什麼是馬達加斯加

正式名稱為馬達加斯加共和國（Republic of Madagascar）

位於非洲東南海岸外的馬達加斯加島國。該島為世界第四大島，長約1,570公里，寬約571公里。馬達加斯加島和非洲海岸之間為莫桑比克海峽。面積587,041平方公里。人口15,983,000（2001）。首都︰安塔那那利佛。馬達加斯加人口幾乎完全由約二十個馬來亞－印尼部族羣組成。語言︰梅里納語、法語（均為官方語）。宗教︰信奉萬物有靈的傳統宗教，基督教徒（天主教徒、新教徒各佔一半），伊斯蘭教。貨幣︰馬拉加西法郎（FMG）。馬達加斯加的中央高原海拔2,876公尺，位察拉塔納納火山斷塊。該島原先森林茂密，森林仍佔土地面積的1/4。經濟以農業為主，包括水稻、木薯等糧食作物，經濟作物包括咖啡、丁香和香草。政府形式為共和國，一院制。國家元首為總統，政府首腦為總理。

印尼人約西元700年遷入馬達加斯加的。最先抵達該島的歐洲人是葡萄牙航海家迪亞斯（D. Dias，1500年）。17世紀始販賣武器和奴隸的活動使馬達加斯加王國得以發展。18世紀梅里納王國成為一強大的王國。19世紀初，獲得了英國人的援助，得以控制馬達加斯假定大部分地區。1864年梅里納王國與法國人簽訂一項條約，將西北部沿海地區交由法國人控制。1946年馬達加斯加成為法國的一個海外領地，1958年法國同意讓該領地決定自己的命運，作為自治共和國，1960年馬達加斯加共和國獲得獨立。1970年代，馬達加斯加政府斷絕路與法國的關係。1975年採現今的國名。1992年通過新憲法，該國從此在政治上和經濟上都不穩定。

Madagascar

Nation, occupying the island of Madagascar, off the southeastern coast of Africa. The island of Madagascar, the world's fourth-largest island, is about 976 mi (1,570 km) long and 355 mi (571 km) wide. It is separated from the African coast by the Mozambique Channel. Area: 226,658 sq mi (587,041 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 14,062,000. Capital: Antananarivo. Almost all the population belongs to about 20 Malayo-Indonesian groups. Languages: Malagasy, French (both official). Religions: Traditional animism; Christianity (Roman Catholicism, Protestantism), Islam. Currency: Malagasy franc. Madagascar's high central plateau rises to 9,436 ft (2,876 m) at the volcanic Tsaratanana massif; the island was once heavily forested, and forests still cover one-fourth of the land area. Agriculture dominates the economy, with staple crops, including rice and cassava, and cash crops, including coffee, cloves, and vanilla. It is a republic with one legislative house; its chief of state is the president, and the head of government is the prime minister. Indonesians migrated to Madagascar c. AD 700. The first European to visit the island was Portuguese navigator Diogo Dias in 1500. Trade in arms and slaves allowed the development of Malagasy kingdoms at the beginning of the 17th century. In the 18th century the Merina kingdom became dominant; with British assistance, it gained control of a large part of Madagascar in the early 19th century. In 1868 Merina signed a treaty granting France control over the northwestern coast, and in 1895 French troops took the island. Madagascar became a French overseas territory in 1946. In 1958 France agreed to let the territory decide its own fate; as the Malagasy Republic, it gained independence in 1960. It severed ties with France in the 1970s, taking its present name in 1975. A new constitution was adopted in 1992. The country has since been both politically and economically unstable.