Androy


Androy is the most southerly region of Madagascar. It covers an area of 19,540 km2, and had a population of 903,376 inhabitants in 2018. The administrative capital is Ambovombe-Androy, and the chief administrator is Michael Andrianirina.

Area

Androy is the deep south of Madagascar. It is located south of the Tropic of Capricorn and conventionally delimited between the Mandrare and Menarandra rivers. It is 19,540 km2 and is bordered by the Mahafaly people to the northwest, the Antanosy to the east and the Bara land to the north.

Administrative divisions

Androy region is divided into four districts, which are sub-divided into 51 communes, which later are further sub-divided into 881 localities.
In 2013 the estimated total population of Androy Region was 733,933 inhabitants, with a population growth rate of 2.7%. The population is almost entirely Tandroy or Karembola, with small numbers of Antanosy, Mahafaly, Merina and Betsileo who also live there. The Tandroy may also be called the "'Antandroy'", but "'Tandroy'" is preferable. There are another estimated 150,000 Tandroy living in other parts of the island, many of them having moved due to recurring famine in the Androy region. In 2013 some 349,675 people - nlmost half of the total population of Androy - lived in the Ambovombe-Androy District, which has a population density of 60/km2. The strip along the southeast coast, is the most densely populated. Bekily District had about 164,751 inhabitants, Beloha-Androy has about 109,361 and Tsiombe has about 110,147.

Climatology

The Androy region is semi- to sub-arid with an average rainfall of just , which is unevenly distributed during the year. Other than the Mandrare river, most riverbeds are dry for much of the year and it has frequent droughts which often lead to Kere. Coupled with this are almost constant strong, drying winds, especially along the coast, known as "Tiokatimo." Water is in such short supply that it is delivered by truck to some people and sold by those who sell it from oxcarts to others. The periodic famines have caused somewhere between 15 and 30% of the Antandroy to have left Androy, having moved west to Toliary or to northern Madagascar.

Protected Areas

Due to inadequate water and a large population, Androy has become a region of chronic food insecurity and is one of the poorest regions in Madagascar. Due to this a variety of international organizations including the European Union, Groupe de Recherches et d'Echanges Technologiques, Japan International Cooperation Agency, UNICEF, the World Food Programme are all working there. Most people are subsistence farmers growing cassava, maize, sweet potatoes, legumes, cowpeas, groundnuts, lentils, millet, sorghum and mangos. Cash crops include sisal and groundnuts. There also pastoralists who raise cattle, sheep, goats and chickens. Zebu are central to the religious and social life of the Antandroy. While they supply milk, meat and leather, they are also a very important determinant of the status and wealth of the Tandroy people. While Androy borders the ocean, there is minimal fishing, most for local consumption. Of the almost 20,000 km2, only 344 km2 are forested.
Trades include silversmiths, tailors, cobblers and carpenters. Basketry is still practiced, but blacksmiths and those who dye cotton cloth, weave silk and make pottery have declined. Stores are mostly quite small, located in urban centers and are mostly owned by Indo-Pakistanis, Chinese and Malagasy from the highlands. There are also weekly markets where homegrown produce is sold and things like soap, cooking pots and other things can be purchased.

Transport

Airport

Some argue the Tandroy are a "composite ethnicity" of many clans of diverse origins who arrived in migration "waves," settling in Androy only several centuries ago. There is also evidence of "pre-Tandroy" inhabitants from as far back as the 11th and 12th centuries. For a timeline of the history of Androy, see below.

Additional Information

Antandroy
Archaeology
Forests
Maps
Mining
Coal -
Tsavorite - Initially found in Gogogo and more recently in Behara.
NGOs
Tourism
Weather

Timeline

10th to 13th Centuries

-possible evidence of human consumption of Aepyornis eggs near Talaky at the Manambovo rivermouth
-Manda Civilization, which arose in the 10th Century and fell in the 13th, had towns near Bekily and Bekitro, Andaro on a tributary of the Linta near Fotadrevo, east of Lanany river's junction with the Manambovo, west of Vohimena, north of Vohipary and at Bebajine. Based on archeological finds, several of these towns appear to have been involved in trade by sea with Zimbabwe, Mozambique and the Swahili Coast.

14th to 15th Centuries

- population in Androy fell dramatically, as did imports, with most settlements located for defense of villagers.

