Landscapes and geological formations

From Mgias

Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 The Central Region 1.2 The Western Region 1.3 The Northern Region 1.4 The Eastern Region 1.5 The Southern Region

Introduction

Madagascar is an area of contrasts, from the flat western savannahs with stands of baobabs through the grassy rolling hills and valleys of the Central Highlands in the Central Region which have been covered by irrigated rice-paddies to the sheer cliffs of the east coast in the Eastern Region where the remains of some damp rainforests can be found.

The Central Region

The Central Region is composed of precambrien granite and volcanic mountains dating from the late tertiary, the most recent volcanic activity dates from quaternary. The ISALO spectacular sandstone massif dates back to the triassic period lies between the central region and western region.

The Western Region

The Western Region is distinguished from the Highlands not only by its lower elevation, but also by its sedimentary geological structure. In the Western Region the 152,000 hectares BEMARAHA National Park has been declared a WORLD HERITAGE SITE. The south-west is made of quaternary dunes and jurassic limestone.

The Northern Region

The Northern Region is composed of sedimentary rock, which is characterised by the karst formation of Montagne des Français, the Windsor Castle and the impressive Tsingy of Ankarana massif with its spectacular eroded spikes or "Tsingy" .

The Northern Region is characterised by a variety of landscapes and geological formations related to four different vegetation types:

1. The humid forest of the volcanic Montagne d'Ambre national park .
2. The high mountain forest of Tsaratanana massif the country’s highest point is 2876 meters high

and receives heavy rain frequently, and Marojejy national park.

1. The dry deciduous forest has 3 of the country’s 7 baobab species and succulent plants. The Tsingy of Ankarana special reserve is situated on limestone cliffs and limestone and sandy soils.
2. The transition forest of Daraina unprotected area near Vohémar, which composed by a mixture of half dry and half humid forest which is the only home of the most endangered of all lemurs: the golden crowned sifaka lemurs(propithecus tattersalli).

Breathtaking "TSINGY" refers to sharp limestone pinnacles; this eroded karst mountain range with unusual geological structure, is unique on earth. It is a remnant of a coral reef system laid down 250 million years ago. It has been eroded by rain into jagged peaks, grooves and crevices, beneath which are networks of subterranean rivers, lakes, numerous large caverns of several kilometres and large caves with stalactites and stalagmites. One of the most popular caverns is the large Andrafiabe cave with inhabits some other indigenous creatures in particular, bat species.

The country is rich in mineral ressources and contains several kinds of semi-precious and precious stones such as amethist, citrine, tourmaline, emeraude, beryl,sapphire, and ruby.

The Eastern Region

Remnants of original rainforest do remain on the eastern escarpment. These host the largest concentration of wildlife and the biggest number of endemic plants, and are therefore among the world’s highest priority for conservation. These include

1. Masoala national park
2. Nosy Mangabe Special Reserve
3. Ambodiforaha
4. Manombo reserve
5. Midongy forest

The Southern Region

The Southern Region runs southward from Morombe in the north to Fort-Dauphin in the south, and from sea level to an altitude of 800m. This region is part of the Sahalian region. It has a semi-desert climate with a scarce and unpredictable rainfall ranging from 350mm to 800mm, and a long dry season lasting about 9 months. The western part is very dry with an annual rainfall of only around 350mm. Yet the height of the canopy still reaches about 12m. In the eastern part of the region, the rainfall increases to 800mm with the canopy averaging from 12m to 15m tall.

The main city port is called Toliara, which is also the name given to the 250 kilometer great barrier reef, one of the largest areas for beaches and marine life in the world.

Features of the Southern Region include

1. The 'Table Mountains' or flat-topped plateaux composed of sand and limestone, rise from coastal plains.
2. The coastline on the western part of the region which has giant sand dunes which protects the large coral reef. Here you can find some fossils of the egg shells of the extinct elephant bird.
3. The barren southern region of the island which has a number of untouched beaches and beautiful lagoons containing seashells. The reefs of the Nosy Ve marine reserve are not to be missed by nature lovers.
4. The south-west coast with the 250 kilometer great barrier reef of Toliara, offers a breathtaking underwater wonderland of water creatures. Anakao and Ifaty in the south-west have wonderful remote beaches with warm crystal-clear turquoise waters. These are excellent sites for snorkelling and scuba diving.