I need to know a few things on MADAGASCAR?

Sharron Salin: TransportationMadagascar: 1 motor vehicles per 100 peolpehttp://www.nationmaster.com/country/ma-madagascar/...Education Education is divided into Primary (age 6 to 11), and Secondary (Junior is age 12 to 15 and Senior is age 16 to 18). Vocational secondary school system is also available for Malagasy students. The professional college is the equivalent of junior secondary level while the technical college is the equivalent of senior secondary level and grants technical diploma. The Malagasy government has begun various education reforms including the Madagascar Action Plan (MAP) and Education for All (EFA) Plan. The EFA Plan is to achieve general primary school enrolment and advance the quality and efficiency of the Malagasy educational system. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Norway and Madagascar was signed in 2005 in accordance with UNICEF’s programme “Ensuring the right to Quality Primary Education for all Children in Madagascar”. Its main ! obligation is to for Norway’s support to strengthen the basic education in Madagascar. Money The Madagascan Currency is known as the Malagasy Ariary (MGA). The currency was introduced in 2005 to replace the Malagasy Franc which had been in use since the French colonial period. One Ariary is equivalent to five Iraimbilanja. Housing:Houses are typically rectangular and crowned with steeply angled roofs. In the rural areas, most houses are made of either mud and wattle or woven matting supported by poles. In the eastern forest, they are built of interlaced split bamboo and are thatched with palm. In the south, overlapping upright wooden planks are used for walls. On the plateau, rural housing is constructed of earth blocks...ClothingMadagascar clothingis the style statement of the natives of Madagascar and is generally influenced by the European style of dressing. The clothing in Madagascar is usually a rich combination of various colors. The dye use in the clothes is natura! l and they are extracted from berries, minerals and various su! ch natural resources. The textile art of Madagascar adds another interesting facet to Madagascar attire and these special clothes forms the very part of Madagascar clothing. The elegantly weaved clothes are known as �lamba� and serves as traditional ceremonial gift in Madagascar. The Malagasy offers clothes to the rulers, spirits and ancestors to receive blessings. Exchange of clothing as gifts is done to demonstrate the mutual respect among the ethnic groups. As per the tradition of Madagascar, men offer clothes to brides in the marriage ceremony and the bride and groom are encircled in single cloth as a symbol of their union forever. Clothes are also offered to the ancestors and it forms the part of the marriage ceremony. Madagascar clothing is not just traditional as the country has numerous western wear outlets. There are stores selling western clothes for children and adults alike. The European influence on Madagascar clothing is a result of French and British colo! nization. Thus clothing in Madagascar is various and there traditional Madagascar clothing is just the reflection of the island's rich culture. receives monsoon, the climate is wetter in the northern part of the country and the southern tip is covered with cactus-like plants, which give a semi-deserted look to the portion. It would be interesting to know that as much as 52% of the total population of Madagascar follows animist beliefs, while 41% follows Christianity. The remaining popular predominantly follows Islam. Over the years, the country has emerged as a hot tourist spot, largely due to the hospitality of its residents and the means of entertainment adopted by them, to amuse their guests.Facts About Madagascar Madagascar is an island located towards the east of the southern part of the African continent. Millions of years ago, it was a part of the Gondwana land. Around sixty million years ago, it broke off to become a separate island. The island was first sighted by ! Diego Dias, the Portuguese explorer, at the beginning of the sixteenth ! century. The Dutch, English and French traders followed the Portuguese to the island. Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 and in 1946; it became an Overseas Territory of France. Finally, Madagascar acquired full freedom in the year 1960. To know some more interesting and fun facts about Madagascar, read on. Interesting & Fun Facts About Madagascar Madagascar was renamed as Democratic Republic of Madagascar in 1975 and finally given the name ‘Republic of Madagascar’ in 1993.The official languages of the country are Malagasy, French and English.The capital of Madagascar is Antananarivo, while its currency is Malagasy Ariary.People living in the country, who are 18 years and above, have the right to elect their government and the President.Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world. Its coastline is as long as 4828 km.Mountains are situated in the center of the island, the highest being Maromokotro, which is as high as 2876m. Madagascar has a narrow coastal! plain. It is the world's largest producer and exporter of vanilla.The majority of the people in the country have indigenous beliefs with regard to religion. This follows a relationship between the living and the dead.Madagascar boasts of unique flora and fauna, majority of which is not found anywhere else in the world.The country is also referred to as the Red Island, due to the red color of its soil.The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga is a World Heritage site and consists of a royal city, burial site and a number of sacred places.The highest point in Madagascar is Maromokotro.As much as 5% land of the country is under cultivation. Crops including coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas and peanuts are grown here. Livestock products are also grown in the island.Nearly half of the land of Madagascar is covered with forest.Due to soil erosion and deforestation, many of the plants and animals found in the island have been categorized as en! dangered species.There are a lot of variations in the climatic conditio! ns of the entire island. While the east coast receives monsoon, the climate is wetter in the northern part of the country and the southern tip is covered with cactus-like plants, which give a semi-deserted look to the portion. It would be interesting to know that as much as 52% of the total population of Madagascar follows animist beliefs, while 41% follows Christianity. The remaining popular predominantly follows Islam. Over the years, the country has emerged as a hot tourist spot, largely due to the hospitality of its residents and the means of entertainment adopted by them, to amuse their guests....Show more