Ecoregions of Madagascar

[citation needed] Madagascar features very contrasting topography, climate, and geology.

A mountain range on the east, rising to 2,876 m (9,436 ft) at its highest point, captures most rainfall brought in by trade winds from the Indian Ocean.

Geology features mainly igneous and metamorphic basement rocks, with some lava and quartzite in the central and eastern plateaus, while the western part has belts of sandstone, limestone (including the tsingy formations), and unconsolidated sand.

They range from the very humid eastern lowland forests to the sub-arid spiny thickets in the southwest.

[2] Freshwater ecoregions correspond to major catchment areas with a distinctive assemblage of species.