16th Century

- Royal center of the Andriamanare, Tandroy's royal clan/dynasty, at Ampotake. There were also royal centers located in Montefeno and Anjampanorora.
- beginning of expansion of the Antandroy kingdom
1648 - Etienne de Flacourt reaches the Mandrare river and carves two words on a stone: "Cave Incolas".
1649 - Ancient royal settlement at Montefeno, ruled by King Andrianmififarivo, king of Ampatres, was visited by soldiers sent by Governor Étienne de Flacourt from Fort Dauphin).
late 1600s - King Andrianjoma, who lived near Ambaro, became the founding ancestor of the Tekonda line of Andriamañare.

18th Century

early 1700s - Menarandra area of southwestern Androy annexed by Maroserana dynasty
1703 - Shipwreck of the Degrave, an English East Indiaman, at Belitsaky. Robert Drury visited the royal capital of Fenoarivo shortly thereafter. His crew is massacred by the Antandroy and he is kept as a slave till 1709.
- different clans from the east, north and northwest invaded Androy and put an end to the ruling dynasty of the Andriamañar
- beginning of the development of what Mike Pearson et al. described as the "megalithic and monumental" Antandroy tombs
1769 - Introduced in Fort Dauphin during a settlement French attempt, spiny prickly pear cactus Opuntia dillenii spreads throughout the Androy region.

19th Century

- Androy remained independent of the expanded Imerina Kingdom
- further expansion of number of communities in Androy, especially near Faralambo where the Afomarolahy clan settled

20th Century

1901-1903 - French conquered Androy, though area remained in a State of Emergency due to continued Antandroy resistance to French rule
1917 - State of Emergency in Androy ended.
1924 - Introduction of a Cochineal insect Coccus cacti by Botanist H.Perrier de la Bâthie, in an attempt to ensure biological control of the invasive Opuntia dillenii cactus, called raketa gasy. Though cacti were beneficial - staple feed for human beings and cattle - it was getting difficult to save farmlands in order to grow crops.
1928 - Henry de Heaulme arrives in Fort Dauphin, having driven down from Tananarive in a Harley Davidson motorcycle with his wife and son in the side car. His intent was to export mica from Anosy and sisal from Androy through Fort Dauphin. This family also gets involved in conservation efforts and later also gets into the tourism business.
1928-29 - Destruction of Opuntia dillenii cactus by cochineal beetle. Aermotor Company sets up a water pumping windmill - wheel diameter 6m - on a 15m high tower: it pumps out 10 cubic meters/hr water from a 45m deep well. Fifty units are foreseen, one every.
1957 - Erection of a 414m long steel bridge, designed by Anciens Ets Eiffel - Pont du Mandrare - insures the first all-year-long road link between the Androy and Anosy regions. The Antandroy-so called Grand Pont is one of the last impressive steel bridges, built in the nineties, just before the technological move to the prestressed concrete works.
1950s-60s - Boetchi, de Heaulme and Jenny families and the Lyonnaise and Marseillaise companies exported wild beans of Castor oil plant, cattle, mica and sisal, much of it from Androy.
1958 - Monja Jaona formed the Madagasikara Otronin'ny Malagasy --Madagascar for the Malagasy—party which he led till his death. This became a significant regional party which represented both radical intellectuals and peasants from the south.
1960 - Madagascar declared its independence from France.
1971 - Monja Jaona claimed authorship of April armed insurrection by impoverished peasants in Androy who were upset by the corruption of government tax collectors at a time when their cattle herds were being ravaged by disease. There were also frustrations due to the failure of the government to provide disaster relief in response to a serious drought which was followed by floods. On April 1–2 more than 1,000 armed members of the MO.NI.MA. attacked 5 military posts in the Tulear province, resulting in 1 of the security forces killed and 11 wounded. This was quickly and harshly suppressed by the government, with 45 of the MONI.MA. killed, 9 wounded and 847 held for questioning. Monja Jaona and hundreds of MO.NI.MA. members were arrested and sent by cargo ship from Fort Dauphin to Nosy Lava where they were imprisoned.
1972 - Monja Jaona and the MO.NI.MA. party, which had become a left-wing opposition movement, gained the support of Tananarive's university students and urban radicals who, though MO.NI.MA. was banned by the government, led demonstrations against President Tsiranana until his fall May 1972.
1991-92 - Major famine in Androy with major responses by UNICEF and the World Food Program and also by Catholic and Malagasy Lutheran churches.
2003 - Famine in Androy
2006-07 - Famine in Androy
2011 - Major famine in Androy