Fianarantsoa
Encyclopedia
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
.
Fianarantsoa is the capital of Haute Matsiatra
Haute Matsiatra
Haute Matsiatra is a region in Madagascar. It borders Amoron'i Mania region in north, Vatovavy-Fitovinany in east, Ihorombe in south and Atsimo-Andrefana in west. The capital of the region is Fianarantsoa, and the population was estimated to be 1,128,900 in 2004...
Region. It was built in the early 19th century by 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...
as the administrative capital for the newly conquered Betsileo
Betsileo
The Betsileo are a highland ethnic group of Madagascar, the third largest in terms of population, numbering around 1.5 million and making up about 12.1 percent of the population. Their name means "The Many Invincible Ones" which they chose for themselves after the failed invasion of Ramitraho...
kingdoms.
It is at an average altitude of 1200 metres (3,937 ft), and has a population of 144,225 (2001 census).
Fianarantsoa means "Good education" in Malagasy
Malagasy language
Malagasy is the national language of Madagascar, a member of the Austronesian family of languages. Most people in Madagascar speak it as a first language as do some people of Malagasy descent elsewhere.-History:...
. It is a cultural and intellectual center for the whole island. It is home to some of the oldest Protestant and Lutheran cathedrals on the island, the oldest theological seminary (also Lutheran), as well as the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Fianarantsoa
Archdiocese of Fianarantsoa
The Archdiocese of Fianaranintsoa is a Roman Catholic Archdiocese in Madagascar. It was elevated to an Archdiocese in December 1958 during the transition from French colony to independence. It had a total population of about 1,153,750 in 2004. About 40.5% of the residents were Catholic. 121 Priests...
. The city of "good education" also boasts a university named after it and built in 1972. Fianarantsoa is considered to be the capital of wine in Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, because of the presence of many wine industries in the city.
Fianarantsoa has been known for its political activism and was one of the "hot spots" during the political crisis in 2002
Politics of Madagascar
Politics of Madagascar takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Madagascar is head of state and the Prime Minister of Madagascar is head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the...
. Students of the University of Fianarantsoa have a reputation for sympathizing with radical leftist groups. The mayor of Fianarantsoa comes from the MFM political party whose colors are based on the anarcho-syndicalist flag.
Fianarantsoa was placed by the World Monuments Fund
World Monuments Fund
World Monuments Fund is a private, international, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and cultural heritage sites around the world through fieldwork, advocacy, grantmaking, education, and training....
on its 2008 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites because many of the buildings in the old town are in dire need of repair. Fortunately, most of the repairs are relatively easy, and WMF hopes that the listing will attract attention to fund the necessary repairs to keep the old town looking beautiful.