2017-02-09 Thu

Lemurs or the adorably sarcastic King Julian and his subjects of the animated movie Madagascar adorn the 5000 Francs banknotes of Madagascar!

Madagascar or the Republic of Madagascar is a huge island nation off the southeast coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. It is home to thousands of animal species, rainforests, beaches, and reefs. Famous for its undisturbed natural beauty and wildlife, Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot with over 90% of its wildlife found nowhere else on Earth.

One of such species endemic to Madagascar is the Lemur. The word "lemur" derives from the word lemures (ghosts or spirits) from Roman mythology. Today, there are nearly 100 species of lemurs, and most of those species have been discovered or promoted to full species status.

With the arrival of the humans, the natural flora and fauna of the place has been endangered. The early settlers quickly converted the forests to rice paddies and grassland through slash-and-burn agriculture. Near the busy capital, Antananarivo is Ambohimanga, a hillside complex of royal palaces and burial grounds, as well as the “Avenue of the Baobabs,” a dirt road lined by massive centuries-old trees.

This 5000 francs or 1000 Ariary banknote of 1995 issued by the Central Bank of the Republic of Madagascar boasts all the unique Malagasy features on it.

The reverse of the note has Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta); Diademed Sifaka (Propithecus diadema); Red Ruffed Lemur (Varecia rubra); Madagascar Pygmy-Kingfisher (Ceyx madagascariensis); Madagascar Fody (Foudia madagascariensis); Helmet Vanga (Euryceros prevostii); seashells; butterflies on it. The obverse portraits a Malagasy young boy with the Cane cutters, ox driven cart, abstract finial of a wooden Aloalo tomb sculpture and the massive centuries old Baobab trees in the background!

Always wanted to visit this paradise?
“Ta-Daa!! Your wish has come true!” Book a ticket and go explore it for yourself or collect such awesome banknotes! Save our environment and go green!

Happy collecting guys!