Madagascar

aepyornis African ancestors Andrianampoinimerina Antananarivo Antemoro Antsiranana Arab traders Asia baobab Betsileo Betsimisaraka Betsimisaraka Escarpment called carved cattle central plateau century Christian coastal coelacanth colony Communist Comorans Comoros côtiers crocodiles culture dead east coast eastern elected European fady famadihana Faradofay farming feet fish fishermen forests France French rule Gallieni gascar groups highlands independence Indian Ocean Indonesia industry inhabitants Joseph Gallieni kilometers kingdom Laborde Lake lamba land largest lemurs Libertalia live Mada Mahafaly Mahajanga Malagasy believe Malagasy religion Malagasy Republic MDRM Menarandra Merina meters miles missionaries Misson Mozambique Channel nations Nosy ombiasy percent pirate plant population programs Queen Ranavalona Radama Radama II Rainilaiarivony Ramanantsoa Ranavalona the Terrible Ratsiraka Red Island region religious remain rivers Sainte-Marie Sakalava southeast Soviet Union species tanghena thrive Toamasina Today Toliary tomb posts Traditional Malagasy traveler's tree tree tribes Tsiranana University of Madagascar vanilla villages western xerophytes zebu