The Democratic Republic of Madagascar, (established in 1995) is the 4th largest island in the world. Situated in the Indian Ocean, 250 miles off of the east coast of Africa, it shares the Mozambique Channel with Mozambique. 

The climate of Madagascar is tropical, with a rainy season lasting from December to April and a dry season from May to November. The island's terrain is extremely diverse, ranging from coastal beaches and lagoons to desert, mountains, rivers and grasslands.

The two official languages of the Malagasy people are French and Malagasy. The last democratic elections saw Marc Ravalomanana eventually declared President by the High Constitutional Court. The largest city, Antananarivo is also the Capital of Madagascar. The island is broken into 6 Provinces and additionally claims several small islands.

Madagascar has some of the highest biodiversity on the planet. 80% of the animal species found in Madagascar are totally unique to this island. These include various Lemurs, Chameleons and the very strange Foosa. (The Foosa is the largest predator on this island.). All the worlds’ Lemurs originate from Madagascar. It has been suggested that Lemurs made their way to Madagascar from the larger African continent millions of years ago and have since adapted and evolved into the diverse number of species present today. However, the closest relatives of some species of Lemur can be found in the South Pacific and South America despite belief that they are to be found in Africa

Madagascar’s economy is overwhelmingly created by agricultural industry, largely of a subsistence type; the best farmland can be found in the east and northwest. The principal cash crops are coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, and cocoa. The main food crops are rice, cassava, bananas, beans, and peanuts. In addition, large numbers of poultry, cattle, goats, sheep, and hogs are raised. Fishing and forestry are also important. The Malagasy people often carve out a subsistence living on a per capita income equal to US$200 per year, so on an individual level getting by often seems more important than preserving the environment.