Africa · capital city
What Is the Capital of Madagascar?
Antananarivo
The capital of Madagascar is Antananarivo. About 3.9 million people live in the Antananarivo urban area — 11.8% of the country's population.
3.9 million
Urban area population
UTC+3
Time zone
18.92°S
Latitude · 47.52°E
Yes
Largest city
Antananarivo at a glance
Name origin
The name means "City of the Thousand," from the Malagasy an- (a prefix denoting a place name), tanana (town), and arivo (thousand); in the 17th century, King ADRIANJAKA named the original fortress after the 1,000 soldiers stationed there.
Time zone
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). No daylight saving time.
Coordinates
18 55 S, 47 31 E · IANA time zone Indian/Antananarivo
Location of Madagascar
Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
Capitals closest to Antananarivo
Moroni, Comoros — 924 km
Port Louis, Mauritius — 1,053 km
Lilongwe, Malawi — 1,564 km
Dodoma, Tanzania — 1,615 km
Maputo, Mozambique — 1,721 km
Harare, Zimbabwe — 1,743 km
Victoria, Seychelles — 1,808 km
Mbabane, Eswatini — 1,870 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Antananarivo
What is the capital of Madagascar?
The capital of Madagascar is Antananarivo. About 3.9 million people live in the Antananarivo urban area — 11.8% of the country's population.
Is Antananarivo the largest city in Madagascar?
Yes — Antananarivo is also the largest urban area of Madagascar (3.9 million).
What time zone is Antananarivo in?
Antananarivo is on UTC+3 — UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). There is no daylight saving time.
Where does the name Antananarivo come from?
The name means "City of the Thousand," from the Malagasy an- (a prefix denoting a place name), tanana (town), and arivo (thousand); in the 17th century, King ADRIANJAKA named the original fortress after the 1,000 soldiers stationed there.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).