Antananarivo - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Relatively safe. - Jul 2020
Just petty theft in and around town. - Mar 2017
Typical security concerns from petty crime and theft. Not too much in way of violent crime, certainly, not aimed specifically at expats. This is a poor country though (most families live on less than $2 a day) so prudence and respect should be used when venturing out. - Jun 2016
The standard third-world routine - pickpockets, etc. Local-on-local crimes seem to be getting more violent, and some tourists have been targeted, though mostly just robbery. Poverty is endemic here, and for the lighter-skinned people are seen as walking dollar/euro signs. There is no shortage of soul-crushing, grinding poverty. - Oct 2015
The main concerns are similar to other big cities - petty theft, mainly, so keep valuables out of sight/reach. Don't drive around town with your windows down as it invites purse snatching. Violent crime is relatively rare in Madagascar, but don't take unnecessary risks. Now that the political crisis has been resolved - Mar 2015
The security situation here is constantly in flux. Around Ivandry you can safely walk/bike/drive without any worry during the day. In the evening, you could walk safely from a friend's house, but it wouldn't be wise to do it alone. Outside of Ivandry in the evening/night you wouldn't want to walk, and even when driving you must be very alert. During the day we feel safe going just about anywhere, but we always lock our doors and remain alert. Downtown at night it would not be safe at all to walk anywhere, but driving with friends to popular restaurants or bars is rarely a problem. Kidnappings occasionally happen, but they seem to remain isolated to the business community. Petty crime is a problem everywhere, but for the most part you will feel safe if you remain aware of your surroundings. Also, there's a history of periodic political violence, although the political situation has been relatively stable since we've been here. - Apr 2013
Security has gone downhill since the 2009 coup d'etat. Armed robbery, which was nearly non-existent two years ago, is now unfortunately fairly common. Foreigners are almost never targeted in that crime, however. Petty crime such as pickpocketing has gone up sharply. Although crime isn't nearly as bad as in most other places in Africa, it's much worse than it was. - Apr 2010
Not really, except for pickpocketing. House breakins and carjackings are rare to none. - Dec 2008
