Antananarivo
Encyclopedia
Antananarivo formerly Tananarive (icon or t), is the capital and largest city in Madagascar
. It is also known by its French
colonial shorthand form Tana.
The larger urban area surrounding the city, known as Antananarivo-Renivohitra ("Antananarivo-Mother Hill" or "Antananarivo-Capital"), is the capital of Analamanga
Region.
and slopes of a long and narrow rocky ridge, which extends north and south for about 4 km (2 mi) and rises at its highest point to about 200 m (656.2 ft) above the extensive rice plain to the west, although the town is at about 1275 m (4,183 ft) above sea level
. It is Madagascar's largest city and is its administrative, communications, and economic center. The city is located 215 km (134 mi) west-southwest of Toamasina
, the principal seaport of the island, with which it is connected by railway, and for about 100 km (62.1 mi) along the coastal lagoons.
, Antananarivo was already a major city before the colonial era. The city was founded circa 1625 by King Andrianjaka
and takes its name (the City of the Thousand) from the number of soldiers assigned to guard it. For many years it was the principal village of the Hova
chiefs and gained importance as those chiefs made themselves sovereigns of the greater part of Madagascar, eventually becoming a town of some 80,000 inhabitants.
In 1793 Antananarivo was made the capital of the Merina
kings. The conquests of King Radama I made it the capital of almost all of Madagascar. The royal residence of the monarchs was set up at the Rova of Antananarivo
. Until 1869 all buildings within the city proper were of wood or rushes
and followed traditional Malagasy architectural norms
, but even then it possessed several timber palaces of considerable size, the largest being 120 ft (37 m) high. These crown the summit of the central portion of the ridge; and the largest palace
, with its lofty roof and towers, is the most conspicuous object from every point of view.
Since the introduction of stone and brick by James Cameron
and other London Missionary Society
missionaries in the early 19th century, the entire city has been rebuilt and now contains numerous European-style structures, including the royal palaces, the houses formerly belonging to the prime minister and nobles, the French
residency
, the Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals, and several stone churches. The Museum of Ethnology and Paleontology
is located in the city.
The city was captured by the French
in 1895 and incorporated into their Madagascar protectorate
. After the French conquest of Madagascar when the city had a population of some 100,000, it was extensively remodeled as the population grew to 175,000 by 1950. Roads were constructed throughout the city, broad flights of steps connecting places too steep for the formation of carriage roads, and the central space, called Andohalo, was enhanced with walks, terraces, flower-beds and trees. Water, previously obtained from springs at the foot of the hill, was brought from the Ikopa River
which skirts the capital to the south and west.
After independence in 1960 the pace of growth increased rapidly. The city's population reached 1.4 million by the end of the 20th century. Industries include food products, cigarettes, and textiles.
The city is guarded by two forts built on hills to the east. Including an Anglican and a Roman Catholic cathedral (this is the see city of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Antananarivo), there are more than 5,000 church buildings in the city and its suburbs. Antananarivo hosts a campus of the University of Madagascar
and the Collège Rural d'Ambatobe. Ivato Airport
serves the city with several regional routes and flights to and from Paris
, Johannesburg
and Nairobi
among other cities.
Michele Ratsivalaka succeeded Andry Rajoelina
as mayor, who replaced Marc Ravalomanana
as president during the 2009 Malagasy political crisis.
climate. Under the Köppen climate classification
, the city features a subtropical highland climate (Cwb). Owing to its high elevation of 1300 to 1400 m (4,265.1 to 4,593.2 ) above sea level
, the city is known for its mild climate. Antananarivo receives practically all of its average annual rainfall between November and April. The dry season is usually mild and sunny, however the nights are chilly. Although frosts are rare in Antananarivo, they are more common at higher elevations. Means range from 22.2 °C (72 °F) to 15.3 °C (59.5 °F).
, Armenia
Suzhou
, People's Republic of China
Nice
, France
Fontenay-aux-Roses
, France
Vorkuta
, Russia
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. It is also known by its French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
colonial shorthand form Tana.
The larger urban area surrounding the city, known as Antananarivo-Renivohitra ("Antananarivo-Mother Hill" or "Antananarivo-Capital"), is the capital of Analamanga
Analamanga
Analamanga is a region in Madagascar, containing the capital Antananarivo and surrounding metropolitan area.Analamanga means "blue forest". It's also an older name for Antananarivo.*Capital: Antananarivo-Renivohitra.*Area: 17,445 km²*Population: 2,650,000...
