Madagascar
a large island in the Indian Ocean, 230 miles from the E. coast of Africa, from which it is separated by Mozambique Channel; length, 980 miles; average breadth, 360 miles; area, about 228,500 square miles; pop. (1917) 3,545,264. Madagascar may be described as an elevated region, with an average height of 3,000 to 5,000 feet, overlooked by mountains rising in some cases to nearly 9,000 feet. The coast exhibits a number of indentations, mostly small, but few good harbors, being in great part rock, though in some places low and sandy. On some parts of the coast are numerous lagoons. The rivers are numerous, yet few of them offer even to a moderate extent the advantages of internal navigation. The c'imate is oppressively hot on the coast, but temperate on the highlands of the interior.
The rainy season continues from December to April. The vegetable products grown for food include rice, manioc or cassava, sweet potatoes, ground nuts, and yams. Ginger, pepper, and indigo grow wild in the woods; cotton, sugar cane, coffee, tobacco, and hemp are cultivated. Coal is found in the N. W., rice, cattle, hides gum, india-rubber, wax, cotton, sugar, vanilla, lard, and coffee are exported to Mauritius, Réunion, and Europe, Humped cattle are found in immense herds, and form a large part of the wealth of the inhabitants, as do also sheep, goats, swine, and horses. The most characteristic of the mammals are the lemurs. The birds are numerous; snakes are rare; crocodiles, lizards, chameleons abound. The inhabitants, called Malagasy, belong to the Malayo-Polynesian stock and speak a Malayan language.
The Hovas are the ruling tribe, they having extended their sway over nearly the whole island. The Malagasy show much aptitude as silversmiths, gunsmiths, carpenters, and with rude looms make handsome cloths. Capital, Antananarivo, a striking and well-built town; pop. (1917) 63,115, on a lofty hill about 200 miles inland; principal port, Tamatave, on the E. coast; pop. about 9,000; chief port on the N. W. coast is Majunga; pop. about 7,000. Prior to 1895 the government was an absolute monarchy under Queen Ranavalona III. A French Resident, however, with a military escort, resided at the court and controlled foreign relations, so that the country was virtually a French protectorate. Much friction prevailed in 1893-1894, between the government and the French authorities, and finally France decided to make her protectorate of the island effective. The MADDALONI MADERO island was made a French colony. Under of trade, FUNCHAL (q. v.); pop. about French rule the colony has prospered, 25,000. The Madeiras were known to commerce has been developed, and in the Romans, and were rediscovered and 1917 the combined imports and exports colonized by the Portuguese in 1431. amounted to over $40,000,000. Madagascar has telegraph communication with other countries, and is a wireless telegraph station.