Brief introduction of Madagascar climate
It is nessary to have a look at geography of this island to know the climate of Madagascar. The map below is Madagascar through the eye of google earth. North is upper left side while south is right downside. See the map and you can find huge highland at the centre of the island. Green area of upper right side of the map – east side of Madagascar is the place with lower attitude. Western from there, brown area is the highland. The capital Antananarivo locates on the highland and its attitude is around 1,200m.
One more thing determining the climate is “wind”. Because Madagascar is in the South, the trade wind comes from east. This high humid wind gives east coast area lots of rain throughout the year, and it brings tropical climate to this area where is suitable for production of vanilla, cacao, cinnamon, pineapple and other tropical fruits.
On the other hand, west part of the island is drier and vast savanna areas can be seen. We can find many baobabs in west sea coast. South part of the island is much drier. In the central highland region despite its lower latitude, it has comfortable climate throughout the year because of its high altitude.
Madagascar has two seasons: rain season and dry season. From November to March is the rain season of relatively higher tempreture and more rain. The seasonal wind from African continent through Mozambique Channel brings it. Huge cyclones generated in the Indian Ocean often come to Madagascar in the season, and floods and landslides by cyclones cause serious damage on infrastructures and farming. For sightseeing it is best recommended to visit Madagascar in September and October.
This regional variety of climate in Madagascar has created biodiversity and unique life styles and cultures in different regions.
