Tuléar

Geography and climate

Toliara is located on a vast littoral plain near the Tropic of Capricorn on the Canal of Mozambique. To broad a long barrier extends from coral (the Large Reef) on 18 km of length and 3 km broad. The zone of beach is prolonged by the underwater beach in continuity with the continental shelf which goes down soft inclined towards the broad one. In north the delta of Fiherenana is. Toliara is called the " city of the soleil" because she knows a hot climate (26° of average) and semi-arid with less than 400 mm of annual rains. The city is swept permanently by a wind prevailing, the " Tsiokatimo" (or wind of the south), of direction SW-NE.

History

At the XVIIè century, the French flibustiers unloaded in bay of Saint-Augustin close to the Tropic of Capricorn and install a counter to maintain the commercial relations in particular with Masikoro (Sakalava). But, the colonial period (1897) will have to be waited to see a real rise of the city with the will of Gallieni to establish to with it the French administrative services hitherto isolated on the island from Nosy Ve and to make a regional capital of it.

Population and demography

Capital of the Malagasy South, Toliara knew during the two last decades a demographic boom following a massive rural migration carrying today its population with more than 200.000 inhabitants. " Vezo" , fishing nomads, constitute the " ethnicity; autochtone" but they are currently on the way to be dominated by the groups of migrants in particular originating in the South (Mahafale, Masikoro, Tandroy) who form currently more half of the urban population.

Economy and productions

In spite of the decline of the industrial sector, the port city specializes in the import-export of varied products of which the Sisal, the Coton, the Riz, the Arachide and the Savon. The port in particular played a central role at the time of the " boom of the maïs" in the years 80-90. Today, the installation of migrants illustrating itself in agriculture (corn, manioc and rice) and the breeding (Zebu S, caprine) providing the markets of the city in food products contribute to the development of the small shop and abstract with regard to Mahafale and Masikoro. Tandroy, as for them, specialize in the trade of gunner of Pousse-pousse, the means of transport more used in the city and domestic employment. But, with the image of the whole of the Malagasy West, the local economy remains dominated by a Indo-Pakistani " minority; Karana" installed since several generations. They put the hand on various sectors going of wholesale at transport while passing by hotel trade and industry (or what in remainder). Production units of sea salt develop on the saline Marais arranged by places on the coastal areas, thus profiting from a favorable physical environment. Tourism is a very promising sector which develops grace, inter alia, with the climate and the natural assets of the back-country. A calm sea and the low depth, 2 to 10 m on average, supports activities like deep-sea diving. Toliara remains the final destination of the tourist tours today towards the south of Madagascar. In addition, with regard to the surrounding area, the basement is rich in minerals of invaluable Pierres (to approximately 200 km in north is the layer of Saphir of Ilakaka exploited since 1999) and of terrestrial salt. More recently, of the Canadian companies begin exploitation of the Ilménite in the area of Fort-Dauphin.

Toliara at sea belongs to the zones of oil exploration of Madagascar.

Infrastructures

Large alteration work of the city was undertaken as from 2003 but much remains to be made.

Currencies

Fiherenana No will maha-Toliara: It is it (river) Fiherenana which makes Toliara
Toliara tsy miroro: Toliara never sleeps

Random links: