Synopsis：Even for those interested in Africa, it's easy to forget about the island nation of Madagascar. Given its isolation, hundreds of kilometers off the southeastern coast of the African continent in the Indian Ocean, it's understandable that this special place might be just an afterthought. But ignoring Madagascar, the Malagasy people, and the rich flora and fauna found here would be a mistake of the highest order. Though Madagascar shares a colonial past with many of its continental cousins, the people of this country are themselves a unique mix of Africans and Southeast Asians. The often simple but happy lives of the inhabitants are a conspicuous characteristic of this country, and it's a reflection of the island's status as a veritable ecological paradise. Separated from the mainland for millions of years, the plants and animals found here have taken interesting evolutionary turns that often make them quite different from their closest relatives on the African mainland.