What is the capital of Madagascar?
Antananarivo sits at about 1,280 metres above sea level in the centre of Madagascar, and is the capital of the Analamanga region as well as of the country.
Antananarivo is the capital and seat of government of Madagascar. Madagascar itself has an estimated population of 32,740,678 (2025).
Antananarivo is also the largest city in Madagascar, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Antananarivo at a glance
| City population | 1,274,225 (2018 census) |
|---|---|
| Country | 🇲🇬 Madagascar |
| Founded | around 1610 |
| Largest city in Madagascar | Antananarivo |
| Time zone | UTC+03:00 (EAT) |
| Currency | Malagasy ariary (MGA) |
About Antananarivo
Antananarivo was founded in around 1610.
It is the highest national capital by elevation of any island country.
Antananarivo has been Madagascar's largest population centre since at least the 18th century.
The presidency, the National Assembly, the Senate and the Supreme Court all sit in the city, along with 21 diplomatic missions.
Its administrative area is called Antananarivo-Renivohitra, meaning Antananarivo-Mother Hill, and the colonial shorthand for the city is Tana.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Antananarivo.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Madagascar?
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See the full profile of Madagascar on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.