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Make a real difference...
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Madagascar should be a paradise. A beautiful island teaming with a
unique variety of wildlife and fauna with rich rainforests and a
stunning coastline in a strategic position between Africa and the
Indies. Often referred to as
the 'eighth continent', it has a 3106 mile long coastline surrounded
by two hundred and fifty islands and a 280 mile barrier reef and,
despite its economic and political crises following decades of
instability after it gained its independence, it remains a popular
tourist destination for its unique wildlife, stunning scenery,
beaches and underwater adventures from exploring shipwrecks to
seeing sharks, coral life and turtles. The
topography of Madagascar essentially divides the island
nation into five distinct parts, each having its own climate and
being populated by different ethnic groups.
The central
highlands are home to the main ethnic groups of the Merina and
Betsileo peoples where the capital, Antananarivo, and other main
urban areas are situated. The north is more sparsely populated
and is home to the Antakarana, Sakalava, Tsimihety,
Betsimisaraka and Antandroy peoples who are mainly isolated from
the rest of the island by the Tsaratanana Mountains.
The east of
Madagascar is predominately home to the Betsimisaraka (meaning
'numerous and inseparable') people who make up 15% of the
country's population and who live mainly along the coast between
River Bemarivo and the River Mananjary; a distance of some 400
miles. Little has changed for these people over the centuries
with their customs and traditions built around their trading,
seafaring and fishing past as well as being cultivators of the
tropical lowland areas. The Antandroy
(meaning 'people of the thorns') people live in the inhospitable
south of Madagascar where there is little rainfall leading to
something of a nomadic lifestyle whilst the Sakalava (meaning
'people of the long valleys') people live in the plains,
grasslands foothills of west Madagascar.
If visiting Madagascar there are plenty of places of interest
to see. Just under 13 miles from the capital is Ambohimanga with
its royal city and burial site. Ambohimanga is perhaps the most
important historical and spiritual site for the people of
Madagascar despite much of it being destroyed by French
colonialists towards the end of the nineteenth century.
Nevertheless, it remains a place of worship and
pilgrimage to this day with a traditional design
representing the social and political structure
of Malagasy society from at least the 16th
century.
For those who simply want to relax, Mananjary
on the east where the Mananjary River flows into
the Indian Ocean is a popular resort, although
best for sunbathing rather than swimming due to
its waters being shark infested. The Tsingy de
Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve, 37 miles inland
off the west coast of Madagascar, is also worth
putting on your list of images to see. The
area, established as a nature reserve in 1927,
and currently a UNESCO World Heritage site since
1990 has an abundance of wild bird and a vibrant
lemur population as well as being the location of
ancient cemeteries. In the south-west of Madagscar is the popular
Arboretum d'Antsokay which specialises in the
flora and fauna of the area with around 900
species of plants as well as animals such as
chameleons, boas, tenrecs and mouse lemurs; many
of who cannot be seen anywhere else in the world.
Madagascar Images: Volunteer in Madagascar
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Madagascar Images: Madagascar Map
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Madagascar Images: Child Sponsor Madagascar
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Madagascar Images: Madagascar Country Profile
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