Farafangana is a city on the south-east coast of Madagascar

Madagascar

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

 approximately 400 kilometres south of the capital Antananarivo

Antananarivo

Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....

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Farafangana is the capital of the Atsimo-Atsinanana

Atsimo-Atsinanana

Atsimo-Atsinanana is a region in Madagascar.*Capital: Farafangana*Chief: Jhonson Andrianahy The region extends along the southern part of the east coast of Madagascar. It is bordered by Vatovavy-Fitovinany and Haute Matsiatra , Ihorombe and Anosy ....

 region.

Settlements located to the north include Lokandambo, Manambotra, Ambahikarabo and Amboahangimamy, with Ambalolo to the west. To the south are Antananabo, Manambotra Atsimo and Marosondry.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Farafangana

Diocese of Farafangana

The Diocese of Farafangana is a Roman Catholic Diocese under the Archdiocese of Fianarantsoa in Madagascar. It is based in the town of Farafangana and was erected on 8 April 1957. It performs the Latin or Rite. The Diocese covers approximately . As of 2004, the diocese population was about 900,000,...

 is based in the town, led by Bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 Benjamin Marc Ramaroson

Benjamin Marc Ramaroson

Bishop Benjamin Marc Ramaroson is the bishop of the Diocese of Farafangana in Farafangana, Madagascar. He was ordained priest on 15 August 1984 for the Congregation of the Mission. He was appointed and confirmed as bishop in November 2005.-External links:Official website http://www.diocesefaraf.com*...

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The population essentially consists of three ethnic groups: the Antefasy, Rabakara and Zafisoro

Zafisoro

The Zafisoro are a Malagasy ethnic group inhabiting a portion of the southeastern coast of Madagascar.The Zafisoro speak a dialect of the Malagasy language, which is a branch of the Malayo-Polynesian language group derived from the Barito languages, spoken in southern Borneo....

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