Andringitra Massif
Encyclopedia
The Andringitra Massif is a granite massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...

 located within Andringitra National Park
Andringitra National Park
Andringitra National Park is National Park in the Haute Matsiatra Region of Madagascar, 47 km south of Ambalavao. Approximately 140 km of the Tropic of Capricorn crosses the park....

 in Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...

. Pic Boby, the highest peak, is at 2658 meters high. Today, it is mainly occupied by herders and shepherds who are constantly moving in order to find the freshest grazing grounds for their livestock. Lately, many tourists and adventurers have visited the area as it provides both numerous hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...

 and backpacking
Backpacking (wilderness)
Backpacking combines the activities of hiking and camping for an overnight stay in backcountry wilderness...

 opportunities, as well as stunning views and geological formations.

Geology

The massif is located in a relatively geologically-stable area, on solid precambrian
Precambrian
The Precambrian is the name which describes the large span of time in Earth's history before the current Phanerozoic Eon, and is a Supereon divided into several eons of the geologic time scale...

ground, which is evidence of the fact that these mountains were formed by a relatively sudden volcanic event. The mountains have many sharp cliffs and rises, as well as several volcanic formations. The Andringitra Massif contains many spectacular granite erosion sites, which have been formed over millions of years.
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