'''Ilakaka is a small town in the south west of Madagascar along the R7 national route towards [[Tulear]]. Ilakaka is a sapphire boom town that has grown from less than 50 residents in the 90s to over 30,000 today. Since 2008 most of the worlds sapphire stones originate from this region, making Madagascar the world's largest sapphire exporter.'''
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Directly north North of the road lies [[Isalo National Park]], which likely has large deposits of sapphires, but as the area is nature protected where and mining is not permittedthere. Most mining activity occurs directly south and east of the main road.
Most mining activity occurs directly south east of the main road<div style="max-width:600px;">{{#display_map:-22. 697793, 45.218654~'''Ilakaka'''~~;|type=satellite|service=google|width=auto|height=400|zoom=15|controls=pan, zoom, type, scale|copycoords=yes|icon=https://www.madacamp.com/images/madagascar/Green_marker.png}}</div>
The mining work is primarely primarily carried out by Malagasy workers run who are managed by small businesses, with and temporarily resident dealers mostly from , many of whom are of Sri Lanka and Thailand where the Lankan, Thai or Chinese origin. The rough stones are usually sent brought to either Thailand or Sri Lanka for cutting.
There are various Various other smaller sapphire towns can be found along the road southwestwards, such as [[Antsotramadoro]] and [[Sakahara]].
Further == Accommodation == '''Friends Hotel'''<br>Tel: +261 (0)33 14 951 21 or +261 (0)33 14 706 76 or +261 (0)33 14 710 50<br><!-- Email: [mailto:friendsbungal@yahoo.fr friendsbungal@yahoo.fr] BOUNCED! --> == Photos == View all [[Ilakaka photos]] == Additional information see the == * [[Madagascar Sapphire Rush]] article* [http://www.madagemstones.com madagemstones.com]* [http://www.madagems.com madagems.com]* http://www.thegmanifesto.com/2009/04/the-madagascar-sapphire-report.html* [http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32962318 In pictures: Madagascar's sapphire mining rush] - BBC News, 4 July 2015* [http://www.primemedia.international/madagascar-destinations-guide-ilakaka.html Ilakaka City: the Wild West is over!] - Prime Magazine, 4 May 2018