century the ZafindRaminias of Indonesian origin settle down on the Southeast coast this becoming the Antanosys in the South and the Antambahoakas in the East. Antefasys and Antesakas of the Southeast the from another come wave of immigration. Later Sakalava divided into two other groups, Boina and Mahafalys. As for Baras, they are apparently descended from the Antesakas. The Merinas who proceed more deeply with the western native population into the higland go to war, the Vazimbas. These people has taken in refuge the Tsingy of Bemaraha today.

In 1500 Diego Dias, a Portuguese sailor, drifted to Madagascar (during a storm). He named the island Saint Laurent. Trackers and Portuguese missionaries tried to settle in the South of the island, but the relations with the natives remain very difficult and the Portuguese abandon. During 18th eme century their adventurers (Englishman, Dutchman and Frenchman) Land and take advantage of them firearms to trade slaves. The French people settle in 1628 and form the East India Company in 1642. In 1648 the governor Etienne de Flacourt vainly tries to improve the situation of the fort. The colonization of the island by the French people is abandoned at the end of the 17th century. 

The Kingdom Sakalava stretches to the West in the region of Menabe. Sakalava invaded Betsileo in the 18th century. The kingdom of Imerina streches from Ankaratra in the South up to the eastern forests. Andrianjaka who succeeded king Ralambo ( 1575-1610 ) moved the capital of the realm from the " blue hill " and gave him the name of Tananarive. Thanks to the descendant of Andrianjaka the kingdom continued to extend. From 1787 to 1810
King Andrianampoinimerina multiplied the alliances building a solid kindom. In spite of his numerous victories, the warrior Sakalava and Betsiléos continued to resist him. His kingdom was 5 times as big when he died.

Radama I came into the power at the age of 18. He dealt with the English people, exchanging weapons for slaves, to extend his kingdom to the eastand south coast. which caused conflicts with France. Radama died in 1828. Radama I left a mark in history and was nickname bloody because of her cruelty. Hostile to the foreigners, she denounced the treaty signed with the English people, chased away all the foreigners and made massacred had all Malagasy.

The Malagasy alphabet contains only 21 letters, "c", "q", "u", "w", "x" do not exist.
Certain sounds are not pronounce like in English, and the last letter is aspirated.

Ex: akanjo, [aka-(n) dzou] = garment