Timeline Madagascar

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Madagascar is an island a little larger than California.
    (WSJ, 5/6/05, p.A1)

c230 Mil BP    It was reported in 1999 that Madagascar dinosaur fossils, found in 1995 might be the oldest known. The creatures were long-necked prosauropods from about this time.
    (SFC, 10/22/99, p.A1)

165 Million BP    Madagascar broke away from the continent of Africa. [see 160 mil BP]
    (SFC, 1/15/98, p.A10)

160 Million BP    Madagascar broke away from the continent of Africa. [see 165 mil BP]
    (WSJ, 9/8/00, p.W6)

c75 Million BP    The 30-foot dinosaur Majungatholus atopus lived here. Its fossils were discovered in 1996. It was similar to creatures whose fossils were found in Argentina and India. The horned dinosaur was a remote cousin of T. rex and had sharp serrated teeth. In 2003 scientists determined that 2-ton, 30-foot creatures were cannibals.
    (SFC, 5/15/98, p.A2)(SFC, 4/3/03, p.A2)

70Mil BC    In Madagascar A frog lived in Madagascar about this time that grew to 16 inches in length and weighed 10 pounds. In 1993 paleontologist David Krause began to find fossils of the frog.
    (SFC, 2/19/08, p.A8)

~0AD        Settlers began arriving from Polynesia
    (SFC, 6/23/96, zone 1 p.5)

1000 AD    Large portions of the island fauna of Madagascar, that once included a lemur the size of bear and the ostrich-like Elephant Bird, was eliminated by the Malagash people of Madagascar.
    (NOHY, 3/90, p.188)

1500        Aug 10, Diego Diaz discovered Madagascar.
    (MC, 8/10/02)

1828-1861    Queen Ranavalona I ruled over Madagascar.
    (WSJ, 10/10/06, p.A1)(www.gasikara.net/Historama.htm)

1835        Madagascar’s Queen Ranavalona I persecuted and expelled foreigners, including the island's missionaries and extended her rule all over the island with her 20,000-man army.
    (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranavalona_I_Rabodoandrianampoinimerina)

1861        Radama II (1829-1863), the son of Queen Ranavalona I, succeeded her to rule Madagascar. During his 2 year rule he reopened the country to Christian missionaries.
    (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radama_II_of_Madagascar)

1863        Radama II, ruler of Madagascar, was assassinated. He was succeeded by his wife Rasoherina, who was later succeeded by another of Radama's wives, Ranavalona II.
    (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radama_II_of_Madagascar)

1942        Sep 10, British troops landed on Madagascar.
    (MC, 9/10/01)

1943        Jan 8, The British handed Madagascar over to the Free French.
    (Historynet, 1/8/99)

1960        Jun 26, The Malagasy Republic (Madagascar) gained independence from France.
    (SFC, 8/19/96, p.A10)(PC, 1992, p.973)

1975        Dec 21, Didier Ratsiraka, Madagascar military commander, was elected to a seven-year term as president in a national referendum. He published a "red book" of Marxist principles and nationalized much of the economy. In the 1980s with severe economic decline Ratsiraka changed course and established ties with the world Bank and the IMF.
    (SFC, 8/19/96, p.A10)(www.wildmadagascar.org/overview/loc/16-history_1975-1992.html)

1975-1992    Didier Ratsiraka led a Socialist regime.
    (SFC, 6/9/99, p.C3)

1975        A major cyclone hit the island.
    (NPR, 1/27/96)

1976        A crystal of beryl, 59 feet long and almost 12 feet across, was found in Madagascar. It weighed 187 tons.
    (SFEC, 9/15/96, Z1 p.5)

1986        The Quebec Iron and Titanium (QIT) subsidiary of Rio Tinto, an int’l. mining concern, began pursuing rights in Madagascar to extract high-grade ilmenite, a form of titanium dioxide used to whiten toothpaste, paint and cleansing powders. A 15,000 acre site at Fort Dauphin was expected to yield 750,000 tons a year over 60 years for an investment of $400 million. The Malagasy government would receive about $40 million per year plus $10 million in taxes and fees. A decision was expected in 2005.
    (SFC, 1/15/98, p.A10)(WSJ, 11/17/04, p.A1)

