Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
Madagascar is in the Indian Ocean
Madagascar is a beautiful island in the Indian Ocean, off the south eastern coast of Africa. It is ringed by golden beaches and palm trees and with an interior that is resplendent in its variety, from grassy plateaus to volcanoes and opaque forests and natural reserves.
According to local legend, the island was first inhabited by the Vazimba, a race of white pygmies. These people, if they existed, were displaced by successive waves of Polynesian migrants from the Malayo Indonesian archipelago, from as early as the sixth century AD. In the ninth century, Madagascar was a major trading power in the western Indian Ocean. Moreover, ancient ruins indicate an extensive Arab presence on the island around that time. Bantu tribes from mainland Africa later settled on the west coast. The first Europeans arrived in the mid 17th century. Several French settlements were established on the south east coast but were destroyed within 30 years.
At the time, Madagascar supported several kingdoms along its coastline and, in the central highlands, the kingdom of the Merina, which was the dominant ethnic group. From their fortress city of Antananarivo, the 19th century kings gradually conquered the coastal kingdoms and by 1830 most of the island was under unified Merina control. The success of the Merina was partly due to a well-worked strategy of playing off rival European colonists against each other: in particular, the British and the French.
In 1948, the Malagasy people sought to re establish their independence through armed insurrection. They were unsuccessful, but the uprising paved the way for independence, which came in 1960. Philibert Tsiranas PSD Party ruled with the support of France and the people of the coastal regions until 1972, when highland agitation against French influence prompted the Army Chief of Staff, Major General Ramanantsoa, to assume executive power for the purpose of pursuing a more nationalistic policy. Three years later the military government resigned after selecting Lt Commander Didier Ratsiraka as Head of State. A gradual civilianisation of the government culminated in 1977 in elections to the National People's Assembly, which were won by the sole legal party, Avant garde de la Revolution Malgache.
Recent years have been marred by political, economic and meteorological crises. Indeed, some may be deterred by the levels of poverty on this island and the enormous gap between rich and poor. Nevertheless, Madagascar dazzles with its rich wildlife, with a large majority of its species unique to the island, and found nowhere else on earth. Of the popular creature, the lemur, there are over 10 different species alone. The island is a mass of unusual and colourful flowers and other flora. In terms of biodiversity alone, Madagascar really is one of a kind.
About the Author
Douglas Scott works for The Rental Car Hire Specialist. and is a free lance writer for The Madagascar Rental Site
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 Giant Indian Ocean strombus seashell circa 1971 72  US $48.00
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 collection of medium sized shells clam conch spider conch from Indian Ocean US $35.00
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 UNIQUE MYSTIC MERLINITE FROM INDIAN OCEAN 66 CARATS US $27.00
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 HARPA DAVIDIS 65 66mm Andaman Islands Eastern Indian Ocean 1931 US $8.99
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 HARPA DAVIDIS 55 66mm Andaman Islands Eastern Indian Ocean 1939 US $8.99
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 HARPA DAVIDIS 62 66mm Sri Lanka Indian Ocean 1936 US $8.99
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 HARPA DAVIDIS 64 65mm Sri Lanka Indian Ocean 1928 US $8.99
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 HARPA MAJOR 89 89mm Eastern India trawled Indian Ocean 1920 US $8.99
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 HARPA DAVIDIS 61 65mm Sri Lanka Indian Ocean 1935 US $8.99
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Paradise on Indian Ocean
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is an island nation in
South Asia, located about 31 kilometres (19.3 mi) off the southern coast of India. It is
home to around twenty million people. Because of its location in the path of major sea routes, Sri Lanka is a strategic naval link between West Asia and South East Asia, and has been a center of Buddhist religion and culture from ancient times. Famous for the production and export of tea, coffee, coconuts and rubber, Sri Lanka boasts a progressive and modern industrial economy and the highest per capita income in South Asia. The natural beauty of Sri Lanka's tropical forests, beaches and landscape, as well as its rich cultural heritage, make it a world famous tourist destination.
http://paradise-on-indian-ocean-srilanka.blogspot.com/
The areas that can be visited pack enough into your itinerary to keep you happy for weeks. Beautiful beaches abound, especially around the southern coast. Steamy tropical rain forests are home to elephants, leopards, dugong and a massive population of migratory birds. The cities offer a glimpse into the influence of Dutch, Portuguese and British colonial timesThere are plenty of opportunities for the adventurous traveller in Sri Lanka. Climbing Adams
peak (Sripada) offers a 6.5km hike and is largely done at night. There are also lots of wild parks in the country. Yala and Wilpattu are the largest ones and if you're lucky you can spot elephants, leopards, bears, deer and wild buffaloes. Sinharaja is one of the oldest rain forests in the world. Horton Plains National Park is a large 3160 hectare park in the highlands of the country.
This is the highest plateau in Sri Lanka and was declared as a National Park in 1988.
Sri Lanka contains some beautiful beaches including Hikkaduwa, Benthota and Unawatuna on the Southern cost. These beaches are safe for swimming, surfing, diving and other water related
sports. An impressive coral reef can also be found at Hikkaduwa. Negombo north of the
About the Author
anjana tharanga,web developper from colombo srilanka