The Republic of Madagascar (Madagasikara in Malagasy) occupies the world's fourth-largest island, lying parallel to the the southeastern coast of Africa. By the early 1800s the island was united by the Merina Kingdom. Beginning in 1883 France invaded the country and by 1897 it had become a French colony. Madagascar recovered its independence in 1960. Separated from any other continent for about 90 million years the mini-continent of Madagascar is famous for its unusual plants and wildlife. The lighthouses of Madagascar, a heritage from France, deserve more attention than they have received in the past. The lack of photos is disappointing since many of the lighthouses are accessible near coastal towns. It appears that some of the historic coastal lights have been abandoned although harbor lights are being maintained. Malagasy and French are official languages in Madagascar. French place names in Madagascar have been replaced officially by names in Malagasy but the traditional French names also remain in common use. Until 2009 Madagascar was divided into six provinces; now it is divided into 22 regions (faritra). This page includes lighthouses of the former provinces of Mahajanga and Antsiranana, located respectively on the northwest coast and at the north end of the island. There is a separate page covering the rest of the country. The common Malagasy word for lighthouse, fara, is adapted from the French word phare. In Malagasy nosy is an island, tanjona is a cape, ranomasina is a bay or sea, renirano is a river, and seranana is a harbor. Lighthouses in Madagascar are operated by the national port authority, the Agence
Portuaire, Maritime et Fluviale (APMF) ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume D of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.
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Melaky Region Lighthouses
Boeny Region Lighthouses
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![]() Pointe de Sable Light, Mahajanga, September 2019 Google Maps photo by Wojciech Turżański |
Sofia Region Lighthouses
Diana Region Lighthouses
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Sava Region Lighthouses
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![]() Tanjona Masoala Light, Ambodilaitry, December 2008 ex-Panoramio photo copyright eldaron; used by permission |
Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: East: Réunion | South: Southern Madagascar | West: Mayotte
Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key
Posted November 14, 2005. Checked and revised January 30, 2025. Lighthouses: 33. Site copyright 2025 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.