Fianarantsoa

Fianarantsoa is a city (commune urbaine) in south central Madagascar, and is the capital of Haute Matsiatra Region.

Fianarantsoa
Upper town Fianarantsoa
Upper town Fianarantsoa
Coat of arms of Fianarantsoa
Coat of arms
Fianarantsoa is located in Madagascar
Fianarantsoa
Fianarantsoa
Location of Fianarantsoa in Madagascar
Coordinates: 21°27′13″S 047°05′09″E
Country Madagascar
ProvinceFianarantsoa
RegionHaute Matsiatra
DistrictFianarantsoa
Founded1830
Government
 • MayorDr. RATSIMBAZAFY Sahondramalala Esther
Area
 • Total86.05 km2 (33.22 sq mi)
Elevation
1,200 m (3,900 ft)
Population
 (2018)
 • Total191,776
 • Density2,200/km2 (5,800/sq mi)
 [1]
Time zoneEast Africa Time (GMT+3)
Postal code
301
ClimateCwb
Websitehttp://fianara.cufianarantsoa.mg/

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 center 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 northeast 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
Collège Saint François Xavier Fianarantsoa
  • Université de Fianarantsoa
  • Faculté de médecine de Fianarantsoa[2]

French international schools:

  • Collège français René-Cassin[3][4]

Sports

Personalities

Climate

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as subtropical highland (Cwb).[6]

Climate data for Fianarantsoa
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 26.2
(79.2)		 26.1
(79.0)		 25.3
(77.5)		 24.5
(76.1)		 22.6
(72.7)		 20.4
(68.7)		 19.7
(67.5)		 20.4
(68.7)		 23.0
(73.4)		 25.0
(77.0)		 26.1
(79.0)		 26.3
(79.3)		 23.8
(74.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 20.8
(69.4)		 20.8
(69.4)		 20.0
(68.0)		 18.9
(66.0)		 16.7
(62.1)		 14.5
(58.1)		 14.0
(57.2)		 14.4
(57.9)		 16.2
(61.2)		 18.3
(64.9)		 19.7
(67.5)		 20.4
(68.7)		 17.9
(64.2)
Average low °C (°F) 17.2
(63.0)		 17.2
(63.0)		 16.5
(61.7)		 15.2
(59.4)		 12.7
(54.9)		 10.5
(50.9)		 10.1
(50.2)		 10.2
(50.4)		 11.2
(52.2)		 13.4
(56.1)		 15.3
(59.5)		 16.6
(61.9)		 13.8
(56.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 227.8
(8.97)		 220.8
(8.69)		 137.6
(5.42)		 46.4
(1.83)		 27.3
(1.07)		 16.5
(0.65)		 24.6
(0.97)		 21.4
(0.84)		 18.0
(0.71)		 61.5
(2.42)		 124.9
(4.92)		 241.4
(9.50)		 1,168.2
(45.99)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 15 14 13 7 5 5 6 6 3 6 11 16 107
Mean monthly sunshine hours 191.1 171.0 175.4 184.8 186.0 165.9 163.5 191.1 220.5 230.4 208.0 190.1 2,277.8
Source: NOAA[7]

See also

References
  1. TROISIEME RECENSEMENT GENERAL DE LA POPULATION ET DE L’HABITATION
  2. "."
  3. "Collège français René-Cassin." AEFE. Retrieved on May 7, 2015.
  4. Home page (Archive). Collège français René-Cassin. Retrieved on May 7, 2015.
  5. Zanak'Ala
  6. "Climate: Fianarantsoa - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 2014-02-01.
  7. "Fianarantsoa Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
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Fianarantsoa travel guide from Wikivoyage

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