The highlands

 

Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, called literally the city of the thousand warriors spreads beyond the hills. Town of altitude, staging between 1.000 and 1.500 m, Antananarivo (Tana, in more intimate), is a historic city sheltering several buildings redrawing the royal life of the 19th Century. The colonial architecture gives to the city its original charm. In the 18th Century, King Andrianampoinimerina sets up the territorial organization of the realm, Tana is the place of succession of power of kings and queens (Radama I, Ranavalona I, Rasoherina, Radama II, Ranavalona II, and Ranavalona III), he also represents the seat of the residents during the colonial era and finally the political capital of Madagascar. Nowadays, Tana is the economic centre of the country: all the big building such as ministries, banks and big companies find their seat there. In brief, Tana is a centre of active business and the point of departure of the communications towards all the regions of Madagascar.