Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1863-68 Queen Rasoherina succeeds after Radama II assassinated.
1868-83 Reign of Queen Ranavalona II.
1883 Coronation of Queen Ranavalona III.
1883-85 Franco-Malagasy War.
Establishment of full French protectorate; Madagascar became a full colony the
following year.
1895
Ranavalona III exiled first to Réunion and later to Algiers. Merina monarchy ab-
olished.
1897
1917
Death of Ranavalona III in exile.
1942
British troops occupy Madagascar.
1946
Madagascar becomes an Overseas Territory of France.
1947
Nationalist rebellion suppressed with thousands killed.
1958
Autonomy achieved within the French community.
June 26. Madagascar achieves full independence with Philibert Tsiranana as
president, following conservative, pro-French, anti-Communist policies.
1960
Tsiranana dissolves parliament and hands power to General Ramanantsoa who
ends France's special position and establishes relations with Communist coun-
tries.
1972
Lieutenant-Commander Didier Ratsiraka is named head of state after a coup. The
country is renamed the Democratic Republic of Madagascar and Ratsiraka is
elected president for a seven-year term.
1975
1976
Ratsiraka nationalises large parts of the economy and forms the AREMA party.
The economy collapses and the IMF is called in. A market economy is gradually
introduced.
1980
Demonstrations and strikes. Ratsiraka orders security forces to open fire on the
crowds outside the presidential palace demanding his resignation. About 130
people are killed.
1991
Under pressure of demonstrations, Ratsiraka introduces democratic reforms re-
placing the socialist system, but is forced to resign.
1992
Albert Zafy elected president under a new parliamentary constitution. The birth
of the Third Republic.
1993
1996
Albert Zafy impeached.
1997
Didier Ratsiraka re-elected president.
