MALAGASY NATIONAL POLICE

a. A General Council which is responsible for the management
of provincial affairs.
b. A Secretary of State Delegate, who is a member of the Govern­
ment and is charged with protecting the interests of the State and with
carrying out the decisions of the General Council.
6. The island is divided into six provinced which are sub-divided'
into 90 districts.
B. The land
1. Madagascar, with an area of 228,000 square miles, is nearly as
large as the state of Texas. It ranks as the fourth largest-island in
the world and measures approximately 1,000 miles from North to South and
nearly 300 miles across at the widest point. Six major regions may be
distinguished in the geographical structure of the island.
a. The North, characterized by extremely fertile valleys and
volcanic soils which produce sugar cane, coffee, vanilla, pepper and
cloves. One port:' Diego - Suarez where the French maintain a naval
base.
b. The Northwest, consisting of a series of valleys-which con­
v -erge on-the city--of Majunga., -This.-i-s-the-r-ichest-agricultural-regior ­
of the island, thanks to the alluvial soil deposited by large rivers.
Majunga is the second largest port of the island. Its principal export
is rice.
a. The West, watered by three major rivers, is expected to
become a large rice producer. .
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