CULTURE
Madagascar remains a geographic
and historical paradox, linked in practice to Africa but identified
in feeling with Indonesia, which is so far away as to have hardly
any awareness of Madagascar or to maintain any contemporary ties
of substance with it. The animal life and vegetation of the island
are equally anomalous, differing greatly from that of nearby Africa
and being, in many respects, unique
Although the coastlands have
been known to Europeans for more than 400 years and to Arabs for
much longer, recent historical development has been more intense
and concentrated in the central plateau, which contains the capital
city of Antananarivo (formerly Tananarive). The road network and
communications are generally better on the plateau, where the
majority of the inhabitants have received some school education
and are professing Christians, while in the coastal areas the
majority follow traditional religions and generally have not attended
school.
In spite of Madagascar's proximity
to the continent, its population is primarily related not to African
peoples but rather to those of Indonesia, more than 3,000 miles
to the east. The Malagasy peoples, moreover, do not consider themselves
to be Africans, but, because of the continuing bond with France
that resulted from former colonial rule, the island has developed
political, economic, and cultural links with the French-speaking
countries of western Africa. French and Malagasy are the country's
official languages.
