December 30 - Republic Day in Madagascar

nPosted on December 30, 2018

Key Points

nQuick: What’s the largest island nation in the world?

That depends on what you mean by “island” and what you mean by “nation” and what you mean by “island [singular] nation”! It may even depend on what you mean by “largest”!

nMany people think that Australia is the world’s smallest continent, whereas some people think that Australia is the world’s largest island. (Some Australians claim that it’s both – they want ALL the glory, I guess!) For those who consider Australia an island, it is definitely-for-sure the largest island nation in the world.

nGreenland is considered by most to be the world’s largest island, but because it is an autonomous Danish territory, it is left off of many “island nations” lists.

nIf you want to consider only nations that are pretty much one island, as opposed to being a group of islands scattered across a swath of ocean, when you say “island nation,” then Indonesia wouldn’t qualify, because the Indonesian archipelago is made up of more than 17 THOUSAND islands!! Including several large ones – the #2 and #3 largest islands in the world are partially owned by Indonesia, and the #6, 11, and 13 largest islands in the world are wholly owned by Indonesia!

nHowever, not counting Australia as an island, and not counting Greenland as a nation, it is Madagascar that is considered the second largest “island nation” on most lists, and is the largest if you go by the size of a nation’s largest island wholly owned by that nation.

nThe island of Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world. (Again, not counting Australia.)

nToday’s holiday commemorates the official formation of the Republic of Madagascar, on this date in 1975.

nWhen we talk about Madagascar being special, we always have to mention its plants and animals. Like other isolated islands, it has some unique species, and it also lacks entire groups of plants and animals. Plus, like many tropical locations, it has a ton of biodiversity.

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nFor more information on Madagascar’s plants and animals, check out this and this other earlier posts.

nIt’s also interesting to note the connection of the people of Madagascar with the people of Indonesia…and the history of pirates utilizing the island’s coves. For more info on these topics, check out this earlier post.

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nBut today I’d like to highlight an area in Madagascar that is difficult to explore: Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park and Strict Nature Reserve.

The most characteristic sight of Tsingy is needlelike formations of limestone, a sort of karst landscape that looks like a forest of stone. (Tsingy means “where one cannot walk barefoot.”)

Could you cross a bridge like this?
I MAYBE could, if I really had to, but I
would hold on tight and try not to look down!

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There are a variety of birds and some lemurs who live in this fascinating area, and mangroves squeeze between formations in some places. The area is so unique, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Another unusual feature of Madagascar is the Analavory “Geysers.” These are not actually geysers, because there is no tectonic activity in that location…Instead, they are (accidentally) human-made features that resulted when people piped water away from a mine. That water is mineral rich and has built up the kind of formation that sometimes happens naturally: