Antananarivo,Madagascar Travel Video

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• published: 30 Jul 2014
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Antananarivo,Madagascar Travel Video - Antananarivo is situated approximately 1,280 m (4,199 ft) above sea level in the central highlands region of the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, at 18.55' latitude south and 47.32' longitude.[4] The city is located centrally along the north-south axis of the country, and east of center along the east-west axis; it is 160 km (99 mi) away from the eastern coast, and 330 km (210 mi) away from the western coast. The city occupies a commanding position, being built on the summit 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 (660 ft) above the extensive rice plain to the west. Antananarivo (/ˌæntəˌnænəˈriːvoʊ/; Malagasy [antaˈnanaˈrivʷ], from Tanànan'ny Arivolahy), formerly Tananarive (/təˌnænəˈriːv/ or /təˌnɑːnəˈriːv/), 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. The name roughly translates to "City of the Thousand". Unlike most capital cities in southern Africa, Antananarivo was already a major city before the colonial era. After expelling the Vazimba who inhabited a town at the peak of Analamanga hill, Andrianjaka constructed a rova (fortified royal compound) there that became the site of the royal palaces and the burial place of Merina royalty.[5] Early Merina kings used fanampoana (statute labor) to construct a massive system of irrigated rice paddies and dikes around the city to provide adequate rice for the growing population; the largest of these rice fields, most of which are still producing rice to the present, was called the Betsimitatatra. Sovereigns addressed the public at the historic town square of Andohalo. Successive Merina sovereigns ruled over the Kingdom of Imerina from Analamanga through the reign of King Andriamasinavalona. This sovereign renamed the growing city, established the Andohalo town square outside the town gate where all successive sovereigns delivered their royal speeches and announcements to the public, and assigned the names of numerous locations within the city based on the names of similar sites in the nearby village of Antananarivokely.[3] Andriamasinavalona also designated specific territories for the hova (commoners) and each andriana (noble) subcaste, both within the neighborhoods of Antananarivo and in the countryside surrounding the capital. These territorial divisions were strictly enforced: members of subcastes were required to live within their designated territories and were not authorized to stay for extended periods in the territories reserved for others.[7] Numerous fady (taboos) were imposed in the city at various points in time, including injunctions against the construction of wooden houses by non-nobles[8] and the presence of swine within the city limits. Following Andriamasinavalona's reign, Imerina split into four warring quadrants and Antananarivo was made the capital of the southernmost district.[10] During this 77 year period, the eastern district's capital at Ambohimanga rose in prominence.[11] The last king of Ambohimanga, Andrianampoinimerina, successfully conquered Antananarivo in 1793[12] and reunited the provinces of Imerina, putting an end to nearly eight decades of civil war. He shifted the kingdom's political capital back to Antananarivo in 1794,[13] but declared Ambohimanga the kingdom's spiritual capital, a role it maintains to the present day.[14] He created a major marketplace in Analakely, establishing the city's economic center. Enjoy Your Antananarivo,Madagascar Travel Video!