Madagascar

American  

[mad-uh-gas-ker] / ˌmæd əˈgæs kər /

noun

1. an island republic in the Indian Ocean, about 240 miles (385 km) off the southestern coast of Africa: formerly a French colony; gained independence 1960. 227,800 sq. mi. (590,000 sq. km). Antananarivo.

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Madagascar British  

/ ˌmædəˈɡæskə /

noun

1. Official name (since 1975): Democratic Republic of Madagascar.  Former name (1958–75): Malagasy Republic.  an island republic in the Indian Ocean, off the E coast of Africa: made a French protectorate in 1895; became autonomous in 1958 and fully independent in 1960; contains unique flora and fauna. Languages: Malagasy and French. Religions: animist and Christian. Currency: franc. Capital: Antananarivo. Pop: 22 599 098 (2013 est). Area: 587 041 sq km (266 657 sq miles)

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Madagascar Cultural  

1. Island republic in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. Its capital and largest city is Antananarivo.

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Discover More

Madagascar was under French control from the late nineteenth century until 1960, when it gained full independence. Its culture mixes European, African, and South Asian influences.

The island of Madagascar is the fourth largest in the world.

Other Word Forms

• Madagascan noun
• anti-Madagascan adjective
• pro-Madagascan adjective

Example Sentences

Luis Tato, from Agence France-Presse's Nairobi bureau, won a prize in the Africa Stories category for his coverage of the 2025 "Gen Z uprisings" in Madagascar.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

Madagascar declared a two-week national energy emergency, saying disruptions in supply because of the war in the Middle East were causing a crisis.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

After Bangladesh and Nepal, there has been a groundswell of Gen Z protests globally, felling governments in Madagascar and Bulgaria and unnerving rulers from Morocco to Iran.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

In contrast, Aphaneramma fossils have been discovered in rocks of similar age in Svalbard in the Scandinavian Arctic, the Russian Far East, Pakistan, and Madagascar.

From Science Daily • Feb. 25, 2026

The marriage was on the point of breaking up after two months because Aureliano Segundo, in an attempt to placate Petra Cotes, had a picture taken of her dressed as the Queen of Madagascar.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez