Madagascar Newspapers and Magazines Overview
Madagascar’s newspapers and magazines offer a vivid window into the island’s politics, environment, and culture. Daily broadsheets report national policy and business, while investigative weeklies and local tabloids amplify community concerns across urban and rural areas. Specialist magazines focus on conservation, ecotourism, Malagasy arts, and agricultural trends, complemented by digital news portals and independent outlets that deepen public debate. Operating amid linguistic diversity and expanding internet access, Madagascar’s press delivers timely reporting and thoughtful analysis, making it an essential resource for readers seeking authentic local perspectives.
National Newspapers And Magazines Top Madagascar Publications
- L’Express de Madagascar is one of Madagascar’s leading national dailies with a strong online presence from Antananarivo. Published mainly in French with regular Malagasy content, it covers politics, national affairs, culture, social issues and editorial analysis making it a go-to source for readers and researchers looking for authoritative, on the ground reporting from the island. The site publishes timely breaking news, feature journalism and dossiers that are SEO-friendly for queries like “Madagascar news”, “Antananarivo politics” and “Madagascar culture”, helping international audiences discover local context and developments. (lexpress.mg)
- Midi Madagasikara is a long standing national daily headquartered in Antananarivo, known for its tabloid format and broad coverage in French (with Malagasy pages). The paper publishes daily updates on politics, social affairs, culture and domestic events and maintains an active online edition that serves both local readers and diaspora audiences. Its mixture of quick news, human-interest stories and civic reporting makes it highly discoverable for keywords such as “daily Madagascar news”, “Madagascar current affairs”, and “Antananarivo headlines”, useful for SEO targeting national news seekers. (Midi Madagasikara)
- Madagascar Tribune is a major independent online daily that provides news, analysis and dossiers on politics, society, and culture. Originating from a print history, its robust web edition focuses on investigative pieces, political coverage and national stories from across Madagascar. The site is optimized for readers searching for authoritative Malagasy reportage and is frequently referenced for developments centered in Antananarivo and the provinces, making it useful for researchers, policy watchers and expats tracking Malagasy affairs. (Madagascar-Tribune.com)
- La Gazette de la Grande Île [LGDI] is a national French/Malagasy daily that positions itself as a source of in depth reporting and commentary on national life in Madagascar. LGDI publishes features on governance, society and culture and aims to provide fact-based stories with editorial analysis. The site serves readers looking for authoritative, magazine-style reportage about Madagascar and appears in national press listings, offering good SEO value for queries about Malagasy current affairs and commentary. (lgdi-madagascar.com)
- Newsmada is a national news portal and aggregator that groups several Malagasy outlets (including sections like Les Nouvelles, Taratra and others), delivering a broad feed of headlines, regional dispatches, politics and culture in French and Malagasy. As an aggregator and active portal, Newsmada is commonly used by readers who want consolidated national coverage from multiple editorial teams making it an efficient destination for searchers typing “Madagascar news roundup”, “Les Nouvelles Madagascar” or “Madagascar headlines today.” (newsmada.com)
- La Nation is a national daily with a formal layout, reporting on politics, education, health, social policy and national events. The paper is positioned as a steady source for official news and civic reporting from Madagascar and often appears in directories and press lists for the country. Its online edition is useful for SEO phrases such as “Madagascar government news”, “La Nation Madagascar” and “Antananarivo national news.” (lanation.mg)
- Madagascar Matin is a national daily offering news, editorials and features on society, culture and politics. Its online presence provides up-to-date reporting and practical coverage appealing to both local readers and the Malagasy diaspora. The site ranks well for keyword searches related to day-to-day events, local commentary and national headlines, making it a solid pick for readers searching “Madagascar news today” or “Madagascar Matin headlines.” (matin.mg)
- L’Observateur [digital edition] offers an e edition and national coverage focusing on politics, lifestyle and culture. Its digital platform provides scanned e-paper editions alongside web articles, appealing to readers who prefer full-page e-papers or deeper feature reads. L’Observateur’s format and archives make it SEO-friendly for searches like “L’Observateur Madagascar e-edition”, “Madagascar opinion pieces” and long-form local journalism. (digital.lobservateur.com)
- La Vérité is a national daily in French that focuses on investigative political reporting and national commentary. The publication maintains a topical website with political analyses, editorials and current affairs coverage from Antananarivo. For readers and researchers searching for in-depth political news about Madagascar, La Vérité is a referenced outlet in national media directories and is discoverable via keywords such as “La Vérité Madagascar politics” and “Madagascar investigative reporting.” (laverite.mg)
- No Comment [no comment magazine] is a modern Malagasy cultural and lifestyle magazine available online with regular editorial, art, culture and feature photography. The platform publishes interviews, cultural investigations and photo-essays that appeal to readers searching for Madagascar arts, music and lifestyle content. As an active online magazine, No Comment is good for SEO phrases like “Madagascar culture magazine”, “No Comment Madagascar interview” and “Madagascar photo-essay.” (nocomment.mg)
- Prime Magazine / Prime Media [Prime Magazine in-flight and features] is a glossy publication focused on Madagascar travel, destinations, culture and lifestyle often used as an in flight or hospitality magazine. It publishes destination features, conservation stories and tourism profiles that rank for queries like “Madagascar travel magazine”, “Prime Magazine Madagascar” and “Madagascar destinations guide”, attracting tourists and hospitality industry readers. The magazine’s online editions and archives make it useful for tourism SEO and culture searches. (primemedia.international)
- Madagascar Magazine is an English/French travel and culture magazine oriented to visitors and international readers interested in Madagascar’s nature, travel advice and cultural background. With practical travel guides and destination storytelling, it performs well for search queries like “Madagascar travel tips”, “Madagascar wildlife magazine” and “visit Madagascar guide”, helping anglophone audiences learn about the island. (MADAMAGAZINE)
Regional And Local Newspapers Madagascar City and Regional Coverage
- La Tribune de Diego Antsiranana [Diego-Suarez] is the primary local paper for Antsiranana (Diego-Suarez) and the far north (DIANA region). It publishes city news, maritime and port updates, tourism items, event listings, community notices and local investigative pieces — often in French with local Malagasy coverage. Because it produces downloadable PDF issues and focused dossiers about the north (ports, fisheries, tourism and heritage), it’s the go-to source for anyone looking for Diego-Suarez municipal news, travel advice for Nosy Be/Ramena, or regional political developments. (latribune.cyber-diego.com)
- 2424 Madagascar regional tags / city pages [Toamasina, Mahajanga, Morondava, etc.] is an online newsroom with strong region by region coverage (Toamasina/Tamatave, Mahajanga/Majunga, Morondava, the southern districts, etc.). While it serves national readership, its “Régions” and city tags make it extremely useful for local updates floods, port news, municipal decisions and on-the-ground reporting that rarely appears in international feeds. The site’s live feed and region tags (e.g., Mahajanga, Toamasina) make it practical for journalists and researchers tracking city-level developments in Madagascar. (2424 Madagascar News)
- Journal Madagascar bilingual online journal with local reporting and regional dossiers is an independent, bilingual (French / Malagasy) online journal that frequently publishes regional reports, investigations and event coverage from provincial capitals (Fianarantsoa, Toliara, Antsiranana, etc.). Its reporting includes social affairs, environment, culture and regional development pieces useful when searching for in-depth regional stories, local NGO activity, or human-interest reportage outside Antananarivo. The site’s archive and category tags are practical for SEO queries like “Fianarantsoa actualité” or “Toliara reportage.” (Journal Madagascar)
- Madagate investigative and regional reporting with strong local dossiers is a well established Malagasy webzine known for political analysis and investigative pieces that often include regional dossiers and city level angles. Though it covers national politics, many of its investigations and features originate from or focus on specific regions (e.g., land conflicts, environmental impacts in southern towns). For anyone looking for investigative coverage that ties national issues to local effects municipal corruption cases, regional environment stories or local reactions to policy Madagate’s archive is a valuable local/regional resource. (madagate.com)
- Madagascar Online / MadOnline regional features and travel/city guides [various city pages] publishes regional features, city guides, tourism reports and spot stories focused on destinations such as Antsirabe, Morondava, Mahajanga and more. Its city and destination pages are practical for regional context (what’s happening in a given city, local attractions, small-scale economy and transport updates). Use it for local travel planning, cultural events and city-level reporting that complements daily regional bulletins. (madonline.com)
- VIVA Mahajanga [Mahajanga community pages and local reporting] is a community / media page active on Facebook that shares local Mahajanga news, event highlights, photos and civic information. For city-level happenings (market news, local festivals, transport issues) and rapid community updates this type of local page is often the most current public source useful for anyone monitoring Mahajanga municipal life and regional social trends. (Facebook)
- Morondava Autrement [Morondava / Menabe region local news and features] focuses on Morondava and Menabe region life tourism, local economy, conservation (Kirindy, Avenue of the Baobabs), and municipal updates. It’s a regional resource often used by travelers and locals to follow city news, cultural events and conservation issues that affect the Menabe coast and nearby communities. For anyone researching west-coast urban life (Morondava, Belo, nearby districts), this local site offers city-level context and reporting. (morondava-autrement.com)
- Journal Officiel de Diégo-Suarez et Dépendances Antsiranana [archival/legal regional bulletin] is an archival / official bulletin historically published for Antsiranana and dependencies (legal notices, public decrees, municipal announcements). While its main value today is archival and administrative reference, it’s a verified source for city governance records and historical municipal information for the far northern region. Useful for researchers needing official notices or historical continuity of local government publications. (oldnews.com)
Economic And Business Press Finance, Markets and Industry
- EDBM Economic Development Board of Madagascar [EDBM] is Madagascar’s official investment promotion agency and the country’s primary business facing publisher for investor oriented content. Its site publishes investor guides, sectoral factsheets, regulatory updates, reports and the “Choose Madagascar” promotional magazines that explain opportunities in agribusiness, mining, energy, tourism and industrial zones. For entrepreneurs and analysts searching “invest in Madagascar”, “Madagascar investor guide” or “business climate Madagascar”, EDBM’s downloadable PDFs (investor guides, sector briefs) are authoritative, SEO-friendly resources that centralize rules, incentives, One-Stop-Shop services and practical checklists for company set-up and permits. (edbm.mg)
- Banky Foiben’i Madagasikara Central Bank of Madagascar [BFM] publishes monetary policy decisions, exchange rate tables, financial stability notes and periodic economic bulletins that are essential for market watchers and finance professionals. Its website hosts up to date policy announcements, market operating notices (including fx market reports) and statistics used by economists and corporate treasurers assessing credit conditions and inflationary trends. If you need authoritative citations for “Madagascar monetary policy”, “ariary exchange rates” or central-bank reports, the BFM site is the primary official source and is routinely quoted in business coverage. (banky-foibe.mg)
- Ministère de l’Économie et des Finances [MEF] Government finance portal publishes national budget announcements, public finance reforms, tenders, official communiqués and progress notes on fiscal policy and public-investment programs. For journalists, consultants and CFOs tracking taxation changes, public procurement or donor-supported projects in Madagascar, the ministry’s site provides primary documents (press releases, PEFA/self-assessment results, reform roadmaps) and is the go-to for official statements on macro-fiscal policy, budget execution and climate finance mobilization initiatives. (mef.gov.mg)
- EDBM Investor’s Guide and Choose Madagascar magazines [EDBM publications PDF] produces downloadable investor guides and the “Choose Madagascar” magazine that package actionable market intel legal frameworks, sector profiles (vanilla, fisheries, textiles, mining), incentives, and contact details for business facilitation. These long-form, branded PDFs are optimized for commercial search queries (e.g., “Madagascar investor guide 2024”, “how to start a company in Madagascar”) and are widely used by prospective foreign direct investors, consultancies and embassies to prepare market entry assessments. They function like a dedicated business magazine for investors. (edbm.mg)
- CAPMAD business and markets portal for Madagascar and the Indian Ocean is a regional business magazine and online portal focused on Madagascar’s markets, entrepreneurship, start ups and investment stories. It curates sectoral analyses (banking, agribusiness, energy), investor interviews and event coverage relevant to Malagasy businesses and Indian Ocean investors. For searchers seeking localized market intelligence, CapMad’s business features and company profiles rank for queries like “Madagascar business news”, “investors Madagascar” and “SIM industrial news”, making it a practical trade/industry news source for entrepreneurs and project developers. (Capmad.com)
- Madagascar Invest private business and investment news and guides
Madagascar Invest publishes business oriented blogs, legal-tax guidance, real estate and sector reports tailored to foreign investors and entrepreneurs. The site offers practical how-to guides (company registration, taxation, visas), market analyses (vanilla exports, tourism), and periodic deal announcements content that ranks for transactional SEO queries like “how to invest in Madagascar”, “company registration Madagascar”, and “Madagascar real estate for investors”. Its commercial orientation makes it a useful complement to official publications for hands-on market entry details. (madagascarinvest.com) - SIM Syndicat des Industries de Madagascar and Expansion Madagascar magazine [SIM] is the leading industry association representing manufacturers and exporters; it publishes Expansion Madagascar, a bimonthly magazine and digital reports focused on industrial policy, manufacturing, textiles, and sectoral advocacy. SIM’s outputs are especially useful for searches on “textile industry Madagascar”, “industrialization Madagascar” and “manufacturers association Madagascar”, and they provide sector statistics, employer positions on regulation, and industry event coverage important for B2B readers and policy researchers. (simmadagascar.mg)
- Bank of Africa BOA Madagascar [corporate and financial reports] publishes annual reports, press releases and activity notes focused on trade finance, SME programs and project financing in Madagascar. Its financial reports and announcements (including AFDB/BOA trade-finance partnerships) are often used by market analysts researching banking sector liquidity, large trade facilities and the financing environment for exporters and importers. Use BOA’s corporate pages for sourceable figures and bank-level project news. (BANK OF AFRICA)
- BNI Madagascar [Axian Group] bank news and press releases issues banking press releases, SME finance product news and partnership announcements (e.g., IFC partnerships, fintech implementations). These notices are valuable when tracking SME credit expansion, digital banking roll-outs and corporate banking developments in Madagascar. Analysts and business journalists commonly cite BNI press releases for stories about microfinance, digital transformation and trade-finance projects. (IFC)
- BRED Madagasikara posts corporate announcements, product news and local financial operations updates relevant to retail and corporate banking markets. Its site offers reporting on retail finance, lending campaigns and operational changes useful for SEO queries targeting “banking Madagascar”, “BFV BRED Madagascar news” and local credit market developments. Financial PR from local banks is often the earliest public source for contract awards and syndicated lending in Madagascar. (BRED Madagasikara Banque Populaire)
- CCI France Madagascar [CCIFM] business network and economic press roundup maintains a business news feed, event calendar, sectoral reports and a regularly updated “revue de presse” compiling Malagasy economic headlines a practical resource for exporters, importers and investors wanting consolidated business press clippings. Its publications and event summaries are SEO-friendly for queries like “trade events Madagascar”, “export support Madagascar”, and “business networking Antananarivo”, and they function as a business-community press hub. (CCI FRANCE MADAGASCAR)
Sports News And Magazines National Sport Coverage
- Sport Madagascar is Madagascar’s most focused sports portal, publishing daily match reports, results, league tables and feature stories across football, rugby, basketball, volleyball, judo and athletics. The site is organized by sport and competition (including national league updates and cup competitions), making it a go-to hub for readers searching “Madagascar football results”, “N1A basketball Madagascar” or “rugby Madagascar news”. Its format (dedicated sport pages, match recaps and short analysis) helps SEO for event driven queries and keeps fans informed about national team fixtures, domestic finals and youth tournaments that often don’t appear in larger international feeds. (sport.mg)
- Fédération Malagasy de Football FMF is the official home for national football (the Barea), licensing and competition notices, national team squads, and federation press releases. For authoritative information fixtures, official match reports, disciplinary decisions, and tournament announcements FMF’s site is the primary source. It’s essential for searches like “Barea fixtures”, “Madagascar national team squad” and “Madagascar football federation announcements” and is routinely referenced by domestic sport media when verifying results and official communications about qualifiers, COSAFA events or CAF competitions. (FMF)
- Sport261 / Sport and TV à Madagascar [Facebook madasport261] functions as a high reach video and highlights hub for Malagasy sport: match clips, Orange Pro League highlights, tournament reels and event promos. Because a lot of Malagasy sports distribution is social-first, Sport261’s Facebook page is frequently the fastest place to find short match highlights, local commentary and event promos ideal for searchers and fans looking for “Madagascar match highlights”, “Orange Pro League clips” or instant updates from national cup fixtures. The page also archives playoff recaps and youth tournament coverage that are widely reshared by clubs and federations. (Facebook)
- Fédération Malagasy de Basket Ball [FMBB] FIBA / official pages and social channels is coordinated by the Fédération Malagasy de Basket-Ball. FIBA’s federation page and the FMBB’s social feeds publish competition schedules, national team selections and federation news; these are essential for fans, scouts and journalists tracking “N1A results”, Malagasy club entries into Road to BAL qualifiers, and national team call-ups. The FMBB’s pages also host live video posts and event recaps that help capture grassroots and elite-level basketball activity around the country. (FIBA)
- More Than Basketball Madagascar provides event highlights, behind the scenes coverage and community storytelling around Malagasy basketball from national league finals to grassroots camps and visiting international guests. The page is widely shared within the basketball community and is a useful complement to federation pages when searching for human-interest features, highlight reels and national finals coverage. For SEO phrases like “Madagascar basketball highlights”, “GNBC vs COSPN final” or “Madagascar youth camps basketball”, this page frequently surfaces local multimedia and post-match interviews. (Facebook)
- Fédération Malagasy de Volley Ball FMVB [official pages / ministry listings] organises national championships (senior and youth), the Coupe de Madagascar and the country’s national teams; the federation’s announcements and calendar items appear via its official notices and ministry/event pages. For searches like “volley Madagascar national championship”, “FMVB Coupe de Madagascar” and youth selection news for regional tournaments, FMVB’s bulletins and partnered media posts are the canonical sources especially for national U16/U18 tournament schedules and federation development news. (mjs.gov.mg)
- COSPN Basketball [Club Omnisports de la Police Nationale] club pages and results is one of Madagascar’s top basketball clubs and an important publisher of match results, lineup news, trophies and event media. Club pages like COSPN’s (and their match posts) are used by national sports reporters and fans to verify domestic finals, Road to BAL participation and N1A season storylines. For queries such as “COSPN results”, “Madagascar Cup winners” or “club basketball Madagascar highlights”, club feeds and official pages often publish the fastest post-game photos, short videos and squad news. (Facebook)
- MB2ALL [women’s and club basketball coverage] club pages and community posts is a well known women’s basketball club and part of the N1A ecosystem; its social pages share match results, youth academy updates and community initiatives. For searches oriented at women’s basketball in Madagascar “MB2ALL results”, “N1A dames champions” or “women’s finals Madagascar” club feeds, federation posts and event pages collectively form the go-to corpus for current season recaps and highlight videos. These club pages are often referenced by national sports portals for match details. (Facebook)
- Fédération Malagasy des Luttes [wrestling federation] official federation listings appears on international federation directories (UWW) and national sport calendars; their announcements, competition lists and athlete selections are essential for martial-arts and combat sport coverage at national level. For searches like “wrestling Madagascar results”, “Madagascar national wrestling team” or “lutte Madagascar championship”, the federation’s listings and UWW directory entries are reliable starting points for official results, contact info and federation notices. (United World Wrestling)
International News Portals in Madagascar
- Al Jazeera Madagascar hub maintains a Madagascar section that offers on the ground reporting, longform features and video packages about political dynamics, human rights issues, conservation and major national events. Their multimedia approach (analysis + filmed reports) helps international audiences understand local context and often surfaces stories that need deeper explanation useful for search intents like “Madagascar Al Jazeera feature”, “Madagascar human rights report” or “Madagascar environment video”. Al Jazeera’s editorial reach and shareable video content make it a go-to for anyone wanting a global perspective grounded in heavyweight reporting. (Al Jazeera)
- France 24 Madagascar tag and reporting provides daily news, feature pieces and live-reporting on Madagascar in French and English, with strong coverage of Franco-Malagasy ties, regional diplomacy and cultural stories. Their combination of short news items, live updates and editorial analysis is particularly useful for French speaking audiences and researchers looking for coverage of bilateral issues, restitution diplomacy, and political developments. Because France 24 indexes articles under a Madagascar tag, it’s also SEO-friendly for queries like “France 24 Madagascar news”, “Madagascar France relations” and “Madagascar cultural features.” (France 24)
- RFI [Radio France Internationale] Madagascar coverage offers regular news bulletins, radio reports and written features on Madagascar, with a particular strength in francophone analysis, interviews and cultural reporting. Its audio reports and translated summaries make it searchable and valuable for audiences who prefer radio dispatches or need short expert interviews on current events — handy for SEO keywords like “RFI Madagascar audio”, “RFI interview Madagascar minister” and “Madagascar culture RFI”. RFI’s bilingual presence broadens access for both French- and English-language readers. (RFI)
