The island's name, Madagascar, is of uncertain origin but historical documents suggest that the Venetian merchant Marco Polo, who did not even visit Madagascar, confused the island with the kingdom of Mogadishu in Somali, East Africa (located slightly north of the Equator), and named it based on mispronunciation and ...

What was Madagascar named after?

In 1885, Alfred Grandidier, a naturalist and French explorer, arrived in Madagascar, and devoted his life to the study of the island. ... Though to date, no concrete origin for the term 'Madagascar' has been found, many know it as the country of 'moramora,' meaning 'no hurry'.

When did Madagascar change its name?

Then, in 1986, he abruptly changes tack. Laws are passed to transform Madagascar (the new name adopted for the republic in 1975) into a free-market economy.