Fianarantsoa, Haute Matsiatra Region, Madagascar

🇲🇬 Fianarantsoa is a city in south central Madagascar, and is the capital of Haute Matsiatra Region.

History It was built in the early 19th century by the Merina as the administrative capital for the newly conquered Betsileo kingdoms.

Fianarantsoa means "Good education" in Malagasy. It is a cultural and intellectual centre for the whole island. It is home to some of the oldest Protestant and Lutheran cathedrals on the island, the oldest theological seminary (also Lutheran), as well as the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Fianarantsoa (seated in the Cathedral of the Holy Name of Jesus). The city of "good education" also boasts a university named after it and built in 1972. Fianarantsoa is considered to be the capital of wine in Madagascar, because of the presence of many wine industries in the city.

Geography It is at an average altitude of 1,200 metres (3,900 ft), and has a population of 191,766.

The town is linked to the rest of the country by the National road 7, one of the main highways in Madagascar. The distance is 411 km to the capital Antananarivo, 192 km to Ihosy, 518 km to Tulear.

Ranomafana National Park is a nature park popular among tourists that lies 65 km to the north-east of Fianarantsoa. Another hot spot of tourism is the Isandra geolocical formations, roughly 30 km Northwest of Fianarantsoa. It can be accessed by the unpaved National road 42 from Fianarantsoa.

Rivers Two rivers cross this town: the Mandranofotsy in the West, and the Tsiandanitra in the East. Both are affluents of the Matsiatra river.

Transport The city is at the endpoint of the Fianarantsoa-Côte Est Railway to Manakara. There is also an airport. The city lies on the Route Nationale 7, which goes from the capital in Antananarivo to the coastal city of Toliara. Also the unpaved National road 42 takes its origins in Fianarantsoa.

Education • Université de Fianarantsoa • Faculté de médecine de Fianarantsoa

French international schools: • Collège français René-Cassin

Sport • Football: the ASF Fianarantsoa and Zanak'Ala FC are the local football teams.