Ilakaka
One of the world's largest known alluvial sapphire deposits was discovered in the Ilakaka river valley in 1998, transforming what had been a tiny settlement of around 40 people into a boomtown almost overnight. Located in Madagascar's Ihorombe Region, Ilakaka retains the raw, frontier character of an open-pit mining town, with a modest central core of cafés and restaurants. Violence tied to the high-stakes gem trade is a documented feature of daily life here.
Description drafted with AI from public sources such as Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap. How this works
- Nearest water from center 10 km6.5 mi
- Nearest mountain from center 5.5 km3.4 mi
Nearest airports
Ilakaka: quick answers
Where is Ilakaka?
Ilakaka is in Madagascar.
How do you get to Ilakaka?
The nearest airport is Isalo (RLR), about 25 min away by road.
What's the weather like in Ilakaka?
The warmest month is November, averaging 24°C74°F across day and night; the coolest is July, at 16°C61°F. The wettest month is January, with about 276 mm10.8 in of precipitation. (Monthly averages, 1991–2020.)
What's in Ilakaka?
OpenStreetMap lists 8 restaurants and 7 places of worship within 2 km of the centre.