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Why is Madagascar called the red island?

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The 587,041 km2 of land were once covered with green rainforest, but the slash- and-burn techniques of the Malagasy farmers, later aggravated by commercial exploitation of the rainforest has led to heavy erosion, which has exposed the laterite soil all over the island. read more

Madagascar, the Red Island After Greenland, New Guinea and Borneo, Madagascar is the fourth largest island of the world. The 587,041 km2 of land were once covered with green rainforest, but the slash- and-burn techniques of the Malagasy farmers, later aggravated by commercial exploitation of the rainforest has led to heavy erosion, which has exposed the laterite soil all over the island. read more

The name "Great Red Island" is another name given to Madagascar due to the mineralogy of the Central Highlands. Laterite, a clay-like soil, is formed when rocks weather in the humid conditions. Water, usually in the form of rain, dissolves the soluble elements,(sodium and silicon). read more

We call Madagascar the green island or l'île verte in french, due to its vegetation. We also call it the red island or l'île rouge because at some places, the land appears like red. read more

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