Madagascar is presently divided in 6 autonomous provinces (Faritany mizaka tena) and 22 regions (Faritra). This political division was created in 2004. A hierarchical division would be:
Fokotany (an elder political unit; the smallest community unit, often abbreviated as FKT), Kaominina (= Commune), District (earlier called Fivondronana, abbreviated FIV, then also in a short period Departements), Faritra (Regions), and Faritany (Provinces).
An example: Take the Antsongombato gem mine - which recently has produced large and nice crystals of londonite/rhodizite. In the literature and on many labels it says: "Antsongombato, 25 km SW of Mahaiza, Betafo-Antsirabe area, Madagascar". This is correct but more a description.
Using the country's own geographical and political division, the locality should have been labeled: "Antsongombato gem mine, FKT Antsentsindrano, Andrembesoa Commune, Betafo District, Vakinankaratra Region, Antananarivo Province, Madagascar".
This (place name, FKT, Commune, District, Faritra, Province, Madagascar) should be the "right" hierarchy. This is very difficult to do in all cases, in lack of detailed maps that reflect this divison.
References:
- Cortese E. (1887): Una escursione al Madagascar dell'ingegnere E. Cortese. Boll. R. Comit. Geol., 3-4: 129-134.
- Cortese E. (1887): Osservazioni geognostiche sul Madagascar. Boll. R. Comit. Geol., 5-6: 181-191.
- Cortese E. (1888): Appunti geologici sull'isola di Madagascar. Boll. R. Comit. Geol., 3-4.
- Lacroix A. (1893-1913): Minéralogie de la France et des colonies. Libraire Polytechnique Baudry et Cie, Paris.
- Peres, H. (1902) The Development of the Gold Deposits of Madagascar (Exploitaton des Gisements Auriferes a Madagascar). Memoires de la Société des Ingenénieurs Civils de France - April, 1902.
- Lacroix, A. (1910) Minéralogie de la France et de ses Colonies (vol. 4, partie 2). Librairie Polytechnique, Paris, France.
- Lacroix, A. (1912): Les richesses minérals de Madagascar. Conference à l'Ecole Coloniale. 23.12.1912. Revue politique et litéraire, Paris.
- Lacroix, A. (1922): Mineralogie de Madagascar, Tome I. Géologie-Minéralogie descriptive. A.Challamel (Éditeur), Paris. 624p
- Lacroix, A. (1922) Minéralogie de Madagascar. Tome 2. Minéralogie appliquée, lithologie. Augustin Challamel (Éditeur), Paris.
- Behier, J. (1957): Mineraux nouvellement trouves dans les pegmatites de Madagascar. in Commision de Coopération Technique en Afrique au Sud du Sahara (C.C.T.A.). Geologie. Comités regionaux Centre, Est et Sud. Conférence de Tananarive Avril 1957. I, 135-138
- Giraud, P. (1957). Les champs pegmatitiques de Madagascar. in Commision de Coopération Technique en Afrique au Sud du Sahara (C.C.T.A.). Geologie. Comités regionaux Centre, Est et Sud. Conférence de Tananarive Avril 1957. I, 139-150
- Behier, J. (1960): Contribution á la Minéralogie de Madagascar. Annales Géologiques de Madagascar XXIX, Tananarive, 78p.
- Murdock T. G. (1963): Mineral resources of the Malagasy Republic. US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Information Circular 8196
- Behier, J. (1963): Carte mineralogique de Madagascar. Archive Service Géologique Madagascar. A 1871
- Besairie, H. (1966): Les Gites Minéraux de Madagascar. Annales Géologiques de Madagascar, Tananarive, 34, 92p.
- Augé, T. and Legendre, O. (1992) Platinum-iron nuggets from alluvial deposits in eastern Madagascar. Canadian Mineralogist: 30: 983-1004.
- Pezzotta, F. (2001) Madagascar, a Mineral and gemstone Paradise. Extra Lapis English 1.
- Pezzotta, F., Pagano R. (2005): Madagascar. Breve storia della ricerca mineralogica. Riv. Mineral. Ital., 30, 2: 76-86
