FACTS: Why Is Madagascar Unique ?

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By Victor Olubiye

Antsirabe, A city in the Central Highlands of Madagascar

Below are the facts that makes Madagascar unique:

1. Madagascar is the world's fourth largest island.


2. A person from Madagascar is called a Malagasy.


3. Madagascar is home to 70 species of lemurs found nowhere else on Earth.


4. More than 50% of the world’s chameleon population is found on Madagascar and over 300 species of reptiles not found anywhere in the world but Madagascar.


5. The Malagasies have closer roots to Southeast Asians than Africans. They are called Blasian. 


6. The capital city of Madagascar is Antananarivo, also commonly referred to as Tana. Antananarivo is the country's largest city with more than 3.6 million people.


7. Madagascar was a French colony from 1897 until 1968 and then gained full independence from France on 26 June 1960. The Malagasy celebrate their country's independence annually on this day.


8. Madagascar split away from the African continent about 180 million years ago. About 80 million years ago the landmass broke away from India. Therefore it has a very unique flora and fauna. Madagascar is one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world.


9. The country is also known as the "Great Red Island" for its iron-rich red soil. Intensive red soil is found mainly in the central highlands.


10. The baobab are a tree species that is endemic to Madagascar. The baobab alley in western Madagascar is home to six of the eight species of baobab that are found in Madagascar only. Some of the baobabs in this alley are up to 800 years old. The baobab tree is called reniala in the Malagasy language. Often people also refer to the tree as bottle tree as the trunk of the baobab tree stores lots of water. The baobabs have long trunks as they grow up to 30 m/ 98 ft in height.


11. Madagascar  is the world's largest vanilla export country and produces about half of the world's vanilla crops. Vanilla is the second most expensive spice after saffron because it is very labour-intensive to grow vanilla plants. 

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