Madagascar (Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum)

Madagascar (Malagasy: Madagasikara), officially the Kingdom of Madagascar (Malagasy: Saorandrya'i Madagasikara), is an island country in Southern Africa. Located in the Indian Ocean, the country lies off the southeastern coast of Continental Africa. The nation comprises the island of Madagascar (the fourth-largest island in the world), as well as numerous smaller peripheral islands. Following the prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana, Madagascar split from India around 88 million years ago, allowing native plants and animals to evolve in relative isolation. Consequently, Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot; over 90 percent of its wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth. The island's diverse ecosystems and unique wildlife are threatened by the encroachment of the rapidly growing human population.