Madagascar separated from Africa in two main stages, each of which fundamentally changed the island's appearance. The first separation occurred around 170-180 million years ago, while the final one was about 90 million years ago.

Two stages of separation from Africa

The beginning of the rift (around 180-170 million years ago)

It all began about 180 million years ago, in the early Jurassic period, when Madagascar began to break away from Africa. The first separation occurred in the middle-late Jurassic period, with the formation of the rift in the late Lias. At that time, the island began to move away from the coast of present-day Kenya and Tanzania.

As a result of this event, a characteristic escarpment formed on the western coast, and the plateau tilted towards the east, with rivers flowing in that direction.

The final separation (around 90 million years ago)

The second important stage occurred around 90 million years ago, when Madagascar finally separated from the Indian subcontinent. During this period, a new rift zone opened in the eastern part of the island, and it tilted in the opposite direction — towards the west.

Then, a real revolution in hydrology occurred: rivers changed their courses, the direction of flow was completely reconstructed, and a steep escarpment formed on the eastern coast.

Conclusion

Madagascar separated from Africa approximately 180-170 million years ago, and finally became isolated in its current position around 90 million years ago. This means that it has been an isolated island for at least 120-130 million years, which explains its unique nature.

If you are interested in what happened to the island after its separation or how unique animals appeared there, I can tell you more about it.

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