Located in the Indian Ocean Madagascar is the
fourth island of the world, after Greenland, New
Guinea and Borneo. It is 400 kilometres east of
Mozambique. The tropic of Capricorn crosses the
South part of the island.
The climate:
Madagascar shows diversified
climates.
- In the North and Northwest:
climate of equatorial type with plentiful rains
from December till April. The temperature is
from 15 to 35 °C.
- In the East, from the
Northeast to the Southeast: very wet equatorial
climate. The coast is subject to the passage of
cyclones between January and March.
- On the West: well marked
dry and wet seasons; the temperature varies from
10 to 35 °C.
- In the Centre: climate of
Mediterranean type with alternation of a fresh
dry season and a wet and warm season. The annual
average temperature is 20 °C.
- In the South: climate of
semi-desert type, rainfall between 200 to 400mm
The relief :
The relief is very varied,
leading to a mosaic of landscapes: hills, high
plains, basins, compact massifs and volcanic
formations.
The oriental hillside is
separated from the highland by an abrupt cliff.
The South has a little
irregular relief as well as the West part.
The settlement :
The settlement
was made in a frame of migrations organized and
spread over several centuries. After the
Indonesians and the Malayo-polynesians, the
Semites and the Islamized Arabs settled down
around of Madagascar from the VIIIth
century. The beginning of the XVIth
century marks the arrival of the Europeans, as
well as that of African people’s native of
Mozambique.
18 ethnic groups form the Malagasy population,
each having its own custom, but contributing to
the national integrity.
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