Madagascar
General Information for Madagascar
Geo-political:
Capital City: Antananarivo.
Nationality: (noun) Malagasy, (adjective) Malagasy.
Population: 20,653,556.
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 261.
Number of Internal Airports: 27.
Major Languages Spoken: English (official), French (official), Malagasy (official).
Economy:
Currency: 1 Madagascar Ariary (MGA) of 100 Centimes.
Main Industries: Meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware,
cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum and tourism.
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Other Maritime Claims: Contiguous Zone: 24 n.m. Continental Shelf: 200 n.m. or 100 nm from the 2,500-m isobath.
Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 n.m.
Coastline Extent: 4,828 km.
Climate: Tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south.
Natural Resources: Graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica,
fish and hydropower.
Natural Hazards: Periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation.
Terrain: Narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in centre.
MEDICAL:
Although there are a number of public and private hospitals in Antananarivo, only
routine operations can be handled. If complex surgery is required you will be evacuated
either to South Africa or La Reunion. Bilharzia, tuberculosis, rabies, bubonic plague
and malaria are common in Madagascar. There have also been reported cases of dengue
fever and Chikungunya virus. Outbreaks of cholera occur, particularly during the rainy
season (December-April). You should drink or use only boiled or bottled water and
avoid ice in drinks. If you suffer from diarrhoea during a visit to Madagascar you
should seek immediate medical attention.
At the end of 2011 there were media reports of an increase in cases of pneumonic plague
in the district of Miarinarivo in Antananarivo province. Plague is an infectious disease
that can affect animals, usually rodents, and humans. It is usually acquired by flea
bites from infected rodents. The pneumonic form of plague can be transmitted person
to person. Plague is very low risk for most travellers; however, those living in or
visiting plague-endemic areas should avoid contact with rodents. Insect bite avoidance
measures should be employed to prevent flea bites. You should avoid mosquito bites
and contact with domestic animals such as cows, goats and sheep and the blood, organs
or bodily fluids of such animals.
If you have previously visited a country where yellow fever is prevalent, you will
need to produce a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever on entry. If you
cannot produce a certificate, you will be required to be vaccinated.
Also see
General
PIRACY:
Merchant shipping is advised that recent piracy attacks have occurred outside the
current pirate activity area which is bordered by 10° 00.00′ S, 060° 00.00′ E. In view of the vast area bounded by 10° 00.00′ S, 060° 00.00′ E, it is imperative that merchant shipping complies with the Best Management Practices
(BMP), in order to prevent piracy attacks as much as possible. Regular reporting of
ships' positions to UKMTO Dubai and Maritime Security Centre (Horn of Africa) when
entering the reporting area bounded by Suez, 10° 00.00′ S, 078° 00.00′ E, will improve the situational awareness of the military forces.
- Maritime Security Centre (Horn of Africa). [email protected]
- United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organisation (UKMTO). Tel: +971 (50) 552 3215. [email protected]
- Maritime Liaison Office (MARLO). Tel: +973 3940 1395. [email protected]
- European Union Maritime Security Centre, Horn of Africa (MSCHOA). Tel: +44 (1923) 958545. [email protected] www.mschoa.org/
- Piracy Reporting Centre, Kuala Lumpur (PRC). Tel: +60 (3) 2031 0014. Fax: +60 (3) 2078 5769. [email protected] www.icc-ccs.org/
- Agence Portuaire Maritime et Fluviale, Madagascar. Tel: +261 (20) 222 5860. Mobile: +261 3202 29259. Fax: +261 (20) 222 5860. [email protected] www.apmf.mg/
Group Transit Scheme:
Following pirate attacks in the area, this scheme aims to provide mutual protection
through the Gulf of Aden, with strategic naval and air support. Vessels join at Points
A or B at scheduled times and proceed through the transit corridor together.
- Point A: 11° 50.00′ N, 045° 00.00′ E
- Point B: 14° 28.00′ N, 053° 00.00′ E.
Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC):
Co-ordinates:
- 12° 00.00′ N, 045° 00.00′ E
- 11° 55.00′ N, 045° 00.00′ E
- 11° 53.00′ N, 045° 00.00′ E
- 11° 48.00′ N, 045° 00.00′ E
- 14° 30.00′ N, 053° 00.00′ E
- 14° 25.00′ N, 053° 00.00′ E
- 14° 23.00′ N, 053° 00.00′ E
- 14° 18.00′ N, 053° 00.00′ E.
The corridor includes the creation of separate eastbound and westbound transit lanes.
Each lane will be 5.0 n.m. wide and will be separated by a 2 n.m. buffer zone.
Timings for the group transits are as follows:
Entry Speed | Corridor West | Corridor East | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
(knots) | (GMT) | (Local) | (GMT) | (Local) | |
10 | 1500 | 1800 | 0100 | 0400 | |
12 | 2100 | 0001 | 0530 | 0830 | |
14 | 0100 | 0400 | 0830 | 1130 | |
16 | 0530 | 0830 | 1100 | 1400 | |
18 | 0700 | 1000 | 1300 | 1600 |
Masters using the IRTC and those following the group transits are not relieved of
their obligation and should continue to maintain a strict 24-hour lookout using all
available means to get early warnings of an approaching threat.
Masters are also reminded that all suspicious/attempted/actual attacks reported to
coalition warship should also be reported to the 24-hour IMB piracy reporting centre.
Ships transiting the Gulf of Aden are advised to register with the EU. The EU webpage
is
www.mschoa.org/
Ships/owners are advised to register their details and obtain further information
regarding the close support protection/transit corridor details for ships transiting
the Gulf of Aden. Ships would be encouraged to conduct their passage through the IRTC
in groups based on their transit speed (Gulf of Aden group transits). Military assets
(naval and air) will be strategically deployed within the area to best provide protection
and support to ships.
