Antananarivo is the capital of Madagascar and it’s situated in the center of the

island, on a rocky and difficult accessible area. Antananarivo is the biggest city of
Madagascar, with a population over 2 billion people. It is the main administrative,
economic, educational and communicational center of the country. Antananarivo
was founded in 1625 by the Merina king Andrianjaka, who declared this place the
/dɪˈkleəd/
capital of his kingdom. According to oral history, he deployed a garrison of 1,000
soldiers to capture and guard this site, which was called Analamanga. In honor of
these soldiers, King Andriamasinavalona, renamed the city in Antananarivo, that
means the "City of the Thousand". In 19th century, Antananarivo became the capital
of the whole island due to King Ramana’s conquests. The city was captured by the
French in 1895 and involved in Madagarscar’s protectorate. In the colonial period
/ˈpɪə.ri.əd/ and in the first years of the independence that was gained in 1960 the city
was called Tananarive, a French variant of the city’s name.
Antananarivo is a contrasting city that combines modernity with ancient /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/. So
we can see there modern buildings as well as old cars. The main sights of the city are:
1. the tomb /tuːm/ of Rainiharo, who was the prime minister of the Imerina
Kingdom in the 19th century (1833-1852).
2. Tsimbazaza Zoo /zuː/ that is a Botanical and Zoological /zuːˈɒl.ə.dʒical/
Garden. Here is a Lemurs' /ˈliː.mər/ Park, that contains nine lemur species
/ˈspiː.ʃiːz/.
3. Lake Anosy – it’s an artificial lake in the shape of a heart. In the middle of
the lake there is an island connected with the city by an isthmus /ˈɪsθ.məs/.
On the island there is a French-built memorial to those fallen in the first
world war, the Monument aux Morts made in 1927.
4. Andohalo cathedral, it is a martyr cathedral dedicated to Malagasy
/ˈmɑː.tər/ mæl.əˈɡæs.i/
Christian /ˈkrɪs.tʃən/ martyrs executed by Queen Ranavalona in 19th-century.
5. The Museum /mjuːˈziː.əm/ of Art and Archaeology ˌɑː.kiˈɒl.ə.dʒi/ – that
shows the history of the ancient civilizations /ˌsɪv.əl.aɪˈzeɪ.ʃəns/, tribes and
ethnicities from the entire island. Here also we can see many interesting
objects and skeletons of different disappeared animals, including
dinosaurs /ˈdaɪ.nə.sɔːrz/
Because Madagascar is generally, a poor /pɔːr country, the city has many problems
like impossibility /ɪmˌpɑs·əˈbɪl·ɪ·t̬i/ to manage overcrowding and traffic, waste
management, pollution, problems linked by security, public water, electricity and
so on.
I want to visit this country very much in order to see lemurs because I really like
them and of course thanks of computer-animated comedy films Madagascar, that
made this country famous all over the world.
tomb of Rainiharo mormântul lui Rainiharo
deployed – desfăşurat
Malagasy - belonging to or relating to Madagascar, its people, or its language
waste management - gestionarea deșeurilor
Elephant bird (aepyornithidae)