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Landforms in Madagascar African?

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Landforms in Madagascar African?

Travel Tips

These are good sites to learn about the landforms and geography of Madagascar:
http://countrystudies.us/madagascar/7.ht...
http://www.photius.com/countries/madagas...
Others

Towards the east, a steep escarpment leads from the central highlands down into a ribbon of rain forest with a narrow coastal further east. The Canal des Pangalanes is a chain of natural and man-made lakes connected by canals that runs parallel to the east coast for some 300 miles (about 200 km).

On the western side of the island, the descent from the central highlands toward the west is more gradual, with remnants of deciduous forest and savannah-like plains (which in the south and southwest, are quite dry and host spiny desert and baobabs). Although there are many protected harbours on the west coast, silting up, caused by sediment from the high levels of erosion suffered inland in Madagascar, is a major problem.

A central ridge running the length of the island from north to south creates a clear geographical division between the east and west. Along the crest of this ridge lie the central highlands, a plateau region ranging in altitude from 2,450 to 4,400 ft (750 to 1350m) above sea level. The central highlands are characterised by terraced, rice-growing valleys lying between barren hills. Here, the red laterite soil that covers much of the island has been exposed by erosion, showing clearly why the country is often referred to as known as the 鈥淩ed Island."

The central ridge is punctuated by three zones of higher mountain massifs. The Tsaratanana massif in the far north has volcanic mountains and separate Diego Suarez (Antsiranana), with its large natural harbour, from the rest of the island. The highest mountain on the island, Maromokotro, with an altitude of 9,436 ft (2,876 m), is found in this massif. The Ankaratra massif is in the central area south of the capital, Antananarivo and is where the second highest peak on the island, Tsiafajavona, with an altitude of 8,668 ft (2,643 m), is situated. Further south is the Andringitra massif which has several peaks over 8,000 ft (about 2,400 m) including the island鈥檚 third and fourth highest peaks, the 8,720 ft (2,658 m) Pic Boby and the 8,626 ft (2,630 m) Pic Bory. Other peaks in the massif, which is where the Andringitra Reserve, include Pic Soaindra (altitude: 8,594 ft, 2,620 m) and Pic Ivangomena (altitude: 8,385 ft, 2,556 m). The Ankaratra massif is the one part of the island where snow is found (above 8,000 ft, 2,400 m) and may remain for several days.
http://countrystudies.us/madagascar/7.ht...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/madagascar#...