Nosy Komba

Nosy Komba

Beach on Nosy Komba
Geography
Location	Madagascar
Coordinates	13°28′S 48°21′E / 13.47°S 48.35°E / -13.47; 48.35
Area	27.9 km2 (10.8 sq mi)
Highest elevation	622 m (2041 ft)
Highest point	Antaninaombi
Administration
Madagascar
Region	Diana Region
District	Nosy-Be
Commune	Nosy-Be
Arrondissement	Ampangorina
Demographics
Population	5,834 (2018)
Pop. density	209/km2 (541/sq mi)

Nosy Komba (Malagasy pronunciation: [nusʲ ˈkuᵐba]; lit. 'island of lemurs'), also known as Nosy Ambariovato, is a small volcanic island in Madagascar, situated between the island of Nosy Be and the northwestern coast of the main island of Madagascar. Roughly circular, it rises sharply towards a plateau and the summit of Antaninaombi at the center of the island. Administered as an arrondissement of the unitary commune and district of Nosy-Be within Diana Region, the island is divided into five fokontany (villages), with Ampangorina as the main village and administrative center.

The lowlands of the island are divided between secondary forest and a patchwork of farmland and plantations (notably including shade-grown coffee), while the highlands are mainly scrubland, with a bamboo forest in the northern portions. The island hosts a diverse range of reptiles and amphibians, although this has been slightly reduced by past deforestation. The island is known for its black lemurs, attracting significant ecotourism. An additional nocturnal species of sportive lemur has not been sighted on the island since the 1990s. Heavily deforested over the 19th and 20th centuries, only small pockets of old-growth forest remain in Nosy Komba's rural gullies and hills. Although the island hosts a traditionally-protected forest and a 60 ha (150 acres) arboretum established in the colonial era, protection for the latter is essentially unenforced, and illegal logging continues.

During the early 19th century, the region was heavily settled by Sakalava refugees and their slaves fleeing the hegemony of the Merina Kingdom. France gained control of the island in 1840; it was converted to a logistic center for the import of indentured servants and local slaves, and later a sanatorium retreat for colonists. In the modern era, the population of Nosy Komba is mainly restricted to the northern half of the island. The economy is reliant on tourism and handicraft, supplemented by fishing and a wide range of agricultural products. Hotels and guest houses support tourists to the island, mainly on excursions from Nosy Be.