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Madagascar

OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Madagascar

DATE OF FORMATION: 1960

POPULATION: 17.9 million

DENSITY: 80 people per square mile

LANGUAGES: Malagasy, French

RELIGIONS: Traditional beliefs 52%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 41%, Muslim 7%

ETHNIC MIX: Other Malay 46%, Merina 26%, Betsimisaraka 15%, Betsileo 12%, Other 1%

GOVERNMENT: Multiparty elections

CURRENCY: Ariary

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Lying in the Indian Ocean, Madagascar is the world's fourth-largest island. Its isolation means that there is a wealth of unique wildlife and plants. To the east, the large central plateau drops precipitously through forested cliffs to the coast; in the west, gentler gradients give way to fertile plains. After 18 years of radical socialism, it became a multiparty democracy in 1993. Internal conflict over disputed elections in 2002 seriously damaged the economy.