Sainte-Marie Nosy-Boraha Ambodifotatra | |
|---|---|
Commune and town | |
  Sainte-Marie Location in Madagascar | |
| Coordinates:16°58′0″S49°52′0″E / 16.96667°S 49.86667°E /-16.96667; 49.86667 | |
| Country |  Madagascar |
| Region | Analanjirofo |
| District | Nosy Boraha District |
| Government | |
| • Major | Ismak Ado Crophe Beassou |
| Population | |
• Total | 30,000 |
| Time zone | UTC3 (EAT) |
Nosy Boraha[ˈnuʃbuˈrahə̥], also known asSainte-Marie, main town Ambodifotatra, is anisland off the east coast ofMadagascar. The island forms an administrative district withinAnalanjirofo Region, and covers an area of 222 km2. It has a population estimated at 30,000.
Sainte-Marie Island is known for its authentic and preserved character, whale watching, beautiful beaches, and history. It is known for its history as apirate haven.
The island is organized as the city (commune urbaine) and district of Nosy Boraha inAnalanjirofo Region.
TheBetsimisaraka are the largest ethnic group on the island, though there had been a long history of mixed marriages, including with pirates in the 17th century.
Ferries leave fromSoanierana Ivongo andMahambo. There are also boats fromToamasina.
This island is 60 kilometres (37 miles) long and less than 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) wide.
| Climate data for Nosy Boraha (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 34.9 (94.8) | 35.1 (95.2) | 34.0 (93.2) | 33.0 (91.4) | 32.3 (90.1) | 31.6 (88.9) | 29.7 (85.5) | 29.7 (85.5) | 30.6 (87.1) | 31.4 (88.5) | 33.1 (91.6) | 34.5 (94.1) | 35.1 (95.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.3 (86.5) | 30.2 (86.4) | 29.8 (85.6) | 29.0 (84.2) | 27.9 (82.2) | 26.3 (79.3) | 25.4 (77.7) | 25.6 (78.1) | 26.6 (79.9) | 27.8 (82.0) | 29.1 (84.4) | 30.2 (86.4) | 28.2 (82.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.1 (80.8) | 26.4 (79.5) | 25.2 (77.4) | 23.8 (74.8) | 22.8 (73.0) | 22.9 (73.2) | 23.6 (74.5) | 24.8 (76.6) | 26.0 (78.8) | 27.1 (80.8) | 25.4 (77.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 24.6 (76.3) | 24.6 (76.3) | 24.4 (75.9) | 23.7 (74.7) | 22.5 (72.5) | 21.2 (70.2) | 20.1 (68.2) | 20.1 (68.2) | 20.5 (68.9) | 21.7 (71.1) | 22.8 (73.0) | 24.0 (75.2) | 22.5 (72.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 18.8 (65.8) | 20.0 (68.0) | 18.9 (66.0) | 19.5 (67.1) | 16.3 (61.3) | 16.6 (61.9) | 15.0 (59.0) | 15.1 (59.2) | 15.7 (60.3) | 16.9 (62.4) | 17.4 (63.3) | 20.0 (68.0) | 15.0 (59.0) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 389.9 (15.35) | 460.7 (18.14) | 469.8 (18.50) | 375.5 (14.78) | 347.9 (13.70) | 273.3 (10.76) | 292.5 (11.52) | 131.5 (5.18) | 80.6 (3.17) | 78.5 (3.09) | 99.9 (3.93) | 229.0 (9.02) | 3,229.1 (127.13) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 17.5 | 17.7 | 20.8 | 20.0 | 18.8 | 20.8 | 21.6 | 15.7 | 12.0 | 10.4 | 9.6 | 13.7 | 198.6 |
| Source:NOAA[2] | |||||||||||||
The channel between Nosy Boraha and Madagascar is known forwhale watching. Substantial pods ofhumpback whales (Megaptera) migrate from theAntarctic to the Baie de Tintingue, where the conditions are well suited for mating and raising calves before their annual migration to colder water. Although scarce,southern right whales[3] as a part of the recolonization of their former ranges, are known to appear along the coast from time to time.
Ile Sainte-Marie, or St. Mary's Island as it is known in English, became a popularbase for pirates, between the 17th and 18th centuries. Beginning withAdam Baldridge in 1691[4] and ending withJohn Pro in 1719, the location was favourable for pirate activity, being near maritime routes travelled by ships returning from theEast Indies, their holds overflowing with loot. The location also provided bays and inlets for protection from storms, abundant fruit and quiet waters. Legendary pirates includingWilliam Kidd,Robert Culliford,Olivier Levasseur (La Buse) who wrote acryptogram,Henry Every,Abraham Samuel andThomas Tew lived in theîle aux Forbans, an island located in the bay of Sainte Marie's main town, Ambodifotatra. Many of them were interred in cemeteries on Nosy Boraha, although the remains have never been identified.[5]It was rumored that the legendary Pirate Republic founded by Henry Every existed in this area.[6] It was said that Every reigned there as a Pirate King or Emperor.[7]
There is a legend that a French pirate namedMisson established a pirate republic called “Libertalia” inAntsiranana Bay, located in the northern part of the island of Madagascar.[8] This legend is believed to be a fictional creation inspired by the story of Every’s pirate kingdom.[8][9]
In 1750, the ruler of the Kingdom of Betsimisaraka,Bety of Betsimisaraka, ceded the Island to theKingdom of France in a Treaty. However, in 1752 the French colonists were massacred when the local population rebelled. France left the settlement abandoned for roughly half a century until returning in 1818, when the island was converted into apenal colony.[10] In 1857 the French established the first Catholic church in Madagascar, which is still in use today. French rule came to an end in 1960 after the island's population voted in a referendum to join theMalagasy Republic.[11]
Free from sharks, the lagoon of the island is endowed with significant coralline growth. Its underwater fauna is conserved as a natural heritage and popular diving site in the Indian Ocean.
On 7 May 2015, a large 55 kg (121 lb) "silver" ingot, which was believed to beCaptain Kidd's treasure, was found off the coast of the island.[12] After further analysis,UNESCO determined that the piece actually consisted of 95% lead; they judged it to be "a broken part of the Sainte-Marie port constructions."[13]
On Nosy Boraha, the inhabitants are attached to traditions. The social or family events are faithfully linked to practices invoking the ancestors' spirits. The wealth and variety of these rituals underline the authenticity and depth of the "Saint-marien" cultural identity.
The insular character and the coralline soil encouraged various adaptations, as much of animal as of plant structure. Thus, Boraha is endowed with a rich fauna and flora. There are several species oflemur as well as numerousorchid species, among which is the "Queen of Madagascar" (Eulophiella roempleriana). The island was home to the only known population ofDelalande's coua, a species ofcuckoo that became extinct in the late 19th century, possibly due to predation by feral cats.[citation needed]
Ilot Madame Museum is the only museum found on this island.
Nosy Boraha is the setting for the fantasy historical children's bookKintana and the Captain's Curse by Susan Brownrigg. (Uclan Publishing, July 2021.) It is also featured in the retelling of Peter Pan, "The Adventures of Mary Darling" by Pat Murphy (Tachyon Publications, May 2025.)
Recent violent assaults have been reported on the island and it is not recommended to visit alone.[14][15][16]
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| Communes in the region ofAnalanjirofo, Madagascar | ||
|---|---|---|
Capital:Fenoarivo Atsinanana | ||
| Fenerive Est (509) |  | |
| Sainte Marie (Nosy Boraha) (515) | ||
| Soanierana Ivongo (516) | ||
| Vavatenina (518) | ||
4 districts; 35 communes | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
