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Madagascar is a country which one frequently hears about, but even then, a simple question like where is Madagascar is surely going to raise a few eyebrows. It keeps many guessing about the actual location of Madagascar. There is a simple answer to this simple question. The island nation of Madagascar is situated in the western part of the Indian Ocean. Its geographic coordinates are 20 00 S , 47 00 E. The fact that the eastern coast of South Africa is at a distance of about 425 kilometers helps one to guess where is Madagascar. It occupies a strategic location along the Mozambique Channel.
Madagascar was once a part of Gondwanaland which disintegrated to form the continents. It occupies a total land area of 581,540 square kilometers, whereas, the water bodies cover an area of 5,500 square kilometers. The island stretches over a total area of 587,040 square kilometers. A comparative study of its total area with the state of Arizona in United States of America shows it to be slightly smaller than twice the size of the American state. The coastline of Madagascar runs for about 4,828 kilometers.
The island of Madagascar is broadly classified into five major geographical entities, namely, the central highlands, the western coastal regions, the south western portion of the country, the eastern coast and the Tsaratanana Massif. The mountains lie parallel to the eastern coast whereas the land slopes as one moves towards the western coast.
The location of Madagascar makes it one of the most beautiful countries in the world. The places of tourist interest make the people interested in knowing where is Madagascar. With its excellent weather and a number of tourist locations, Madagascar has emerged as one of the most visited countries in the whole world.
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