What is the capital of Madagascar?

The capital of Madagascar is Antananarivo. Often shortened to “Tana,” it is the island nation’s largest city and its central political, administrative, cultural, and economic hub.

Antananarivo began as a highland settlement associated with the Merina people. Tradition holds that King Andrianjaka established a fortified royal center there around 1610 or 1625. The name Antananarivo means “City of the Thousand,” a reference to the soldiers said to have guarded the site. The city later became the capital of a united Merina kingdom and remained Madagascar’s capital under French rule and after independence in 1960.

The city occupies a hilly site in Madagascar’s central highlands, at roughly 1,276 meters above sea level. Its historic landmarks include the Rova royal complex, Andafiavaratra Palace, Lake Anosy, and old churches. A frequent mix-up is Victoria, the capital of Seychelles, or Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius. Antananarivo is Madagascar’s capital; it is not located on the coast but inland near extensive rice-growing plains.