Masters are also advised to maintain a listening watch on VHF Channels 16, 8 and 72.
Warships make advisory calls, ``Securite'' broadcasts, to announce their location
and in turn will also listen for merchant ships calling them.
Pirate Attacks:
The proximity of attacks has spread and taken place off Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles
and Madagascar. Pirates are believed to be using Mother Vessels to launch attacks
at great distances from the coast, with some attacks taking place up to 600 n.m. from
the coast. Two attacks occurred beyond the recommended Long. 060° E. Pirates have
been known to operate in/near to positions 00° 43.70′ S, 061° 57.80′ E and 00° 29.00′ N, 063° 12.00′ E, approx. 1,000–1,100 n.m. east of Mogadishu.
Vessels are advised to keep more than 600 n.m. from the coastline and when routeing
north/south, keeping east of Long. 60° 00′ E until east of the Seychelles.
In view of the recent attacks, all vessels are advised when proceeding to/from South
Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Somalia to consider routeing south of Lat. 10° 00′ S and
east of Long. 060° 00′ E, avoiding the area between the Somali coast and north and
west of the Seychelles. Mariners are advised to report any suspicious boats to the
European Union Maritime Security Centre. A 24-hour visual and radar watch must be
maintained as early sightings/detection and accurate assessment will allow Masters
to take evasive action and increase speed, and at the same time request assistance
and escape.
Due to the unprecedented number of Somali pirate incidents, the IMB calls for all
Masters transiting the Gulf of Aden, southern Red Sea, off Oman, east coast of Somalia,
Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles and Madagascar to report all sightings of suspected pirate
mother ships to the PRC. This vital intelligence will then be used to identify and
target the mother ships. This will enable appropriate action to be taken in response.
Reporting:
Masters are requested to forward the following information to the PRC:
- general description (name, distinctive markings, approximate length, construction type, colour of hull and superstructure/accommodation)
- photographs (if possible/practicable)
- number of persons observed on board
- whether any weapons were observed on board
- whether any skiffs (number) were towed alongside
- ECDIS screen shots/position and date/time
- position of mother vessel
- course and speed of mother ship when observed
- whether an AIS signal is broadcast
- whether the vessel has changed course or speed to intercept/shadow vessel movement
- any other information that may be of relevance.
SITREP:
PRC Malaysia broadcasts SITREP reports to vessels at 0000 GMT via Inmarsat C (satellite)
EGC Safety Net. However, vessels in some parts of the world, that are not considered
at risk from piracy, will not receive these messages.
TIME:
GMT plus 3 hours all year round.
HOLIDAYS:
New Year's Day, Commemoration of 29 March 1947, Easter Sunday and Monday, 1 May, Ascension
Day, Whit Monday, Independence Day (25 June), Assumption BV Mary (15 August), All
Saints' Day (1 November), Christmas Day, Anniversary of the Democratic Republic of
Madagascar (30 December). No work possible on these holidays. Overtime rates for all
other holidays.
WEATHER/TIDES:
The cyclone season in Madagascar normally runs from January to March. Coastal areas
are particularly affected.
Also see
General
BANKS:
Limits on the amount of money which can be changed at one time are in place, although
these are gradually being relaxed. You should check with individual banks. Western
Union and Moneygram operate for inward currency transfers only. Some banks will only
change Euros or US Dollars. Travellers' cheques are accepted by most banks. However,
there have been cases of fraudulent American Express travellers’ cheques in circulation
and some banks now refuse to accept them. The local bank, BMOI, will not accept travellers’
cheques issued by Thomas Cook. Credit cards are accepted at a growing number of outlets
in Antananarivo and in the provinces, but their use is still not widespread. A charge
of up to 7% of the transaction value is levied. ATMs are increasingly available around
the capital and in some of the larger towns. A charge of about 1.5% is made.
The maximum amount of Malagasy currency, the Ariary, you can withdraw at a time is
MGA400,000. Some banks will not exchange local currency back into foreign currency.
You should ensure you are not left with large amounts of Malagasy Ariary at the end
of your stay. Keep transaction slips showing amounts of foreign currency transferred
into local currency. Foreign currency of more than EUR7,500 in value must be declared
on arrival.
Also see
General
CUSTOMS:
www.douanes.gov.mg/
SHORE LEAVE:
The weakening of government authority and rising unemployment, muggings and robberies
are occurring with increasing frequency, not only in urban areas but in nature reserves
and on beaches. There have also been increasing numbers of robberies from bush taxi
passengers. You should keep clear of any street disturbances. You should not leave
your bags unattended, or go near unattended bags. You should keep large amounts of
money, jewellery, cameras and mobile telephones out of sight when walking in town
centres. Avoid walking in city centres after dark.
There have been incidents of armed robbery in some National Parks.
You should also take sensible precautions in crowded areas such as street markets
and airports, where pickpocketing is common. You should also be cautious on beaches
where there have been reports of attacks and robberies. You should avoid visiting
them alone.
In some parts of Madagascar aspects of daily life are regulated by taboos, known as
fady. These vary from one region to another. Fady can range from forbidden foods to
restrictions in clothing. Some areas subject to fady may be forbidden to foreigners,
but these are mainly in remote parts of the country. If you intend to visit remote
areas, you should seek prior advice and respect local fady wherever possible to avoid
causing offence.
The Malagasy Authorities have recently introduced laws against consorting with female
prostitutes.
Also see
General
IDENTIFICATION CARDS:
You should carry some form of identification with you at all times when going ashore.
The police can and do stop vehicles and pedestrians to check papers, particularly
late at night.
Also see
General
GENERAL:
Information obtained from UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office website. Consult
www.fco.gov.uk/ for updates.