## This template should be used for english speaking countries or for ## countries for which there is no specific language version #language en = SFD 2010 Madagascar = '''Madagascar''', or '''Republic of Madagascar''' (older name '''Malagasy Republic''', [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_language|French]]: ''République malgache''), is an [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_nation|island nation]] in the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Ocean|Indian Ocean]] off the southeastern coast of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa|Africa]]. The main island, also called Madagascar, is the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_islands_by_area|fourth-largest island in the world]]. Archaeologists generally say Madagascar was first inhabited sometime 300BC - 500AD, by [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austronesian_peoples|Austronesian peoples]] who arrived on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outrigger|outrigger]] canoes. Since, there have been many [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bantu_peoples|Bantu]] and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab|Arab]] influences and population intermixture. Madagascar was ruled by the local [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merina_kingdom|Merina kingdom]] in the 19th century and was part of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_colonial_empire|French colonial empire]] from 1890 to 1960, when the current Republic of Madagascar became independent. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malagasy_language|Malagasy]], the local language spoken by the majority of the population, is an [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austronesian_language|Austronesian language]] and one of the official languages. The other official languages are [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_language|French]], official since independence, and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language|English]], official since 2007. == Cities / Regions == <> == Create a new City or Region == <> ---- CategoryCountry