Posted on 26 October 2023

1. Madagascar has abundant and diverse wildlife

OK - you probably know this already, but Madagascar is home to a bewildering number of animal and plant species.

It's one of only 17 "megadiverse" countries, mostly because it has been so little-disturbed by human beings.

It boasts dozens of species of lemur and is home to half of the world's chameleons.

2. Madagascar is home to some very elusive birds

If you're a twitcher, then you'll no doubt want to spy the very elusive long-tailed ground roller, who lives in the lagoons, mudflats and freshwater marshes around the town of Toliara in the island's south-west.

3. Madagascar is the world's fourth-biggest island

Madagascar covers a whopping 226,917 square miles - more than double the UK's rather modest 93,410.

4. Humans haven't been here for very long

Human settlers only arrived in around 500 AD, that's a clear 300,000 years later than the first Homo Sapiens appearing in Africa.

5. ...But there are a lot of humans

While Madagascar is famed for its incredible wildlife, there are plenty of humans here - 26.2 million "Malagasies" - to be exact.

6. It had a tyrannical queen

Queen Ranavalona did well to stop Europeans from taking over Madagascar - throughout her 33-year rule. However, this wasn't good news if you were Christian, belonged to a rival neighbouring country, or were against her policies. If you were any of these, you may well have found yourself being thrown into a ravine, or poisoned.

Various purges - alongside slave labour - saw the population plummet from five to 2.5million in the six years following 1833.

You can still see parts of Ranavalona's palace in the capital, Antananarivo.

7. Madagascar boasts several UNESCO World Heritage Sites with amazing wildlife

They include the 500-year-old burial site on the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga (home to lemurs and primates); and a vast landscape of limestone caves, canyons and tunnels, known as the Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve.

Here you may spy some of the many species that have adapted to life in this unique environment. It's so impassable that many areas remain relatively unexplored.

8. Wealth and poverty sit side-by-side

Madagascar has a per-capita GDP of $1,554 - among the world's lowest. But that doesn't mean luxury tourism isn't on the up.

A super-luxury lodge was recently opened on the island of Nosy Ankao, just off Madagascar's north-east coast. Other high-end resorts promote dolphin, whale and turtle spotting as a key pastime.

It is hoped tourists will deliver a positive trickle-down effect on the local population.

9. Get used to taxis

Taxis - usually of the shared variety (known as "taxi-bes") - are the most common mode of transport in Madagascar.

Despite the island's large size, there aren't many trains. Just 854 km of track grace the island.

10. Bare-knuckle fighting is very popular

If you enjoy your combat sports, pencil in time to watch a bare-knuckle fist-fight.

Known as Moraingy, this sport is hugely popular.

Get a Quote