1990        In Madagascar the Malagasy government agreed to an environmental action plan that called for the creation of national parks and protected areas.
    (SFC, 6/23/96, Z1 p.5)

1991        A man from the United Arab Emirates found a large black rock that in 1996 was found to contain the world’s largest emerald cluster. Bangkok geologists spent a week removing a thick layer of black mica before finding a group of 127 medium green emeralds weighing 167 pounds.
    (SFC, 10/5/96, p.C1)

1992        Mass demonstrations and civil service strikes led to a march on the palace by 100,000 people. The elite guard killed an estimated 100. Didier Rastiraka soon agreed to new elections that were won by Albert Zafy, a heart surgeon. Zafy reversed the economic reforms begun by Rastiraka.
    (SFC, 8/19/96, p.A8,10)(SFC, 6/9/99, p.C3)

1992-1997    The US Agency for International Development has committed $85 mil for environmental programs here.
    (SFC, 6/23/96, zone 1 p.5)

1993        In Madagascar Albert Zafy defeated Didier Ratsiraka to become president. He was impeached three years later amid accusations of corruption. Zafy ran again in November 1996, losing this time to Ratsiraka.
    (AP, 12/10/06)

1994        Pres. Albert Zafy and Prime Minister Francisque Ravony balked at an economic overhaul ordered by the Int’l. Monetary Fund and World Bank.
    (SFC, 9/6.96, p.A14)

1995        Madagascar signed the Convention on Biological Diversity.
    (SFC, 1/19/00, p.A12)

1996        Apr 4, In the capital city of Antananarivo, Madagascar, thousands of people demonstrated against the president amid calls for a military coup.
    (SFC, 5/5/96, p.T-9)

1996        Jun 5, On World Environment Day 210,000 hectares on the Masoala Peninsula were proclaimed a national park, the 6th on the island.
    (SFC, 6/23/96, zone 1 p.5)

1996        Aug 19, The per capita income stands at $240 per year.
    (SFC, 8/19/96, p.A10)

1996        Aug, Pres. Albert Zafy was impeached for corruption.
    (SFC, 2/1/97, p.C1)

1996        Didier Ratsiraka was elected president as a democrat.
    (SFC, 6/9/99, p.C3)

1997        Jan 24, In Madagascar a cyclone struck and that some 200 were killed. It was later reported that 520,000 people were affected.
    (WSJ, 1/27/97, p.A1)(SFC, 2/8/97, p.A11)

1997        Jan 31, A constitutional court said that Didier Ratsiraka edged out Albert Zafy in last year’s elections.
    (SFC, 2/1/97, p.C1)

1997        Apr 12, It was reported that a plague of locusts was poised to sweep over the 5 million acres of rich farmland in the south of the nation.
    (SFC, 4/12/97, p.A12)

1998        Mar 28, A locust swarm was reported to have covered an estimated 24 million acres in the south of the country.
    (SFC, 3/28/98, p.A5)

1998        Jun 13, The grasshopper swarm, 7 miles long, flew into the capital city of Antananarivo.
    (SFC, 6/13/98, p.A7)

1998        Major sapphire deposits were discovered in Madagascar.
    (Econ, 7/30/05, p.42)(SSFC, 12/23/07, p.A26)

1999        Oct 21, It was reported that only some 4,000 diademed sifakas, the largest living lemurs, were left in Madagascar.
    (SFC, 10/21/99, p.AA7)

1999        Oct 22, It was reported that dinosaur fossils, found 4 years ago in Madagascar, may be the oldest known. The creatures were long-necked prosauropods from about 230 million years ago.
    (SFC, 10/22/99, p.A1)

2000        Mar 3, In Madagascar an estimated 600,000 people were affected by flooding from tropical storm Gloria and at least 55 people were reported killed.
    (SFC, 3/4/00, p.A12)

2000        Mar 8, In Madagascar tropical storm Gloria left over 100 people dead just weeks after Cyclone Eline left 54 dead.
    (SFC, 3/9/00, p.A10)

2000        Mar 15, It was reported that some 500 new cases of cholera had broken out following a year long epidemic that had killed 1,350 people.
    (SFC, 3/15/00, p.A10)

2000        Apr 3, A cyclone left 2 people dead and nearly flattened the town of Antalaha.
    (WSJ, 4/4/00, p.A1)

2000        Apr 16, The winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize included: Nat Quansah (46), an ethnobotanist in Madagascar.
    (SFC, 4/17/00, p.A2)

