Quick History
Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 but found independence again in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule.
In early 2009, protests over increasing restrictions on opposition press and activities resulted in Ravalomanana stepping down and the presidency was conferred to the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry Rajoelina. Many attempts have been made by regional and international groups to resolve the political gridlock by forming a power-sharing government. In late 2011, Rajoelina appointed a new cabinet, and the country appears to be moving towards new elections sometime in 2012. |
Madagascar
This massive island east of Africa is home to thousands of kilometers of interesting wildlife and one-of-a-kind plants. Madagascar houses many unique cultures within it's twenty million plus population spread all along the island, and makes every day spent here an adventure worth experiencing.