Region.
Location
Antananarivo is situated in the center of the island length-wise, and 145 km (90.1 mi) away from the eastern coast. The city occupies a commanding position, being built on the summitSummit (topography)
In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation...
and slopes of a long and narrow rocky ridge, which extends north and south for about 4 km (2 mi) and rises at its highest point to about 200 m (656.2 ft) above the extensive rice plain to the west, although the town is at about 1275 m (4,183 ft) above sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
. It is Madagascar's largest city and is its administrative, communications, and economic center. The city is located 215 km (134 mi) west-southwest of Toamasina
Toamasina
Toamasina , meaning "like salt" or "salty", unofficially and in French also Tamatave, is a city on the east coast of Madagascar on the Indian Ocean. The city is the chief seaport of the country, situated northeast of its capital and biggest city Antananarivo, near the centre of the eastern coast...
, the principal seaport of the island, with which it is connected by railway, and for about 100 km (62.1 mi) along the coastal lagoons.
History
Unlike most capital cities in southern AfricaSouthern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...
, Antananarivo was already a major city before the colonial era. The city was founded circa 1625 by King Andrianjaka
Andrianjaka
Andrianjaka reigned over the Kingdom of Imerina in the central highlands region of Madagascar from around 1612 to 1630. Despite being the younger of King Ralambo's two sons, Andrianjaka succeeded to the throne on the basis of his strength of character and skill as a military tactician...
and takes its name (the City of the Thousand) from the number of soldiers assigned to guard it. For many years it was the principal village of the Hova
Hova
Hova may refer to:* One of three Merina classes in Madagascar , incorrectly used by the French to mean Merina.* A nickname for the rapper Jay-Z....
chiefs and gained importance as those chiefs made themselves sovereigns of the greater part of Madagascar, eventually becoming a town of some 80,000 inhabitants.
In 1793 Antananarivo was made the capital of the Merina
Merina
The Merina are an ethnic group from Madagascar. The Merina are concentrated in the Highlands and speak the official dialect of the Malagasy language, which is a branch of the Malayo-Polynesian language group derived from the Barito languages, spoken in southern Borneo. Their ancestors, the...
kings. The conquests of King Radama I made it the capital of almost all of Madagascar. The royal residence of the monarchs was set up at the Rova of Antananarivo
Rova of Antananarivo
The Rova of Antananarivo is a royal palace complex in Madagascar that served as the home of the sovereigns of the Kingdom of Imerina in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as the rulers of the Kingdom of Madagascar in the 19th century...
. Until 1869 all buildings within the city proper were of wood or rushes
Juncus
Juncus is a genus in the plant family Juncaceae. It consists of some 200 to 300 or more species of grassy plants commonly called rushes...
and followed traditional Malagasy architectural norms
Architecture of Madagascar
The architecture of Madagascar is unique in Africa, bearing strong resemblance to the construction norms and methods of Southern Borneo from which the earliest inhabitants of Madagascar are believed to have emigrated...
, but even then it possessed several timber palaces of considerable size, the largest being 120 ft (37 m) high. These crown the summit of the central portion of the ridge; and the largest palace
Rova of Antananarivo
The Rova of Antananarivo is a royal palace complex in Madagascar that served as the home of the sovereigns of the Kingdom of Imerina in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as the rulers of the Kingdom of Madagascar in the 19th century...
, with its lofty roof and towers, is the most conspicuous object from every point of view.
Since the introduction of stone and brick by James Cameron
James Cameron (missionary)
James Cameron was a 19th century Scottish artisan missionary with a background in carpentry who, over the course of twenty-three years of service in Madagascar with the London Missionary Society , played a major role in the Christianization and industrialization of that island state, then under...
and other London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
missionaries in the early 19th century, the entire city has been rebuilt and now contains numerous European-style structures, including the royal palaces, the houses formerly belonging to the prime minister and nobles, the French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
residency
The Residency
The Residency is the usual name of the official residence of a Resident, Resident Commissioner or Resident Councillor in the British Empire....
