Madagascar is the largest island off the coast of Africa and throughout the Indian Ocean. Very often it is called a kind of miniature mainland. This is due to the fact that its flora and fauna is very different from that which exists on the African continent. Many of their representatives are found only here. Moreover, local landscapes are unique and are not repeated anywhere else on the planet. A few millennia ago, it was part of a vast continent known as Gondwana, which split over time. As a result, South America, Africa, Antarctica and Madagascar itself were formed. Now the largest island in Africa is separated from the main continent by the Strait of Mozambique, whose width is about 300 kilometers.
The local landscape is diverse. Most of the territory is a plateau. In some areas it rises above sea level to a height of 2876 meters. Not far from the city of Antananarivo (the capital of Madagascar) are Ankaratro mountains, the maximum height of which is 2643 meters. Africa's largest island also boasts its fertile plains. They are located on the west and east coasts. All local rivers flow into the Strait of Mozambique and flow from east to west. Although not many, they annually attract a huge number of tourists by the abundance of their waterfalls and picturesque landscapes.
The best time to visit the largest island in Africa is the period from March to April. It is recommended to go to the central part from November to March. This is due to the specifics of the local climate. The fact is that there are wet and dry seasons. Heavy rains almost always rain on the east coast, and strong trade winds cause rain jets to fly almost horizontally, so no awnings and umbrellas can save them. The average winter temperature is 16, and summer - 34 degrees.
The Democratic Republic of Madagascar, which was formed as a result of a military coup in 1975, occupies not only this large island of Africa, but also several small ones located nearby. The area of the country is just over 587 thousand km 2 . The population of the state exceeds 14 million people. Most of them live in the largest cities, among which the above-mentioned Antananarivo, as well as Tulear, Tuamasina, Mahajanga, Fianarantsua and others. Official in the republic are two languages - French and gelding (one of the dialects of Malagasy). The president leads the country, and the prime minister is the head of government.
The first European to visit Africa 's largest island on August 10, 1500, was the Portuguese Diego Diaz. On the new lands, travelers were engaged in robbery and murder, so as soon as they set off towards India, the local population breathed a sigh of relief. Unfortunately for him, six years later the next European expedition appeared on the island. Its representatives did not differ much from their predecessors, so most of the adult inhabitants of Madagascar were destined to become slaves. At different times, the Portuguese, French and British tried to gain a foothold here. In 1896, the island became a colony of France. He obtained the right to self-government in 1958, and independence was declared in 1960.
Currently, Madagascar is a member of many world organizations, including the IMF, UN, WHO and others.