Madagascar (MG)
World's fourth-largest island, Madagascar offers extraordinary biodiversity (90% of wildlife found nowhere else), one of the world's lowest costs of living, warm French-speaking culture, and unique opportunities in vanilla, ecotourism, and development sectors.
Capital: Antananarivo
Region: Africa
Language: Malagasy
Currency: MGA (Ar)
Cost of living: Very affordable (index 15)
Emergency: 117
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Emergency Numbers
Save these numbers before you need them.
General Emergency
117
Police
117
Fire Brigade
18
Ambulance
15
Mental Health
No dedicated national mental health crisis line. In Antananarivo: contact private psychologists or NGO-based counsellors (Alliance Française community resources). For serious crises, Hôpital Psychiatrique de Anjanamasina: +261 20 22 221 66.
Domestic Violence
+261 20 22 341 40 (Collectif des Femmes pour la Démocratie et le Développement — CFDD)
How to call emergency services in Madagascar
Emergency services in Madagascar are severely underfunded and response times are long, especially outside Antananarivo. For medical emergencies, private clinics (Clinique Mamisoa, Clinique des Soeurs) are faster than public hospital ambulances. Most expats use direct taxi or private driver to reach a private clinic rather than waiting for ambulance response. Save clinic numbers in your phone on arrival.