Toliara
Province
Map of Madagascar with Toliara highlighted
Coordinates (Capital): 22°45′S 44°15′E / 22.750°S 44.250°E / -22.750; 44.250
Country	Madagascar
Capital	Toliara
Area
• Total	161,405 km2 (62,319 sq mi)
Population  (2001)
• Total	2,229,550
• Density	14/km2 (36/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+3

The Toliara Province (formerly Toliary or Tuléar) is a former province of Madagascar with an area of 161,405 square kilometres (62,319 sq mi). It had a population of 2,229,550 (July, 2001). Its capital was Toliara. Near Toliara was the " spiny forest". Toliara Province bordered the following provinces – Mahajanga Province in the north, Antananarivo Province in the northeast and Fianarantsoa Province in the east.

Economy and population

Masikoro Malagasy and Tandroy Malagasy were the chief languages. ^[1] Sea cucumbers were exported from the province and were an important factor in its economy. ^[2] The deciduous Andronovory forest was located in the province. ^[3]

The province was the poorest one in Madagascar. In 1993, 8 in every 10 person of the province was living below the poverty line. Despite the production of export crops the province recorded the highest rural poverty. ^{[4] [5]} The average fertility rate per woman was above 5. ^[6] With 77 percent of its population being illiterate, Tolaira was the most illiterate province of Madagascar. Only 22 percent of the province's population had received primary level education. ^{[7] [8]}

The commercially valuable softwood tree Givotia madagascariensis, found in Antananarivo and Toliara provinces was endemic to Madagascar. ^[9] The oil producing plant moringa drouhardii was endemic to Toliara province. ^[10] Deforestation was a major issue for the province. ^[11] In April 1971, a peasant rebellion was organised by MONIMA leader Monja Joana. The peasants refused to pay taxes and the government retaliated by dissolving MONIMA and deporting Joana. ^[12]

Toliara province offered poor transport and security facilities. ^{[13] [14]} Potable water was accessible to only 24.9% of the province's households. ^[15] It was rich in terms of minerals. ^{[16] [17]} Toliara province was in the news in July 2005 for its mining activity. ^[18]

Abolition

The provinces were abolished following the results of Malagasy constitutional referendum, 2007 which led to the formation of 22 smaller areas (faritra or regions) to facilitate regional development. ^[19]

Administrative divisions

Toliara Province was divided into four regions of Madagascar - Androy, Anosy, Atsimo Andrefana and Menabe. These four regions became the first-level administrative divisions when the provinces were abolished in 2009. They are sub-divided into 21 districts:

References

Bibliography

• Collins, N. Mark; Morris, Michael G. (1985). "Papilio (Princeps) morondavana Grose-smith, 1891". Threatened Swallowtail Butterflies of the World: The IUCN Red Data Book. Gland & Cambridge: IUCN. pp. 354–355. ISBN  978-2-88032-603-6 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
• Cook, Jonathan A. (2010). Vulnerable Places, Vulnerable People: Trade Liberalization, Rural Poverty and the Environment. Edward Elgar Publishing. ISBN  978-1-84980-519-3.
• Europa Publications (2003). Political Chronology of Africa. Routledge. ISBN  978-1-135-35666-8.
• Frawley, William (2003). International Encyclopedia of Linguistics. Oxford University Press. p. 205. ISBN  978-0-19-513977-8.
• Madagascar: Recent Economic Developments and Selected Issues. International Monetary Fund. 1997. ISBN  978-1-4519-9201-4.
• Madagascar: Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. International Monetary Fund. 2003. GGKEY:WBCZZ86945A.
• Lemmens, R.H.M.J.; Louppe, D.; Oteng-Amoako, A.A. Timbers 2. PROTA. ISBN  978-92-9081-495-5.
• Lovatelli, Alessandro; Conand, C. (2004). Advances in Sea Cucumber Aquaculture and Management. Food & Agriculture Org. p.  141. ISBN  978-92-5-105163-4.
• Milisenda, Claudio C.; Henn, U. (1996). "Compositional characteristics of sapphires from a new find in Madagascar". The Journal of Gemmology. 25 (3). Great Britain: Gemmological Association of Great Britain: 177–184. doi: 10.15506/JoG.1996.25.3.177.
• van der Vossen, H.A.M.; Mkamilo, G.S. (2007). Vegetable oils. PROTA. ISBN  978-90-5782-191-2.
• Education and Training in Madagascar: Toward a Policy Agenda for Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction. World Bank Publications. 2002. ISBN  978-0-8213-5164-2.