ative ▁divisions ▁ ▁Mad agas car ▁is ▁sub div ided ▁into ▁ 2 2 ▁regions ▁( far it ra ). ▁The ▁regions ▁are ▁further ▁sub div ided ▁into ▁ 1 1 9 ▁districts , ▁ 1 , 5 7 9 ▁communes , ▁and ▁ 1 7 , 4 8 5 ▁f ok ont any . ▁ ▁L arg est ▁cities ▁and ▁towns ▁Agricult ure ▁has ▁long ▁influenced ▁settlement ▁on ▁the ▁island . ▁Only ▁ 1 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁ 2 4 , 8 9 4 , 5 5 1 ▁population ▁live ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 0 ▁largest ▁cities . ▁ ▁United ▁Nations ▁invol vement ▁ ▁Mad agas car ▁became ▁a ▁Member ▁State ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁September ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁shortly ▁after ▁gain ing ▁its ▁independence ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁June ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁As ▁of ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁ 3 4 ▁police ▁officers ▁from ▁Mad agas car ▁are ▁deployed ▁in ▁H ait i ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁St abil isation ▁Mission ▁in ▁H ait i . ▁Starting ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁and ▁with ▁assistance ▁from ▁the ▁UN , ▁the ▁World ▁Food ▁Program me ▁started ▁the ▁Mad agas car ▁Country ▁Program me ▁with ▁the ▁two ▁main ▁goals ▁of ▁long - term ▁development / ▁reconst ruction ▁efforts ▁and ▁address ing ▁the ▁food ▁in security ▁issues ▁in ▁the ▁southern ▁regions ▁of ▁Mad agas car . ▁These ▁goals ▁plan