, the Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals, and several stone churches. The Museum of Ethnology and Paleontology
Museum of Ethnology and Paleontology
The Museum of Ethnology and Paleontology is a museum in Antananarivo, Madagascar. The museum displays the prehistoric natural history of the island and way of life of its inhabitants....
is located in the city.
Present day
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1895 and incorporated into their Madagascar protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
. After the French conquest of Madagascar when the city had a population of some 100,000, it was extensively remodeled as the population grew to 175,000 by 1950. Roads were constructed throughout the city, broad flights of steps connecting places too steep for the formation of carriage roads, and the central space, called Andohalo, was enhanced with walks, terraces, flower-beds and trees. Water, previously obtained from springs at the foot of the hill, was brought from the Ikopa River
Ikopa River
The Ikopa River is the second longest waterway in Madagascar and passes through the capital, Antananarivo. It is the largest tributary of the Betsiboka River....
which skirts the capital to the south and west.
After independence in 1960 the pace of growth increased rapidly. The city's population reached 1.4 million by the end of the 20th century. Industries include food products, cigarettes, and textiles.
The city is guarded by two forts built on hills to the east. Including an Anglican and a Roman Catholic cathedral (this is the see city of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Antananarivo), there are more than 5,000 church buildings in the city and its suburbs. Antananarivo hosts a campus of the University of Madagascar
University of Madagascar
The University of Madagascar was the former name of the centralized public university system in Madagascar, although the original branch in Antananarivo is still often called by that name....
and the Collège Rural d'Ambatobe. Ivato Airport
Ivato Airport
Ivato International Airport is an airport located in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar.-Airport expansion:In view of the African Union Summit of 2009 and the planned but later cancelled Francophonie Summit of 2010 being held in Madagascar, Ivato airport will begin renovations that will last...
serves the city with several regional routes and flights to and from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
and Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
among other cities.
Michele Ratsivalaka succeeded Andry Rajoelina
Andry Rajoelina
Andry Nirina Rajoelina , born May 30 1974, is the former mayor of Antananarivo who became transitional head of state of Madagascar on March 21, 2009 after the 2009 Malagasy political crisis....
as mayor, who replaced Marc Ravalomanana
Marc Ravalomanana
Marc Ravalomanana is a Malagasy politician who was the President of Madagascar from 2002 to 2009. A member of the Merina ethnic group, Ravalomanana served as Mayor of Antananarivo before becoming President in 2002...
as president during the 2009 Malagasy political crisis.
Climate
Antananarivo has a temperateTemperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
climate. Under the Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
, the city features a subtropical highland climate (Cwb). Owing to its high elevation of 1300 to 1400 m (4,265.1 to 4,593.2 ) above sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
, the city is known for its mild climate. Antananarivo receives practically all of its average annual rainfall between November and April. The dry season is usually mild and sunny, however the nights are chilly. Although frosts are rare in Antananarivo, they are more common at higher elevations. Means range from 22.2 °C (72 °F) to 15.3 °C (59.5 °F).
Landmarks
- Rovan'i ManjakamiadanaRova of AntananarivoThe Rova of Antananarivo is a royal palace complex in Madagascar that served as the home of the sovereigns of the Kingdom of Imerina in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as the rulers of the Kingdom of Madagascar in the 19th century...
- Tsimbazaza ZooTsimbazaza ZooTsimbazaza Zoo is a zoo and botanical garden in southern Antananarivo, Madagascar, located just north of the National Assembly of Madagascar building. The only zoo of its kind in Madagascar, on November 1989, the WWF celebrated its tenth year in Madagascar by opening an environmental teaching...
Twin towns — Sister cities
YerevanYerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
, Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
, People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Fontenay-aux-Roses
Fontenay-aux-Roses
Fontenay-aux-Roses is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.École Normale Supérieure was a girls school located in the area....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Vorkuta
Vorkuta
Vorkuta is a coal-mining town in the Komi Republic, Russia, situated just north of the Arctic Circle in the Pechora coal basin at the Usa River. Population: - Labor camp origins :...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
External links
- Antananarivo Renivohitra Official website.
- Keelonga, keelongaKeelongais an initiative started by Leila and Karim Pirbay in 2007. "Kilonga" means children in Malagasy, the language of Madagascar.The goal of Keelonga is to make it easy for every child to get elementary education in all rural areas in Madagascar....
is an organisation dedicated to assisting rural primary schools with infrastructures and teachers