ABSTRACT
The Republic of Madagascar is a large island country located about 400 kilometers off the coast of East Africa, in the Indian Ocean. The population of 27.5 million lives in predominantly rural areas and is made up of various ethnic groups, including Malayo-Indonesian, Cotiers, French, Indian, Creole, and Comoran. Malagasy, French, and English are all spoken, as are local languages. The people practice various forms of Christianity, Islam, and local indigenous religions. The country has diverse animal life, most notably 40 species of indigenous lemurs unique to Madagascar.
