Africa

Madagascar

Location

Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique.

Beware of pickpockets at the airport. There is a danger of mugging and armed robbery. Take sensible precautions and avoid walking in the city centres after dark. Vehicle security, personal security, general travel, navigation, off road driving, building / office security, hot weather injuries, personal hygiene, sanitation / sterilisation, clothing & equipment, emergency first aid, cultures / customs, communications, emergency shelters. Do not take photographs of military / police establishments.

Use bottled water only - hard to find in rural areas.

Narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in centre.

Tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south. Rainy season December to April.

Periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation.

Bacterial and protozoal diarrhoea, bilharzia, bubonic plague, chikungunya virus, cholera, dengue fever, hepatitis A, B & E, HIV/AIDS, malaria is the virulent strain of cerebral malaria, plague, polio, rabies, schistosomiasis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, yellow fever.
Hospital: Hopital General de Befelatanana, Mahamasina, Antananarivo 101. Tel: 2-22384

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.

Road conditions vary greatly. In the rainy season most secondary roads are impassable except in a 4x4. Bridges are regularly washed away. Most major roads carry heavy freight traffic. Roads have steep gradients and sharp bends. Drive with extreme caution.

For more in-depth general information please download our Preparation and Training document.