The Tsiokantimo (or Tsiokatimo) is a strong south wind that blows in the southwest region of Madagascar, usually from August to September. This wind hits the vast stretches of predominantly sandy coastline, causing wind erosion of the soil, and bringing a lot of dust to the city of Toliara (formerly Tulear) in Madagascar, but also the anchovies that are pushed by the current and waves in the Tulear lagoon. [1] [2]
In the Malagasy culture, it is believed that the Tsiokantimo rises because of the death of a Vezo fisherman. [3]
Madagascar is a large island in the Indian Ocean off the eastern coast of southern Africa, east of Mozambique. It has a total area of 587,040 square kilometres (226,660 sq mi) with 581,540 square kilometres (224,530 sq mi) of land and 5,500 square kilometres (2,100 sq mi) of water. Madagascar is the fourth largest island and the 2nd largest island country in the world. The highest point is Maromokotro, in the Tsaratanana Massif region in the north of the island, at 2,876 metres (9,436 ft). The capital Antananarivo is in the Central Highlands near the centre of the island. It has the 25th largest Exclusive Economic Zone of 1,225,259 km2 (473,075 sq mi). Madagascar is 400 kilometres east of mainland Africa.
The Toliara Province is a former province of Madagascar with an area of 161,405 square kilometres (62,319 sq mi). It had a population of 2,229,550. Its capital was Toliara. Near Toliara was the "spiny forest".
The Coton de Tuléar is a breed of small dog named for the city of Tuléar in Madagascar. This breed is thought to have originated from a group of small white dogs that swam across the Malagasy channel following a shipwreck. Known for its cotton-like coat, the Coton de Tuléar typically grows to no more than 18 pounds (8.2 kg), and are white, sometimes with grey, tan, black, or tri-colored markings. The Coton de Tuléar Day is celebrated on November 26th.
Toliara is a city in Madagascar.
Fianarantsoa is a city in south central Madagascar, and is the capital of Haute Matsiatra Region.
Ilakaka is a small town in Ihorombe Region in the south western part of Madagascar. In the early 1990s there were only about 40 residents in the area. After the discovery of one of Earth's largest known alluvial sapphire deposits in the valley of the Ilakaka river in 1998, the population had boomed to nearly 60,000 in 2005. Since high profits are at stake, violence is common in the town.
The Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean is a province of the Anglican Communion. It covers the islands of Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles. The current Archbishop and Primate is James Wong, Bishop of Seychelles.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toliara is one of five Metropolitan archdioceses with an Ecclesiastical province in Madagascar, yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Monja Jaona was a Malagasy politician and early nationalist who significantly drove political events on the island during his lifetime. He was a member of Jiny, a militant nationalist group formed in southern Madagascar in the 1940s that sided with MDRM during the ultimately unsuccessful Malagasy Uprising of 1947 against French rule. The colonial government imprisoned him from 1946 to 1950 for his affiliation with Jiny. He formed the Madagascar for the Malagasy (MONIMA) party in 1958 and successfully campaigned for the seat of mayor in Toliara, a position he held from 1959 to 1961. He came to view president Philibert Tsiranana and his Social Democratic Party (PSD) supporters as unduly favorable to continued French interests on the island after independence in 1960. Jaona instigated the 1971–72 rotaka farmer and student protests that successfully forced Tsiranana's resignation.
Saint Augustin is a town and commune in Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Toliara II, which is a part of Atsimo-Andrefana Region. The population of the commune was estimated to be approximately 15,000 in 2001 commune census. The mouth of the Onilahy River is near the town.
Analamisampy is a town and commune in Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Toliara II, which is a part of Atsimo-Andrefana Region. The population of the commune was estimated to be approximately 23,000 in 2001 commune census.
Andranovory is a town and commune in Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Toliara II, which is a part of Atsimo-Andrefana Region. The population of the commune was estimated to be approximately 31,000 in 2001 commune census.
Belalanda is a rural municipality in Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Toliara II, which is a part of Atsimo-Andrefana Region. The population of the commune was estimated to be approximately 7,000 in 2001 commune census.
Fiherenana is a river in the region Atsimo-Andrefana in southern Madagascar. It flows into the Indian Ocean at Tulear.
Route nationale 7 (RN7) is a primary highway in Madagascar running 980km from the capital Antananarivo to Tulear at the south-west coast of the country. It crosses the regions of Analamanga, Vakinankaratra, Amoron'i Mania, Haute Matsiatra, Ihorombe, and Atsimo-Andrefana.
Tropical Cyclone Haruna was a deadly storm that produced widespread flooding and a disease outbreak in southwestern Madagascar. The ninth system of the season, Haruna developed in the Mozambique channel in the middle of February 2013 between Mozambique and southwestern Madagascar. Initially moving northward over Mozambique, the disturbance later moved slowly southward, gradually strengthening into the eighth named storm of the season and later into an intense tropical cyclone. The Météo-France office in Réunion (MFR) – the official Regional Specialized Meteorological Center in the basin – estimated the cyclone attained peak 10 minute sustained winds of 150 km/h (95 mph). Haruna made landfall near Morombe in southwestern Madagascar on February 22. It weakened significantly while crossing the country, and MFR discontinued advisories on February 24 after the storm had emerged into the Indian Ocean.
Monique Andréas Esoavelomandroso is a politician from Madagascar. She was born in Fort-Dauphin in the far south-east of Madagascar and was raised in the west coast city of Tuléar, receiving a religious education in the Lutheran Church. She qualified as a financial auditor after studying in Paris and at the University of Pittsburgh, and has written studies on the demographics of Madagascar. She is married to Manassé Esoavelomandroso, the leader of the Leader Fanilo party.
Nosy Ve-Androka National Park is a Protected Marine Area located in the southwestern part of Madagascar, south of Tulear, and 40 km south of the tourist village of Anakao. It lies between latitudes 25 ° 29/25 ° 09 South and longitudes 44 ° 50/45 ° 06 East and covers an area of 92080 ha. It is composed of Core Areas totalling 28,820 ha and Buffer Zones totalling 63,260 ha. The park is made up of eight parcels in two clusters, with part found along the coast adjacent to Tsimanampetsotsa National Park. It includes sections of the rich coral reef system of South West Madagascar in the Mozambique Channel, recognized as the third largest reef system in the world. Diversity of habitats include fringing reefs, barrier reefs, coral reef beds, seagrass area, open sea, rocky coast and sandy beaches. The Nosy Ve-Androka National Park contains about 140 species of coral and 240 species of fish. There are also rare species such as Coelacanths, marine turtle species, dugongs, dolphins and whales and sandy beaches that are used by nesting sea turtles.
Route nationale 9 is a secondary highway in Madagascar of 382 km, running from Toliara to Mandabe. It crosses the regions of Menabe and Atsimo-Andrefana.
Mitsinjo Betanimena is a municipality and a quarter of Toliara (Tuléar) in Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Toliara II, which is a part of Atsimo-Andrefana Region. The population of this municipality was estimated to be approximately 15,000 in 2001 census.
