Because the country of Madagascar is an island, is has not experienced boundary changes beyond the coastline, which makes things less complicated. Over time, the island’s boundaries have not changed because it is surrounded by the Indian Ocean. Therefore, the national boundaries have remained the same. However, within the country, Madagascar has experienced changes in its political boundaries over time.
In 1946, five provinces were created by the French colony with a sixth province, Diego Suarez/Antsiranana, created not long after.[1] The provinces remained constant even after they broke free from French colonialism in 1960.[2] After his reelection in 1997, former president Didier Ratsiraka introduced a revised constitution in which the previously established provinces changed into “autonomous provinces.”[3] The autonomous provinces were finally established in 2000.[4] The six provinces are as follows:
1 Antananarivo Province
2 Antsiranana Province
3 Fianarantsoa Province
4 Mahajanga Province
5 Toamasina Province
6 Toliara Province
Following a constitutional referendum in 2007, the provinces became dissolved as a result of the new regional subdivision, which divided Madagascar into 22 regions as opposed to 6 provinces.[5] Based upon information available on the provinces, each province appears to have been originally created as a result of cultural characteristics between different people groups. For example, the Antananarivo province was centered around the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo, and was dominated by the Merina people.[6] The other provinces were either centered on similar ethnic groups or different ethnic groups with similar characteristics, which brought them into greater association with each other. Therefore, the existence of provinces naturally promoted a greater sense of cultural identity rather than national identity. Following a new constitution in 2010, the six autonomous provinces were put back in place and remain in tact today.[7] However, the decentralization of power from the central government to the provinces and municipalities has raised some concerns within the country that provincial autonomy will threaten Madagascar’s national and political unity.[8] According to a United Nations Human Rights report from 2011-2012, Madagascar’s political situation has been “characterized by violent unrest and struggles for power since the country gained independence in 1960.”[9] Perhaps the instability is a result of political authority being decentralized into each province. Therefore, everyday life in Madagascar often involves poverty, a lack of basic rights such as the freedom of speech and expression, and a variety of political protests.[10]
In 1946, five provinces were created by the French colony with a sixth province, Diego Suarez/Antsiranana, created not long after.[1] The provinces remained constant even after they broke free from French colonialism in 1960.[2] After his reelection in 1997, former president Didier Ratsiraka introduced a revised constitution in which the previously established provinces changed into “autonomous provinces.”[3] The autonomous provinces were finally established in 2000.[4] The six provinces are as follows:
1 Antananarivo Province
2 Antsiranana Province
3 Fianarantsoa Province
4 Mahajanga Province
5 Toamasina Province
6 Toliara Province
Following a constitutional referendum in 2007, the provinces became dissolved as a result of the new regional subdivision, which divided Madagascar into 22 regions as opposed to 6 provinces.[5] Based upon information available on the provinces, each province appears to have been originally created as a result of cultural characteristics between different people groups. For example, the Antananarivo province was centered around the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo, and was dominated by the Merina people.[6] The other provinces were either centered on similar ethnic groups or different ethnic groups with similar characteristics, which brought them into greater association with each other. Therefore, the existence of provinces naturally promoted a greater sense of cultural identity rather than national identity. Following a new constitution in 2010, the six autonomous provinces were put back in place and remain in tact today.[7] However, the decentralization of power from the central government to the provinces and municipalities has raised some concerns within the country that provincial autonomy will threaten Madagascar’s national and political unity.[8] According to a United Nations Human Rights report from 2011-2012, Madagascar’s political situation has been “characterized by violent unrest and struggles for power since the country gained independence in 1960.”[9] Perhaps the instability is a result of political authority being decentralized into each province. Therefore, everyday life in Madagascar often involves poverty, a lack of basic rights such as the freedom of speech and expression, and a variety of political protests.[10]
[1] “Provinces of Madagascar,” Wikipedia, accessed June 21, 2015, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_Madagascar#cite_note-1.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] “Antananarivo Province,” Wikipedia, accessed June 21, 2015, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antananarivo_Province.
[7] “Provinces in Madagascar,” Wikipedia.
[8] Madagascar: Local Government,” Nations Encyclopedia, accessed June 21, 2015, http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Madagascar-LOCAL-GOVERNMENT.html.
[9] “OHCHR in Madagascar: 2011-2012 Human Rights Context,” United Nations Human Rights, accessed June 22, 2015, http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AfricaRegion/Pages/MGSummary2011-2012.aspx.
[10] Ibid.
Pictures:
Provinces of Madagascar, Accessed June 21, 2015, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_Madagascar.
Political Map of Madagascar, Accessed June 21, 2015, http://focusafrica.gov.in/Country_at_glance_Madagascar.html.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] “Antananarivo Province,” Wikipedia, accessed June 21, 2015, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antananarivo_Province.
[7] “Provinces in Madagascar,” Wikipedia.
[8] Madagascar: Local Government,” Nations Encyclopedia, accessed June 21, 2015, http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Madagascar-LOCAL-GOVERNMENT.html.
[9] “OHCHR in Madagascar: 2011-2012 Human Rights Context,” United Nations Human Rights, accessed June 22, 2015, http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AfricaRegion/Pages/MGSummary2011-2012.aspx.
[10] Ibid.
Pictures:
Provinces of Madagascar, Accessed June 21, 2015, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_of_Madagascar.
Political Map of Madagascar, Accessed June 21, 2015, http://focusafrica.gov.in/Country_at_glance_Madagascar.html.