What is the largest island in the Indian ocean?

Madagascar is the largest island in the Indian ocean with an area of about 226,658 square miles. It is the fourth largest in the world after Greenland, New Guinea, and Borneo. Madagascar lies 250 miles off the eastern coast of southern Africa.

Although located some 250 miles (400 km) from the African continent, it is a sovereign state of approximately 26 million. Madagascar is a member of the United Nations and the African Union. France colonized it until June 26, 1960, when it gained independence.

Despite being a popular tourist attraction, Madagascar is among the poor states of the world. Madagascar’s population is primarily related not to African peoples but rather to those of Indonesia, more than 3,000 miles (4,800 km) to the east. The Malagasy peoples, moreover, do not consider themselves to be Africans, but, because of the continuing bond with France that resulted from former colonial rule, the island developed political, economic, and cultural links with the French-speaking countries of western Africa. The animal life and vegetation of the island are equally anomalous, differing greatly from that of nearby Africa and being in many respects unique. Although the coast lands have been known to Europeans for more than 400 years and to Arabs for much longer, recent historical development has been more intense and concentrated in the central plateau, which contains the capital city of Antananarivo (formerly Tananarive).