Political Overview
Madagascar operates as a semi-presidential representative democratic republic under its 2010 Constitution, with executive power shared between a president elected for a five-year term, renewable once and a prime minister appointed by that president. Legislative authority resides in a bicameral Parliament (the National Assembly and the Senate), while an independent judiciary interprets and upholds the law. Recent legislative elections saw President Andry Rajoelina’s coalition fall just shy of an absolute majority in the National Assembly, underscoring ongoing tensions over electoral transparency and institutional balance of power.
Cultural Heritage and Identity
Madagascar’s cultural tapestry is woven from Austronesian, African, Arab, Indian and European threads, manifested in oral traditions, music, dance and craft. The wooden houses of the Zafimaniry celebrated for their intricate joinery are inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, alongside Malagasy oratory (kabary) and the rhythmic performances of Hiragasy. The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, a 16th-century fortified royal compound near Antananarivo, symbolizes the unity of the Merina kingdom and remains the most revered monument reflecting Madagascar’s social and political heritage.
Geographical Landscape and Climate
Spanning over 587,000 km² off Africa’s southeast coast, Madagascar’s terrain ranges from low coastal plains and limestone tsingy formations to a central highland plateau rising above 2,800 m. The island’s climate zones vary sharply: humid tropical rainforests fringe the east (receiving up to 3,800 mm of rain annually), temperate highlands in the interior, and semi-arid spiny deserts in the south and southwest. Two clear seasons prevail: a hot, wet period from November through April when cyclones occasionally make landfall and a cooler, dry season from May to October, a rhythm that shapes agriculture, biodiversity and human settlement.