2000        Jun, The US government passed the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. It gave 23 sub-Saharan countries the opportunity to ship a range of textile products to the US duty-free.
    (WSJ, 1/2/02, p.A1)

2000        In Antananarivo, capital of Madagascar, Marc Ravalomanana, dairy mogul, took office as the mayor and instituted a cleanup campaign.
    (SFC, 8/21/00, p.A8)

2001        Dec 16, Elections were held but no candidate won a majority. The results were annulled Apr 17, 2002.
    (SSFC, 1/13/02, p.C12)(SFC, 4/18/02, p.A11)

2001        Mauritius textile worker wages reached $1.47 cents an hour compared with 37 cents in Madagascar.
    (WSJ, 1/2/02, p.A4)

2002        Jan 7, In Antananarivo some 30,000 protested the presidential election results.
    (SSFC, 1/13/02, p.C12)

2002        Jan 25, The High Constitutional Court certified Marc Ravalomanana with 46.2% of the votes and Pres. Didier Ratsiraka with 40.8%. A runoff was set within 2 months as tens of thousands of opposition supporters protested the result.
    (SSFC, 1/27/02, p.A19)

2002        Feb 22, Madagascar declared a 3-month state of emergency after the main opposition leader, Marc Ravalomanana, declared himself president following a 2-month dispute.
    (SFC, 2/23/02, p.A11)

2002        Feb 28, Pres. Didier Ratsiraka declared martial law following 2 months of strikes and mass protests.
    (SFC, 3/1/02, p.A17)

2002        Mar 8, The opposition seized the defense ministry in a bid to install Marc Ravalomanana as president.
    (WSJ, 3/11/02, p.A1)

2002        Mar 25, Opposition supporters thwarted an attempt by the military to seize control of Parliament.
    (SFC, 3/26/02, p.A6)

2002        cMar 31, In Madagascar a bridge linking the capital to a southern port was blown up.
    (WSJ, 4/1/02, p.A1)

2002        Apr 17, The Supreme Court annulled the disputed results of the Dec 16 presidential elections.
    (SFC, 4/18/02, p.A11)

2002        Apr 29, The High Court ruled that opposition leader Marc Ravalomanana received over 51% of the vote in December elections and that Pres. Ratsiraka won close to 36%. Ratsiraka said he would not abide by the vote.
    (SFC, 5/1/02, p.A13)

2002        May 6, Marc Ravalomanana was sworn in as president. Talks with Ratsiraka were set for May 13-14.
    (SFC, 5/7/02, p.A12)

2002        Jun 26, The United States became the first country to take a formal stand on the leadership battle for control of Madagascar, recognizing Marc Ravalomanana as the legitimate president.
    (AP, 6/26/02)

2002        Jul 5, Former Madagascar President Didier Ratsiraka fled to the Seychelles with his family, apparently ending more than six months of turmoil in his island nation.
    (AP, 7/5/02)

2003        Dec 24, Madagascar's former PM Didier Ratsiraka was sentenced to 12 years of hard labor and ordered to pay $7.6 million in damages for his role in last year's election crisis that led to the formation of two governments.
    (AP, 12/24/03)(Econ, 1/1/05, p.34)

2004        Mar 7, The Samson, a ferry carrying 113 people, vanished after it was caught in a cyclone as it sailed between the Indian Ocean islands of Comoros and Madagascar. There were 2 survivors. The drownings brought the death toll from Cyclone Gafilo to 154.
    (AP, 3/10/04)(AP, 3/11/04)

2004        Steven M. Goodman and Jonathan P. Benstead co-edited “The Natural History of Madagascar.”
    (Econ, 4/24/04, p.87)
2004        Alison Jolly authored “Lords & Lemurs: Mad Scientists, Kings with Spears, and the Survival of Diversity in Madagascar.”
    (Econ, 4/24/04, p.87)

2005        Apr 18, Madagascar’s Pres. Ravalomanana signed a $110 million, 4-year aid package in Washington, designed to fix problems with corruption and local bank loans. The grant was from the Millennium Challenge Account, unveiled by Pres. Bush in 2002 to fund honest governments pursuing sound economic policies
    (WSJ, 4/18/05, p.A1)(Econ, 4/23/05, p.75)

2005        In Madagascar rising commodity prices prompted Rio Tinto to begin investing $650 million in operations to mine ilmenite, a mineral that contains titanium oxide, which is used to make pigments and sunscreen.
    (Econ, 3/17/07, p.73)

2006        Sep 9, The ship Moubarak heading from Madagascar to the Comoros Islands sank in the Indian Ocean this weekend in bad weather. Of the 76 people on board, 43 people were rescued after the boat sank. 33 people were missing.
    (AP, 9/11/06)

2006        Dec 3, Madagascar's president faced 13 challengers in the first elections since voting five years ago led to a six-month power struggle that split the Indian Ocean nation between two governments. President Marc Ravalomanana, a charismatic dairy tycoon known as the "The Milkman," won 55 percent of the vote to beat 13 challengers.
    (AP, 12/3/06)

2006        Dec 8, In Madagascar police searched the property of former President Albert Zafy as part of an ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of Gen. Randrianafidisoa and opposition politician Pety Rakotoniaina.
    (AP, 12/9/06)

2006        Dec, In Madagascar laws came into effect requiring gold panners and collectors to register with the government and pay for permits.
    (SSFC, 7/8/07, p.C4)

2006        The GDP per person in Madagascar stood at about $300 per year. Most of the nearly 19 million population survived on tiny plots of land for which they held no title.
    (Econ, 12/9/06, p.53)

2007        Jan 30, Jamal Khalifa, a Saudi citizen married to a sister of Osama bin Laden, was killed when gunmen broke into his house in village in Madagascar in an apparent robbery.
    (AP, 1/31/07)

2007        The population of Madagascar was about 18.6 million, with an average income of $290 per year.
     (Econ, 7/30/05, p.42)

2008        Feb 17, Madagascar was hit by Cyclone Ivan. At least 44 people were killed and some 145,000 left homeless.
    (Reuters, 2/18/08)(SFC, 2/26/08, p.A3)

2008        Apr 12, It was reported that an international team of scientists had completed an inventory of life on Madagascar, one of Earth’s largest and most diverse islands.
    (SFC, 4/12/08, p.A4)

2008        Jul 11, A fishing boat, carrying eight Taiwanese, one Chinese and six crew members from Madagascar, sank after reporting engine problems.
    (AP, 7/14/08)

2008        Dec 9, A South African man accused of attempting to smuggle hundreds of rare chameleons, snakes, lizards and frogs out of Madagascar inside his jacket and luggage was convicted and sentenced to a year in jail.
    (AP, 12/9/08)

2009        Jan 26, In Madagascar thousands of demonstrators demanding a new government in Madagascar took to the streets and set the country's state TV complex on fire to protest the apparent shutdown of the opposition's radio station.
    (AP, 1/26/09)

2009        Jan 28, In Madagascar thousands of opposition supporters demanded the resignation of Pres. Marc Ravalomanana. The director of the main hospital said 43 people had burned to death as protesters set fires in political violence earlier in the week.
    (AP, 1/28/09)

2009        Jan 29, Madagascar's president made a conciliatory gesture, promising to put a radio station back on air after its closure sparked anti-government rioting that left at least 43 dead. A US envoy later estimated over 100 dead while police said 76 had died in the rioting.
    (AP, 1/29/09)(WSJ, 2/4/09, p.A10)

2009        Jan, The population of Madagascar numbered some 20 million. It was estimated that 70% of the people lived on less than $1 per day.
    (SSFC, 1/4/09, p.E4)

2009        Feb 3, In Madagascar the government fired opposition leader Andry Rajoelina from his post as mayor of the capital city, Antananarivo, after he led two weeks of protests demanding that the president step down.
    (WSJ, 2/4/09, p.A10)

2009        Feb 7, In Antananarivo, Madagascar, at least 28 people were killed by security forces during anti-government protests. Arrest warrants were issued the next day for those deemed responsible for the political violence. A week of violence left up to 100 people dead.
    (SFC, 2/9/09, p.A2)(Econ, 3/21/09, p.50)

2009        Feb 9, In Madagascar defense minister Cecile Manorohanta said she has resigned because civilians were killed when security forces fired on anti-government protesters on Feb 7.
    (AP, 2/9/09)

