Marolambo

Marolambo
Marolambo

Location in Madagascar

Coordinates: 20°03′S 48°07′E / 20.050°S 48.117°E / -20.050; 48.117
Country  Madagascar
Region Atsinanana
District Marolambo District
Population (2005)
 • Total 26,160
Time zone EAT (UTC3)

Marolambo is a village and commune (kaominina) located in the Atsinanana region of eastern Madagascar. It is along the Nosivolo River near the junction with the Sandranamby River, and is also the capital of the Marolambo District.

Overview

The town was founded by French colonialists, though their footprint was limited. It is the largest town on the Nosivolo River.[1] The area is so remote that no automobiles were present in the town between 1972 and 2006, according to a 2010 report.[2] From the mid-1940s until the early 1970s is was possible to reach the village by car, but the road deteriorated from lack of maintenance.

According to researcher Hilde Nielssen, who has done anthropology field work in the area, the lack of infrastructure and remoteness of the area makes it a relatively undesirable placement for outsiders such as government officials and medical workers. Nevertheless, Marolambo is still a local center for commerce, education, and health in the area, as it has a public and private high school, public and private hospital, and a few merchants.[3]

A small airstrip was built near the village by Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) around 1993 by shearing off hilltops, though its dirt surface would suffer damage from erosion during the rainy season. Between 2007 and 2009, the airstrip was paved by MAF, who brings supplies to the area.[3][4][5]

The Nosivolo River is known for its biodiversity, and the endangered oxylapia polli (locally known as the songatana) fish species (among other rare species) is found in the Marolambo rapids near the village.

References

  1. ↑ (20 September 2010). Nosivolo is designated as Madagascar's first riverine Ramsar site, conservation.org
  2. ↑ (25 November 2010). MADAGASCAR: New Livelihoods to Protect A River’s Life, Inter Press Service
  3. 1 2 Nielssen, Hilde. Ritual Imagination: A Study of Tromba Possession Among the Betsimisaraka in Eastern Madagascar, p. 20 (2012)
  4. ↑ Marolambo airstrip (photograph), flickr.com, October 18, 2007
  5. ↑ Creating something of lasting value, MAF News (December 2009-February 2010).

Coordinates: 20°03′S 48°07′E / 20.050°S 48.117°E / -20.050; 48.117

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