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Country Fact File : Madagascar
Volunteer with Lemurs in Madagascar
For an island famous for its wildlife, Madagascar holds an incredible amount of appeal in other areas. The landscape is varied and dramatic, ranging from high granite peaks to dry deserts and deserted beaches. Cut off from the African mainland for millions of years, Madagascar's teeming forests are a naturalist's dream; they've preserved oddities and developed specialisations found nowhere else on earth, and you can get among them in a spectacular collection of accessible national parks. With fascinating tribal cultures and ceremonies and an intriguing assortment of local taboos thrown in to perplex visitors, Madagascar makes for a truly rewarding experience. Madagascar has some amazing areas for diving and snorkeling, as well as great opportunities to go trekking in some of the country’s national Parks.
| Location | Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique |
| Area | 587,040 sq km |
| Border Countries | none |
| Climate | Tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south |
| Terrain | Narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center |
| Highest Point | Maromokotro 2,876 m |
| Natural Hazards | Periodic cyclones |
| Environmental Issues | Soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered |
| Population | 16,473,477 (July 2002 est.) |
| Ethnic Groups | Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran |
| Religions | Indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7% |
| Languages | French (official), Malagasy (official) |
| Type of Government | Republic |
| Capital | Antananarivo |
| Independence Day | 26 June 1960 (from France) |
| Chief of State/ Head of Government |
chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002) |
| Currency | Malagasy franc (MGF) |
| Time | GMT +3 |
Did you know?
Madagascar has 3,000 endemic species of butterfly
All of Madagascar’s mammals are endemic to the island
Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world
Madagascar broke off from the African mainland about 165 million years ago
Useful Numbers & Web Addresses
International dialing code: +54
Police tel: 101
Ambulance tel: 107
British Embassy: Dr Luis Agote 2412, (1425) Buenos Aires. Tel: (54) (11) 4808 2200 Switchboard.
Embassy in UK: 65 Brook Street, London W1K 4AH. Tel: (020) 7318 1300
01727 250250
Duration and Costs
| Duration | Cost |
|---|---|
| 4 Weeks | £1600 |
| 8 Weeks | £2200 |
| Group Size |
|---|
| In total, 14 places will be offered and it is expected that these will fill extremely fast as there is no other programme of this kind that works with such a focus on lemurs. |
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