Madagascar has a tropical maritime climate that is influenced by altitude, the monsoons and proximity to the sea. The highlands have a temperate climate with warm, rainy weather from mid-September to April and cooler temperatures from May to early September.

Rapid population growth is increasing demand for land and natural resources while environmental degradation, largely stemming from slash-and-burn agriculture, fuelwood collection, and unsustainable harvesting of wildlife, is destroying biodiversity resources and rendering many areas less productive for other uses.

Since Madagascar is a very poor country, many of the people live off the land. Some of the country’s main problems are deforestation, soil erosion, and over hunting and fishing. Logging for timber and cutting down trees to plant rice fields are two problems causing a loss of animal habitat and erosion.

Sadly, much of Madagascar has been destroyed, by the gradual action of small farmers and herdsmen. As the forest is destroyed, so is the habitat for Madagascar’s unique plant and animal species. The loss of habitat due to deforestation is the biggest single threat to Madagascar’s wildlife.

More than half of all children in Madagascar suffer from chronic malnutrition, and over half of the country’s population struggles with food insecurity. In 2019, a lack of rainfall and a powerful El Nino phenomenon led to the loss of 90% of the harvest and pushed more than 60% of the population into food insecurity.

It said: “Over 1.1 million people are in high acute food insecurity due to insufficient rainfall, rising food prices and sandstorms. The lean season is expected to begin earlier than usual for the current consumption year, as households will deplete their low food stocks due to minimal production.”

5 Organizations Helping People in Madagascar

1. Water Aid. WaterAid identified that the majority of Malagasy residents do not have access to proper sanitation.
2. SEED Madagascar. SEED Madagascar works directly with local partners to develop dynamic programs that help people in Madagascar.
3. Blue Ventures.
4. Action Against Hunger.

Poverty Rates in Madagascar According to the World Bank, 75% of people in Madagascar are estimated to be living on less than $1.90 per day as of 2019. Still, this remains one of the highest poverty rates in the world. For comparison, in the U.S., 1.2% of people lived on $1.90 or less per day in 2016.

The province was the poorest one in Madagascar….Toliara Province.

Toliara
Capital	Toliara
Area
• Total	161,405 km2 (62,319 sq mi)
Population (2001)

Interesting Facts About Madagascar

• Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island.
• Madagascar is home to 70 species of lemurs found nowhere else on Earth.
• More than 50% of the world’s chameleon population is found on Madagascar.
• The biodiversity hotspot has over 10,000 endemic species of plants.
• Deforestation is a severe problem in Madagascar.

Interesting Facts About Madagascar

• Most of Madagascar’s wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth.
• Madagascar was settled by Asians before mainland Africans.
• Lemurs are sacred in Madagascar.
• Madagascar has strong human rights protections.
• Before French colonial rule, Madagascar was ruled by a woman.
• Madagascar was a popular location for pirates.

17 amazing facts about Madagascar, the island it took humans 300,000 years to discover

• It’s the world’s fourth largest island.
• With a big population.
• But it wasn’t even discovered until 500AD.
• It had a mad queen.
• It’s paradise for wildlife lovers.
• And birders.
• Some of its critters are just plain weird.
• Gerald Durrell was a fan.

Crime is widespread in Madagascar. Armed gangs are known to commit home invasions and kidnappings, and to stalk areas where foreigners congregate. Robberies and break-ins, often violent, occur, especially in and around Antananarivo, but also in rural and isolated areas.

Table of Contents show

• 1 Nile crocodiles.
• 2 Madagascan black widow.
• 3 Scorpions.
• 4 Pelican spider.
• 5 Brown widow spider.
• 6 Malagasy fruit bat.
• 8 The most dangerous animals in Madagascar: A summary.

21 Top Safety Tips for Traveling to Madagascar

1. Learn Some French – Nobody in Madagascar speaks English.
2. Be vigilant – robberies, street crime and theft occur frequently, especially urban areas, beaches and nature reserves.
3. Take extra care when travelling in a vehicle – car jacking and theft from cars is on the rise.

Crime rates in Madagascar

Level of crime	73.33	High
Problem people using or dealing drugs	48.33	Moderate
Problem property crimes such as vandalism and theft	65.00	High
Problem violent crimes such as assault and armed robbery	68.33	High
Problem corruption and bribery	81.67	Very High

The overall crime rate in Madagascar is lower than many other African countries, and is therefore considered safer for travel. Regardless of this reputation, however, the fallout of the political turmoil has led to increased unemployment rates resulting in a rise in crime, particularly muggings and robberies.

Definitions

STAT	Madagascar
Violent crime > Gun crime > Guns per 100 residents	0.8 Ranked 151st.
Murder rate	1,588 Ranked 47th.
Murder rate per million people	79.69 Ranked 74th. 90% more than United States
Murders	1,588 Ranked 47th.

Madagascar has a hot and subtropical climate with colder temperatures in the mountains. Average monthly temperature ranges in Antananarivo from 9 to 20 degrees Celsius (48 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit) in July to 16 to 27 degrees Celsius (61 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit) in December.

Madagascar has an unusual mix of wildlife. For example, the island does not have apes, monkeys, elephants, zebras, giraffes, lions, hyenas, rhinos, antelopes, buffalo, or camels that you might expect to find in Africa, but it does have lemurs, tenrecs, boa constrictors, iguanas, and other creatures.

Monthly rainfall ranges from 0.15 inches per month in Morondava on the west coast to 10 inches per month in east coast Toamasina. 3 At this time of year, the sunniest destinations in Madagascar are the southern and western regions where one can expect up to 10 hours of sunshine a day.

Road Quality Most roads are little more than dirt tracks, many of which become impassable during the rainy season (November/December to March/April). Owing to security issues, travelling by road during hours of darkness is inadvisable (including by bus). Daytime driving is safe in almost all areas.

Do not travel to Madagascar due to COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for Madagascar due to COVID-19, indicating a very high level of COVID-19 in the country. Madagascar currently bans [all/most] U.S. citizens from entering due to COVID-19.

But the appeal of Madagascar does not solely rest within. There’s a good range of accommodation options in Madagascar, from apartments and hotels, to inns and guesthouses. Most of these can be found in Antananarivo, the capital, and coastal towns.