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 alluvialsapphire 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.[1]
IlakakaMiners' huts and tailings dump near IlakakaMiners' huts and tailings dump near Ilakaka
In 1998, after the discovery of an important sapphiremine, what was once a quiet rural village has been transformed into a Wild West town, a victim of "Sapphire fever," with thousands of arrivals hoping to stake a claim, complete with bars, brothels, and scores to settle. The fever has overrun the entire country and every day hundreds of people flow in from throughout the region.
Demographyedit
The village has exploded with the incessant influx. As of 2008 the population was about 30,000 according to local authorities, but the number is highly approximate given the incessant turnover. All 18 ethnic groups of Madagascar are represented.
ilakaka, small, town, ihorombe, region, south, western, part, madagascar, early, 1990s, there, were, only, about, residents, area, after, discovery, earth, largest, known, alluvial, sapphire, deposits, valley, river, 1998, population, boomed, nearly, 2005, sin. 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 1 Ilakaka Miners huts and tailings dump near Ilakaka Miners huts and tailings dump near Ilakaka 22 41 S 45 13 E 22 68 S 45 21 E 22 68 45 21 Contents 1 Geography 2 History 3 Demography 4 Religion 5 Administration 6 Environment and infrastructure 7 References 8 External linksGeography editIlakaka is in Ihosy District Ihorombe Region 735 km south of Antananarivo near Isalo National Park It is found along the Route nationale No 7 from Toliara 210 km to Fianarantsoa 307 km in southwestern Madagascar It is situated at 210 km from Tulear 26 km from Ranohira and 84 km from Sakaraha 2 History editIn 1998 after the discovery of an important sapphire mine what was once a quiet rural village has been transformed into a Wild West town a victim of Sapphire fever with thousands of arrivals hoping to stake a claim complete with bars brothels and scores to settle The fever has overrun the entire country and every day hundreds of people flow in from throughout the region Demography editThe village has exploded with the incessant influx As of 2008 the population was about 30 000 according to local authorities but the number is highly approximate given the incessant turnover All 18 ethnic groups of Madagascar are represented Religion editThere is a mosque and a Church Rhema in Ilakaka Administration editIlakaka belongs to the district of Ihosy in the region of Ihorombe in the province of Fianarantsoa Environment and infrastructure editUnofficial plots are pitted with wells into which the miners descend to find a seam The landscape has been remade by such operations The sheet metal shacks where the miners live have neither running water nor electricity and there are very few paved roads The area is spotted with giant baobabs References edit Hogg Jonny 2007 11 17 BBC NEWS Programmes From Our Own Correspondent Madagascar s sapphire rush BBC News Atlas Mondial France Loisir page 159External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ilakaka Sapphire Rush in Ilakaka Close up satellite map of Ilakaka Archived 2018 04 08 at the Wayback Machine http www riva press com det php id 13 Reportage about Ilakaka by French Malagasy photojournalist Rijasolo Riva Press agency nbsp Madagascar portal Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ilakaka amp oldid 1187370053, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
