Africa
2000
Madagascar
Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world after Greenland
(a province of Denmark), New Guinea –Indonesia (Papua New
Guinea) and Borneo (Indonesia – Malaysia and Brunei). It is
also the largest island state member of the African Union. The Republic
of Madagascar gives credit to the scientific interpretation of our
planet’s geology as its shape is a perfect fit to fill the
curvature of the Mozambique Channel separating it from Africa. Madagascar
was once a part of the super-continent of Gondwanaland.(see insert).
This early separation from its mother continent gave Madagascar
an ecology, flora and fauna unique to it and only paralleled in
diversity by Australia – another former province of Gondwanaland.
Anthropologically, the super island of Madagascar is a blend of
indigenous African and Indian Ocean peoples. The latter were Indo-malayan
and settled on the island over 2000 years ago and still predominate
the economic, political and social spheres.
The island developed into centralized kingdoms in the 18th century
onwards. However, the once united people began to fracture and the
land became a French protectorate and 10 years later, it was officially
annexed by France as a colony. 175 years later on June 26, 1960,
the island finally became an independent nation. There were significant
inequalities in the socio-economic equation that were reflected
in the near total domination by the French who still retained enormous
influence. Simmering for 12 years, the situation exploded in 1972
and culminated in a coup which brought a nationalist regime to power.
The new government nationalized French owned financial interests,and
closed military bases and a US space tracking radar station. The
Chinese were eagerly invited in and Madagascar tilted and finally
fell under the communist shadow.
The regime soon turned on its own subjects, brutally suppressing
revolts and strikes in 1979. The island was rescued in a sense,
by the global defeat of Marxism –Leninism in the late 80’s
and by 1990, had repealed a 1975 law banning multi-party politics.
Alfred Zafy was elected president in 1993, bringing to a halt the
autocratic 17 year rule of Admiral Didier Ratsiraka. Only three
years later Zafy was impeached by a constitutional court and Prime
Minister Norbert Ratsihanana became interim president. In subsequent
elections, Ratsiraka was returned to power by narrowly defeating
Zafy. A disputed 2001 presidential election sparked a power struggle
which Ratsiraka lost to Marc Ravalomanana, the current president.
The present day continental masses of Australasia, Antarctica,
South Africa, Madagasca, India and South America were once a great,
single continent that geologists call Gondwanaland or Gondwana.
Evidence of the Gondwanaland connection is still seen in some of
the living flora and fauna of those land masses. For example,
marsupials are found in Australia and South America, and plants
of the Proteaceae are found in Africa, India, S. E. Asia, Australia
and South and Central America but not in Northern America, Europe,
North Africa and Asia. Fossil records show the conncetion
of the Gondwana land masses to a very strong degree. Some
of our fishes, such as the Australian Arowanas or Bonytongues (Scleropages
jardinii and S. leichardti) also show a Gondwana connection.
The Bonytongue family also includes S. formosus (the Asian Dragonfish),
Osteoglossum bicirrhosum (the Sth American, Silver Bonytongue),
Osteoglossum ferreirai (the Sth American Black Bonytongue),
and the African species, Heteriotis niloticus.
Interstingly, cichlids are found in all of the Gondwana connected
lands except for Australia. Rainbow Fish are found in Australia,
New Guinea and parts of S. E. Asia but not in the rest of Gondwanna
connected lands.
Facts and Figures
Location-In the Indian Ocean, off southeast coast of Africa. Comoros
to northwest Mozambique to west.
Area-587,040 sq km
Topography-Humid coastal strip in east, fertile valleys and mountains
in center, plateau regions, wide coastal strip in west
Population-18,090,000
Distribution- 26% urban
Ethnic Make-up-Mainly Malagasy (Indonesian – African), Coiters,
French, Indian, Chinese
Languages-Malagasy, French (both official)
Religions-Indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%,
Capital City-Antananarivo, pop – 1,588,000
Other Urban Centers-Toamasina, Antsirabe, Toliara
Government Type-Republic
Head of State-President Marc Ravolamana, since 2002
Head of Government-Prime Minister Jacques Syla, since 2002
Currency-Ariary (MGA) 2,120.00= $ 1 US
Gross Domestic Product-$-16.4 bln
Per Capita GDP-$ 900
Economy-Meat processing, soap brewing, hides, sugar, textiles, cement,
autos, coffee, vanilla, spices, rice, graphite, chromite, coal,
gemstones, fish, hydropower.
Electricity Production-980 mln kwh
Literacy-71%
Life Expectancy-60 male, 64 female
AIDS Rate-0.5 %
Ports-Toamasina, Antsinanana
Airports-29
Vehicles-73,000 units
Telephones-67,000 lines
Radios-209 per 1000 people
TV sets-23 per 1000.
Daily Newspaper Circulation-4.5 per 1000
Internet-90,000 users
Facts and figures are the latest available at time of publication
and may not necessarily be the most accurate.
Miss World Ethiopia 2007 crowned
By Tedla Desta
Organized by Artaele Enterprise Plc, the millennium pageant-Miss
World Ethiopia 2007 crowned this year Miheret Abebe as Miss World
Ethiopia, Lula Gezu, runner up and Hibret Fekadu as the second runner
up.
The Miss World Ethiopian pageant was open to candidates from all
regions in Ethiopia as well as Ethiopians abroad.
Prizes for the winner include a trip to compete in the Miss World
finals in Sanya Island, China on December 1, 2007, a one-year modeling
contract offered by a New York based modeling agency and a cash
prize.
In addition, Artaele has also organized a Miss World Ethiopia Fashion
Award to attract the top talent in Ethiopian fashion design. The
winner of this award will have the opportunity to have their award-winning
design appear live during the Miss World finals broadcast from Sanya,
China, which will be viewed by two billion people around the world.
During the event in China, Miss World Limited will select the best
evening gown among the Miss World candidates as the winner of Designer
of the World award. “This competition among fashion designers
from around the world will provide yet another wonderful opportunity
for exposure to our rich Ethiopian talent,” said Tsegaye Chema,
managing director of Artaele Enterprise.
Miheret, 19, a grade twelve student in Tabore preparatory high school
in Awassa was born in Teferi Kela of Sidamo. Asked about the feeling
of being awarded as Miss World Ethiopia, she said “it is a
wonderful feeling, I was really happy. I am proud to be the first
Miss Ethiopia from the regions, I feel proud.”
MultiChoice Africa announces reshuffle of
DStv Bouquet
MultiChoice Africa will be undertaking a reordering of all existing
channels across the DStv bouquets, according to the company’s
press release. These changes will “go-live” on IS-7
from approximately 02h00 (CAT) on 1st October 2007 while on W4 and
IS-10 the channel changes will go-live from approximately 02h00
(CAT) on 4th October 2007.
Over the past twelve years, MultiChoice has experienced growth from
just a handful of channels to more than fifty channels. The press
release states that the channel reshuffle aims to enhance subscribers
viewing experience by moving channels into their correct genre,
restructuring the flow of the bouquet and create additional space
to accommodate future channel additions. Channels will now have
three digit numbers instead of two, starting with channel 100. The
bouquet will be comprised of the following genres; general entertainment,
movies, lifestyle and culture, sport, documentary, news and commerce,
kids, music, religion, consumer channels, DMX and radio.
MultiChoice’s GM, Aletta Alberts, Says, “While the channel
shuffle may initially cause some confusion, our aim is ultimately
to offer a better service to our subscribers”.
To get more information on the reordering of channel numbers, DStv
subscribers can refer to their October issue of DISH magazine which
will include a keepsake outlining the new channel grid for easy
reference or log onto www.dstvafrica.com. In addition, the press
release states, from Thursday 20th September channel 199 will be
dedicated to information about the reshuffle for IS-7 and W4 subscribers.
Subscribers can also obtain information from their nearest MultiChoice
office.
MultiChoice does not anticipate a disruption to its DStv service
while the changes are being made, read the company’s press
release. However if customers do experience problems they are advised
to reboot/ rescan their decoders. Alternatively they may contact
their nearest MultiChoice office.
Hypnotic grooves from the legendary series
By Kirubel Tadesse
The Very Best of Ethiopiques, a double-disc album of 28 songs
by Ethiopian artists who recorded these astounding songs during
the final years of Emperor Haile Selassie's rule, was released on
13 August 2007 by USM (Union Square Music).
Union Square Music is one of the UK's leading reissue and compilations
specialists; it was formed in October 1999 by Peter Stack. The songs
are presented in their original composition and performance.
Most of the songs in The Very Best of Ethiopiques recorded between
1969 and 1975, are the soundtrack of those times-an electro-acoustic
mash-up of jazz, funk and traditional Ethiopian dance and ritual
music as fantastical and dreamlike as the society out of which it
grew. USM on its official web page said "With 15 reviews and
5 major features to date, the stunning Ethiopiques best of release
is already setting records as one of the best received albums in
Union Square Music's history."
The Very Best of Ethiopiques is a selection from the series, containing
almost two hours of extraordinary music. Throaty, loping tenor saxophones
dominate the line-ups, many of which also include electric keyboards
and guitars, from the mutant hard bop and astral jazz fusion of
Mulatu Astatqe, heard on four tracks, to the parallel jazz of Getatchew
Mekurya, a king of Ethiopian Sax.
Ethiopian music great, Tilahun Gessesse's songs like Tchuheten Betsemu,
Sena and Kulun Mankwalesh are included in the album. Another legend,
Mahmoud Ahmed's Ere Mela Mela, Alemayehu Eshete's Tchero Adari Negn,
Ayalew Mesfin & Black Lion Band's Gedawo, Menelik Wesnatchew's
Tezeta, and Muluqeun Mellesse & Dahlak Band's Bene Mote and
insturmentals by Mulatu Astatqe and Getachew Mekurya are also included
in the alubm, which give you a chance to taste what the sixtiees
of Ethiopian classic music era tasted like, off course if you weren't
there.
Some of the fans who bought the album or listened to it online for
free liked it very much, according to USM. In its comment section
many people are talking about the album's melody and music, most
of them who are non- Ethiopians said that they really enjoyed the
album. Arnaud Carpentier on 2007-09-14 said, "Good music and
good vibes..." Another fan, Mark Davis, on 2007-09-09 said,
"Recommended straight, no chaser, definitely see why. A must
have for the collection."
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