Madagascar

Madagascar is an island country in the Indian Ocean, separated from mainland Africa by the Mozambique Channel. Its long isolation has produced exceptionally distinctive wildlife and ecosystems.

Mozambique Channel: The arm of the Indian Ocean separating Madagascar from mainland Africa. This channel forms Madagascar’s western boundary and separates it from Mozambique.
Madagascar dry deciduous forests: Seasonally dry forests found mainly in western Madagascar. These forests show how rainfall patterns divide the island’s habitats.
Lemur: A group of primates native to Madagascar and the nearby Comoros. Lemurs are the island’s best-known endemic mammals.
Austronesian peoples: Peoples whose languages and historical migrations extend across Island Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Austronesian migration contributed to Madagascar’s settlement and language.
Deforestation in Madagascar: The loss and degradation of forest cover across Madagascar, driven by activities including agriculture and logging. Forest loss threatens habitats that contain many island-endemic species.
Malagasy language: An Austronesian language spoken across Madagascar and related to languages of Southeast Asia. Its Austronesian roots reflect settlement across the Indian Ocean.
Madagascar spiny thickets: Arid, thorny vegetation communities in southwestern Madagascar. Their drought-adapted plants thrive in the island’s driest region.
Aye-aye: A nocturnal lemur with elongated middle fingers used to extract insects from wood. Its specialized feeding illustrates the unusual adaptations found on the island.
Kingdom of Madagascar: A Malagasy state that expanded under the Merina monarchy and ruled much of the island in the nineteenth century. The kingdom’s expansion preceded French colonial rule.
Madagascar biodiversity: The variety of life in Madagascar, including many species found nowhere else. Its exceptional endemism makes habitat loss globally consequential.

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