Capital of Madagascar: Antananarivo — Facts & Quiz
The capital of Madagascar is Antananarivo. Madagascar sits in Africa, has a population of 29,611,714, and uses the MGA. Official languages include Malagasy, French.
Quick facts
- Capital: Antananarivo
- Continent: Africa
- Population: ~29,611,714
- Area: 587,041 km²
- Population density: 50.4 people per km²
- Official languages: Malagasy, French
- Currency: MGA
- ISO code: MG
How big is Madagascar?
By population, Madagascar ranks 50th in the world, holding roughly 0.37% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 46th.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Madagascar has 50.4 people per square kilometre, which is about 1.2 times below the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.
Within Africa, Madagascar is the 15th most populous country of 54.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Madagascar in population are Nepal (30,547,580) and Venezuela (28,301,696).
By land area, its closest counterparts are Botswana (581,730 km²) and Kenya (580,367 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
Malagasy is listed as an official language of Madagascar alone, which is unusual — most official languages are shared across borders.
Madagascar uses the MGA, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.
How to remember Madagascar
Antananarivo is long, so split it: An-ta-na-na-RI-vo. The name means 'city of the thousand', after the thousand soldiers said to have guarded it, and most people simply call it Tana. For the flag, think of a white page with a red-and-green bookmark.
The flag of Madagascar: white, red and green
🇲🇬 The flag is a white vertical band at the hoist, with a red horizontal band above a green one. White stands for purity, red for sovereignty and green for hope. Red and white were also the royal colours of the Merina Kingdom, which ruled much of the island before French rule.
Region and neighbours
Madagascar is an island country in the Indian Ocean, off the southeast coast of Africa, across the Mozambique Channel. As an island country it has no land neighbours.
Three facts about Madagascar
- Madagascar is the fourth-largest island in the world, after Greenland, New Guinea and Borneo.
- Most of its plants and animals live nowhere else on Earth. Lemurs, for example, are found naturally only on Madagascar.
- The Malagasy language is most closely related to languages spoken on the island of Borneo, thousands of kilometres away across the Indian Ocean.
Sources: Wikipedia: Madagascar, Wikipedia: Flag of Madagascar, Wikipedia: Antananarivo, CIA World Factbook.
Quiz yourself on Madagascar
- African capitals quiz — match Madagascar to Antananarivo
- African flags quiz — spot the Madagascar flag among its neighbours
- Island nations quiz — Madagascar is an island country
Madagascar capital quiz
What is the capital of Madagascar 🇲🇬?
- Antananarivo
- Asmara
- Niamey
- Libreville
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Antananarivo
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- Kampala
- Freetown
- Yamoussoukro
- Tripoli
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Yamoussoukro
What is the capital of Cameroon 🇨🇲?
- Yaoundé
- Cairo
- Rabat
- Praia
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Yaoundé
What is the capital of Mozambique 🇲🇿?
- Maputo
- Niamey
- Djibouti
- Harare
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Maputo
What is the capital of Niger 🇳🇪?
- Freetown
- Asmara
- Niamey
- Banjul
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Niamey
Madagascar in Africa
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Africa is the block Madagascar belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Madagascar.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Madagascar?
The capital of Madagascar is Antananarivo.
What is the population of Madagascar?
About 29,611,714, making it the 50th most populous country in the world.
How big is Madagascar?
587,041 square kilometres, ranking 46th by land area, at a density of 50.4 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Madagascar use?
The MGA, which no other country uses.
What are the colours of the Madagascar flag?
The flag of Madagascar is a white vertical band at the hoist, with a red horizontal band above a green one. White stands for purity, red for sovereignty and green for hope. Red and white were also the royal colours of the Merina Kingdom, which ruled much of the island before French rule.
Which countries border Madagascar?
None. Madagascar is an island country in the Indian Ocean, off the southeast coast of Africa, across the Mozambique Channel, so it has no land borders with other countries.
How can I remember the capital of Madagascar?
Antananarivo is long, so split it: An-ta-na-na-RI-vo. The name means 'city of the thousand', after the thousand soldiers said to have guarded it, and most people simply call it Tana. For the flag, think of a white page with a red-and-green bookmark.
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