Madonna Finally Cops to Adopting Malawi Twins

Madonna now admits she adopted 4-year-old twin girls from Malawi -- something she flatly denied 2 weeks ago when she was in the African nation.

Madonna posted a pic with the girls, Esther and Stella, to announce she'd officially "completed the process" of adopting them. She's now adopted 4 children from Malawi -- she got David in 2006 and Mercy in 2009.

Madonna insisted she was not adopting, and only doing work with her charity last month. It now seems clear she lied in an attempt to keep a low profile until the adoption was stamped and approved ... most likely to avoid the criticism she got after David's adoption.

You'll recall his biological father came forward and said Madonna swooped in to get David after another woman was set to adopt him.

For the record, she now has 6 kids. Your move, Angelina Jolie.