2009        Feb 16, In Madagascar anti-government protesters threw stones and police responded with tear gas. Opposition leader Andry Rajoelina (34) continued his attempts to force out the president. No casualties were immediately reported
    (AP, 2/16/09)

2009        Feb 20, Madagascar security forces regained control of four government ministries overnight from opposition activists. Police arrested 50 people and no injuries were reported.
    (AP, 2/20/09)

2009        Mar 11, In Madagascar Col. Andre Ndrianarijaona, the leader of a group of mutinous soldiers, declared himself head of the army, raising questions about the president's hold on power on this impoverished Indian Ocean island.
    (AP, 3/11/09)

2009        Mar 16, Madagascar's opposition leader called on the military to arrest the nation's president as a power struggle between the two appeared to be reaching a decisive moment.
    (AP, 3/16/09)

2009        Mar 17, Madagascar's Pres. Marc Ravalomanana ceded power to the military, instead of rival Andry Rajoelina, who plunged the island nation into weeks of turmoil with his bid for power.
    (AP, 3/17/09)

2009        Mar 17, Madagascar's Pres. Marc Ravalomanana ceded power to the military, instead of rival Andry Rajoelina, who plunged the island nation into weeks of turmoil with his bid for power. The military installed opposition leader Andry Rajoelina.
    (AP, 3/17/09)(SFC, 3/18/09, p.A4)

2009        Mar 19, Southern African nations declared they will not recognize Madagascar's new leader, an army-backed politician who ousted an elected president. The US said it would reconsider aid to the island nation.
    (AP, 3/19/09)

2009        Mar 20, The African Union suspended Madagascar, the strongest condemnation by the international community since opposition leader Andry Rajoelina took power with the support of the army.
    (Reuters, 3/20/09)

2009        Mar 21, In Madagascar Andry Rajoelina was sworn in as the new president in a ceremony shunned by the international community after the ousting of the elected president, Marc Ravalomanana. Rajoelina promised new elections within two years.
    (AP, 3/21/09)

2009        Mar 31, Madagascar's neighbors suspended the impoverished nation from their regional development and democracy club, and threatened to take further steps if the Indian Ocean island's ousted president is not restored to power.
    (AP, 3/31/09)

2009        Apr 21, Madagascar’s military-backed Pres. Andry Rajoelina banned demonstrations one day after a policeman was killed.
    (SFC, 4/25/09, p.A2)

2009        Apr 23, In Madagascar armed forces fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators loyal to the island nation's ousted president, as looters rampaged through the streets of the capital.
    (AP, 4/23/09)

2009        Apr 24, In Madagascar police clashed with supporters of the ousted president leaving 2 people dead.
    (SFC, 4/25/09, p.A2)

2009        Aug 9, Madagascar's bitter political rivals signed a power-sharing deal, agreeing to create an interim government to end months of violence.
    (AP, 8/9/09)

2009        Aug 28, In Mozambique talks aimed at determining who should lead Madagascar in a new interim government ended in failure with the ousted president and the man who replaced him in a military coup both claiming the right to do so. The parties set a deadline of Sept. 4 to arrive at a compromise.
    (AP, 8/28/09)

2009        Aug 29, The EU signed a temporary trade pact with Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe and Madagascar calling for tariffs on European goods to be removed over the next 15 years.
    (AP, 8/29/09)

2009        Sep 10, The African Union joined international condemnation of a new "unity" government named by Madagascar leader Andry Rajoelina who overthrew the recognized president this year.
    (AP, 9/11/09)

2009        Oct 7, Madagascar's opposing political factions agreed to retain the coup leader as head of the transitional government, but will not allow him to run in presidential elections.
    (AP, 10/7/09)

2009        Oct 10, Madagascar's outgoing prime minister refused to quit, endangering a power-sharing agreement brokered by mediators to keep peace on the island. Monja Roindefo said he does not acknowledge the mediators' appointment on Oct 6 of Eugene Mangalaza as a prime minister in the transitional government. Members of the transitional government confirmed Eugene Mangalaza.
    (AP, 10/10/09)(AP, 10/11/09)

2009        Nov 6, Madagascar's political rivals agreed on posts within a transitional government that will hold power until next year's elections following a power struggle that brought months of volatility to the country.
    (AP, 11/7/09)

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