Located off the southeastern coast of Africa, Madagascar is the largest island of the continent and the fourth largest in the world. It is completely surrounded by the Indian Ocean. Its surface is dominated by lowlands and swamps. In the west, the coastal strip is wide at times. Inland, Madagascar is mountainous, and Mount Maromokotro (in the Tsaratanana Massif) is the highest peak, at 2,876 meters above sea level. The longest river is the Mangoky, at 560 km, and the most important lake is the Alaotra.
The climate is tropical on the coast, temperate in the centre and dry in the south. The inhabitants are a mixture of Polynesians and Africans and there are 18 different ethnic groups.
The Malagasy economy is based on fishing, forestry and agriculture.
