Country data
Location: South Africa
Time zone: CET + 2 (during summer time: CET + 1)
Total area: 587,041 km²
Land area: 581,540 km²
Water area: 5,501 km²
Length of the state border: 0 km
Coastline: 4,828 km
Capital: Antananarivo
Provinces: 6
Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Electricity: 110, 220 V / 50 Hz
Telephone code: 00 261 (Source: Allcitycodes)
Highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
Population
Population: approx. 23.2 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)
Population growth: 2.6% per year
Population density (residents per km²): 40
Life expectancy: 64 (male), 67 (female)
Official language: French, Malagasy
Religions:
- 41% Christian
- 7% Muslim
- 52% other
Climate
The two most pronounced seasons are the rainy season (January-March) and the dry season (April-October).
Furthermore, the regions of Madagascar differ in terms of climate:
North and West Coast:
- humid (26 ° C) rainy season
- moderate dry season
East coast:
- hot (28-35 ° C) and rainy summers
- year-round trade winds
South coast:
- very dry, with rare rainfall
- pleasant temperatures (22-27 ° C)
Currency / finance
Currency unit: Ariary (MGA)
Classification: 1 ariary = 5 iraimbilanja
ATMs: some ATMs in Antananarivo.
International credit cards: These are rarely accepted. Mostly only VISA card.
Regulations: The local currency may be imported and exported up to an amount of 400,000 MGA.
There is no limit to the amount of foreign currencies that can be imported. The export is permitted in the amount of the declared import minus the exchanged amounts.
The exchange receipts are often checked.
It is not possible to exchange the local currency back!
Customs regulations
The following may be carried duty-free:
- 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 500 g tobacco
- 1 liter of alcoholic beverages
(Information applies to people aged 18 and over)
Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.
In order to be able to export products from the arts and crafts, you need a certificate of their proper purchase. You should therefore make sure that you get this when you buy.
Travel advice
Since there are often bureaucratic problems and supply bottlenecks, trips to Madagascar are associated with increased problems.
Warning:
There are already several indications that dubious travel guides address people at airports and in cities. Therefore, never trust strangers and only use official travel agencies in the big cities.
Behavioral advice
- Do not entrust money or personal documents to strangers
- avoid walks after dark
- do not drive at night
Economy
Food and textile industries are the most important industries in Madagascar.
Tourism is not yet very well developed, but the government continues to promote it.
The main export goods include fishery products, cloves, coffee, vanilla, sugar, as well as graphite and nickel.
Industries: chemistry, iron and steel industry, electrical engineering, vehicle construction, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, textiles
Natural resources: bauxite, fish, graphite, semi-precious stones, coal, quartz, salt, hydropower
Land use:
- Usable land: 4%
- Grain cultivation: 1%
- Pasture area: 41%
- Forests: 40%
- other: 14%
Plants
The originally widespread tropical rainforest has been pushed back by clearing and is now almost only found in the eastern part of the country.
With well over 8,000 different types of plants, Madagascar is a special travel destination for people who are interested in botany.
Animals
The ten national parks / nature reserves offer tourists a beautiful, species-rich fauna.
There are some animal species that only live in Madagascar, e.g. ten species of lemurs (Makia monkeys) and five species of birds (Corachidae, Cuas, Peewit, Roller Bird and Vangas).
Many different species of parrots, birds of prey and ornamental birds complete the picture.