With a population of almost 30 million people, Madagascar is considered to be one of the poorest countries in Africa. According to the 2020 World Population Review, they are placed in the 4th position with a GNI per capita of $480. She was just after Mozambique, Somalia, and Burundi. She was also rated one of the unhappiest places in the world.
However, judging by GDP per Capita, the country is placed in the 9th position.
Despite these, Madagascar, a country that wasn’t discovered until 500 AD is known to be one of the top 5 largest Island Countries in the world and also one of the world’s top conservative priorities because it has an unusual endemism and 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites, 2 of which are natural and 1 cultural.
Check out these Mind-blowing Facts about Madagascar
1. Madagascar Wouldn’t Have been on the Map of Africa
This Island country lies off the southeastern coast of Africa. It was, however, almost not on the map of Africa as it split away from the continent some 180 million years ago. It was also close to India but broke away from the Asian continent about 80 million years ago.
Millions of years ago, they were joined to Africa as part of a supercontinent consisting of places known today as Africa, South America, Australia, Antarctica, India, and Madagascar.
Considering that its official language is Malagasy, a language that is more common in Asia, specifically Indonesia, the people of Madagascar are regarded as not part of Africa. Their cultures are also similar to those of the Indonesian people and the first recorded settlers of this Island country were known to be Indonesians.
The inclusion of African cultures in this country only came much later during migration and the slave trade. To date, they are believed to have closer roots to Asians than they do in Africa.
2. About 80% of Vanilla Used in the World is Gotten from Madagascar
In the world, this country is the top producer of Vanilla. Thanks to the country’s hot, humid climate, its rich soil, and farming skills, Madagascar rose to be the leading producer of Vanilla.
The only other countries that come close to her in the production of this fruit are Indonesia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, and China.
Madagascar places the African continent on the map of the world’s leading producer of vanilla with 41% of the global production share producing a volume of about 3.10K MT.
In addition to being the largest vanilla producer, she also is the biggest producer of a precious gem known as sapphires. She also produces cocoa, chocolates, and many other products.
3. Most of the Wildlife Found in Madagascar Cannot be Found Anywhere else in the World
There are features peculiar to Madagascar which makes the country 1 of only 17 countries regarded as megadiverse countries.
One such feature is the fact that animals such as Lemurs are a species endemic to Madagascar. These animals cannot be found anywhere else save for this southeastern island.
There were initially about 50 of them but over the years, these lemurs have reduced drastically and are almost less than 30 now.
Lemurs are able to survive in Madagascar right now because of the Island’s isolation. They are also considered a sacred animal in this country but unfortunately have become an endangered species as humans have hunted them and destroyed their habitats.
Additionally, you can find over 50% of the World’s Chameleons in Madagascar. Though not endemic, this country boasts of having more than half of this reptile here.
One more peculiar thing about this African country is the presence of an endemic tree species known as the baobab.
In the baobab alley located in western Madagascar, there are about 6 species of baobab trees out of a total of 8 species peculiar to this area.
4. Madagascar is Home to the Oldest Island on the Planet
It is known that this country is the second-largest Island country in the world and the fourth-largest Island on Earth but did you also know that it is the oldest island on planet Earth?
Madagascar has been around for over 80 million and was initially part of the Indian Ocean as already stated. She stretches across 587,000 square kilometers and is bigger than Spain or even Thailand when it comes to size.
5. She produced one of Africa’s Most Iconic Queens
‘The Mad Queen of Madagascar’, Queen Ranavalona I would not readily be named one of Africa’s most celebrated queens but she was quite iconic. Due to her policies and extremism many people, foreigners and countrymen alike became wary of her throughout her rulership of Madagascar from 1829 to 1861.
Despite being seen as erratic, wicked, and a tyrant, it wouldn’t be fair to not point out the good things she did for her country.
Because of her rule, Madagascar was able to preserve its cultural practices even as her predecessors’ reign threatened to destroy it. She was a good politician and leader who expanded her territory to cover most of the Island.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to bring much change to the country and even to date, only a little over 10% of the roads in Madagascar are paved.
6. She is one of Africa’s Top Cannabis Smoking Countries
Par studies, Madagascar is on the top 10 list of African countries that smoke Cannabis. It has not been legalized in the country and so its production and usage have been largely illegal and discreet.
A recent study shows that this Island nation is placed in the 9th spot, a couple of places below Nigeria which is at the No. 1 position as the highest cannabis-smoking country.
In 2021, it was estimated that about 2.1 million Malagasies smoke Cannabis as against 20.8 million Nigerians who do.
7. Madagascar was Once Home to Pirates
During the late 17th century and early 18th century, Madagascar was a haven for pirates. European pirates and traders sought solace and rest in this Island country back then and even began to call themselves Liberi.
These pirates established their own system of government and laws and called their new-found abode the ‘Independent Pirate Nation of Libertalia’. They also renounced their original identities and began to live as new people.
8. You can find the 3rd most Malnourished Population in Madagascar
Not only is this country one of the top 5 poorest countries in Africa, but they are also global in her misfortune. Madagascar ranks in 3rd place amongst countries that are most affected by hunger and malnutrition. This research was carried out by the Global Hunger Index in 2022.
Not only are the Malagasies malnourished, but they are also one of the unhappiest populations in the world.
It is a little wonder ‘why’ given that they haven’t developed so much through the years, they are poor and suffer from malnourishment.
READ ALSO: Poorest Countries in Africa 2022: Top 10
9. About 85% of the Farmers Farm Rice as it is the Country’s Staple Food
Food is one thing that binds the people of this country. Not just any food, though, particularly rice.
In Malagasy, the term ‘to eat’ is translated as ‘to eat rice’ and this just goes to show how much they love and eat rice in Madagascar. In rural areas, these people can eat rice 3 times a day.
Rice is one of the country’s most planted and harvested food crops and over 80% of farmers in the country, farm rice.
As such, the staple food of the Madagascans is rice.
10. Shocker!!! There are No Penguins in Madagascar
Safe for a southern Rockhopper penguin who may have gotten lost in Madagascar as far back as 1956, there are actually no penguins on the Island.
In fact, the Disney movie, ‘Penguins of Madagascar’ did portray the penguins there were foreigners and not locals of the Island. However, people have since believed that there are penguins in Madagascar and are almost always disappointed not to find any upon visits.
There are no living or breeding penguins in the country. Other animals you won’t find here are giraffes, zebras, lions, and hippos.
Those too were visitors to Madagascar in the aforementioned Disney movie. The only animal from amongst the main cast of the movie who is a native of Madagascar is King Julian who is a ring-tailed lemur.
