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Remarkably, the first people to settle Madagascar were not Africans, but Malayo-Polynesian seafarers from 10,000km away to the east. With outstanding navigational and sailing skills they were trading over vast areas of the Pacific and Indian oceans at least 6,000 years ago, but just why and when these Far Eastern explorers decided to settle so far from their homeland is not certain, but it was probably around 1,500 years ago.

They must have found Madagascar a paradise, uninhabited and filled with abundant forests and animals. From their distant home islands they brought their eastern culture and language, establishing themselves on the cool and malaria free Madagascan highlands and calling themselves the Merina (pronounced "mern"). They brought rice, which today remains the staple food of the island, and a language probably a lot like modern day Malagasy, which is spoken throughout the island.

In later years, African people settled Madagascar as well, mostly having come from the mainland by way of European and Arab slavers. Today, Madagascar's 16 million people share the mingled genes of their Far Eastern and African forebears and are united by the common languages of Malagasy and French. The island was a colony of France for 75 years, ending with independence in 1960.

Though culturally unique, Madagascar has in common with much of Africa a serious lack of economic development, widespread poverty and a growing population. One critically important way in which Madagascar differs from Africa is that the island has never known war, and this somehow seems to be mirrored in the gentleness of its people.

I flew on to Fort Dauphin in the south-east corner of the island where Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium, has for a number of years been investigating the feasibility of mining of an exceptionally high quality and accessible ilmenite sand deposit in the area.



Remarkably, the first people to settle Madagascar were not Africans, but Malayo-Polynesian seafarers from 10,000km away to the east. With outstanding navigational and sailing skills they were trading over vast areas of the Pacific and Indian oceans at least 6,000 years ago, but just why and when these Far Eastern explorers decided to settle so far from their homeland is not certain, but it was probably around 1,500 years ago. They must have found Madagascar a paradise, uninhabited and filled with abundant forests and animals. From their distant home islands they brought their eastern culture and language, establishing themselves on the cool and malaria free Madagascan highlands and calling themselves the Merina (pronounced "mern"). They brought rice, which today remains the staple food of the island, and a language probably a lot like modern day Malagasy, which is spoken throughout the island. In later years, African people settled Madagascar as well, mostly having come from the mainland by way of European and Arab slavers. Today, Madagascar's 16 million people share the mingled genes of their Far Eastern and African forebears and are united by the common languages of Malagasy and French. The island was a colony of France for 75 years, ending with independence in 1960. Though culturally unique, Madagascar has in common with much of Africa a serious lack of economic development, widespread poverty and a growing population. One critically important way in which Madagascar differs from Africa is that the island has never known war, and this somehow seems to be mirrored in the gentleness of its people. I flew on to Fort Dauphin in the south-east corner of the island where Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium, has for a number of years been investigating the feasibility of mining of an exceptionally high quality and accessible ilmenite sand deposit in the area.
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Review is published by Rio Tinto, 6 St James' Square, London SW1Y 4LD, England Telephone +44 (0)20 7930 2399 Editor: Cherry DeGeer