- AllAfrica Madagascar news aggregation and international distribution aggregates reporting about Madagascar from trusted regional and national publishers and republishes selected English summaries for international audiences. It’s an efficient portal for discovering multiple local sources in one place (press releases, NGO reports, national media excerpts), which makes it particularly valuable for researchers, diplomats and NGOs searching for “Madagascar press roundup”, “Madagascar headlines today” or multi-source coverage consolidated for quick review. AllAfrica’s indexable pages are SEO-friendly for Africa-focused searches. (allAfrica.com)
- Africanews Madagascar tag and regional reporting covers Madagascar within a broader pan African news framework, blending political reporting, regional summits, economic trends and human-interest stories. Its regional focus is especially handy for users searching for SADC or Indian-Ocean regional diplomacy stories involving Madagascar, or for sports and cultural coverage with a continental angle. Africanews’ Madagascar page functions well for SEO queries like “Africanews Madagascar”, “SADC summit Madagascar coverage” and “Madagascar regional news”. (Africanews)
- The New Humanitarian Madagascar humanitarian and crisis reporting specializes in in-depth reporting on humanitarian crises, food insecurity, drought and displacement topics on which Madagascar has received significant coverage. Their field reporting, data-driven explainers and longform features are vital for NGOs, donors and policy analysts researching famine risk, resilience programs and conservation-linked displacement. Search terms such as “Madagascar food insecurity New Humanitarian” or “Madagascar drought report” reliably surface their analytical pieces. (The New Humanitarian)
- The Guardian Madagascar reporting and features publishes feature journalism and investigative pieces on Madagascar that often combine environmental reporting, conservation narratives and social impact analysis (e.g., famine, deforestation, unique biodiversity). Their long-form storytelling and photographic features are discoverable under a Madagascar tag, useful for audiences searching “Madagascar Guardian feature”, “Madagascar conservation story” or “Madagascar longread”. The Guardian’s editorial voice frequently brings international attention to Malagasy environment and heritage stories. (The Guardian)
- The Economist / Economist Impact Madagascar analysis and indices produce analytical pieces, country briefings and indices (e.g., food security datasets) that place Madagascar in comparative economic and geopolitical context. Their content is especially relevant for researchers and policy audiences searching for high-level analysis: “Madagascar Economist analysis”, “Madagascar food security Economist” or “Madagascar country briefing”. Economist pieces combine data, historical context and policy implications useful for SEO queries aimed at business, policy or academic readers. (The Economist)
Explore Politics, Culture, Geography And Traditions About Madagascar
Political Overview
Madagascar operates as a semi-presidential representative democratic republic under its 2010 Constitution, with executive power shared between a president elected for a five-year term, renewable once and a prime minister appointed by that president. Legislative authority resides in a bicameral Parliament (the National Assembly and the Senate), while an independent judiciary interprets and upholds the law. Recent legislative elections saw President Andry Rajoelina’s coalition fall just shy of an absolute majority in the National Assembly, underscoring ongoing tensions over electoral transparency and institutional balance of power.
Cultural Heritage and Identity
Madagascar’s cultural tapestry is woven from Austronesian, African, Arab, Indian and European threads, manifested in oral traditions, music, dance and craft. The wooden houses of the Zafimaniry celebrated for their intricate joinery are inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, alongside Malagasy oratory (kabary) and the rhythmic performances of Hiragasy. The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, a 16th-century fortified royal compound near Antananarivo, symbolizes the unity of the Merina kingdom and remains the most revered monument reflecting Madagascar’s social and political heritage.
Geographical Landscape and Climate
Spanning over 587,000 km² off Africa’s southeast coast, Madagascar’s terrain ranges from low coastal plains and limestone tsingy formations to a central highland plateau rising above 2,800 m. The island’s climate zones vary sharply: humid tropical rainforests fringe the east (receiving up to 3,800 mm of rain annually), temperate highlands in the interior, and semi-arid spiny deserts in the south and southwest. Two clear seasons prevail: a hot, wet period from November through April when cyclones occasionally make landfall and a cooler, dry season from May to October, a rhythm that shapes agriculture, biodiversity and human settlement.