Madagascar as an island covers an area of more than 580,000 square kilometers and is thus around 200,000 square kilometers larger than the Federal Republic of Germany. In terms of population density, however, the proportions change abruptly: while Germany has a population of more than 80 million, the fifth largest island in the world not even 24 million Madagascans. In terms of population density, Germany has more than 220 inhabitants per square kilometer, whereas Madagascar only has 37 people per square kilometer there are. The distribution of people also differs greatly in both countries. While in Germany many people live in so-called metropolitan areas, Madagascar is primarily rural characterized. This means that most people live in small villages and towns. However, these contrasts are by no means easily transferred to the two state capitals, as the German state capital Berlin is home to a good three and a half million people, which is roughly the same for the Madagascar capital Antananarivo applies. All other cities in Madagascar, however, have significantly smaller populations, because after Antananarivo owns the next largest city, Toamasina, just over 200,000 inhabitants. These small facts illustrate the enormous Differences between Germany and Madagascar at a glance. Such differences harbor a risk for vacationers who are looking for a Trip to Madagascar astonishing fascination potential, because the differences between the foreign and the homeland are, after all, what make a Madagascar vacation and elsewhere become so impressive. In the following we would like to take you with us into the Provinces and cities of Madagascar. In the case of the provinces, however, it is important to bear in mind that they were dissolved as political segments in Madagascar in 2009, but from a geographical point of view they are still used to differentiate the island regions for descriptive purposes. In this way, you can get a first overview of the different stations that you can visit during a Madagascar trip perhaps you would like to take with you. Gladly you can in this regard also numerous Inspirations in our travel suggestions which, by the way, depending on your individual interests, we can still coordinate some points directly with you.

The province of Antananarivo

The Antananarivo Province is characterized by the provincial capital of the same name, which is also the Capital of the whole country Madagascar is. The population of the country often calls Antananarivo also Tana which can be both an abbreviation and an older name of the city. Antananarivo is by a wide margin as the most populous and largest city on the island of Madagascar It is the economic, administrative and geographical center of the country. The city itself was founded at the beginning of the 17th century and the city name can be translated into German as "The city of a thousand" can be translated. The Ivato Airport is today, in terms of Malagasy tourism, an important support, fulcrum and pivot, without which the Tourism on the island would hardly exist. Various sights can be discovered in Antananarivo and also the most important universities of the country can be found here. The Madagascar capital is not the only characteristic of the province of Antananarivo, however, because the surrounding agricultural areas are extremely important. Rice, fruits and vegetables are grown on them. The soil in the southern part of the province is extremely fertile, which is a considerable advantage for the people from the province. The northern part of the province, on the other hand, is less convincing from an agricultural point of view and is therefore much more sparsely populated. The main cities of the province of Antananarivo are: Antananarivo and Antsirabe.

The province of Fianarantsoa

The former Fianarantsoa Province with the provincial capital of the same name is today one of the most visited by tourists Regions throughout Madagascar. On the one hand, this is due to the good infrastructure offered in this province, because Madagascar's only railroad line runs there relatively regularly and stably. On the other hand, however, it is also the exceedingly popular National Parksthat are native to this region: The Ranomafana National Park and the Midongy du Sud National Park are just two of the four major parks that tourists visit during their Madagascar vacation like to discover here. Fianarantsoa as a city is moreover home to a Cathedral as well as a universitywhich also makes the city attractive for young people from the surrounding area. However, the population is well below the 200,000 mark. In terms of agriculture, the province of Fianarantsoa is mainly dependent on the Rice cultivation which is grown here in the form of terraced crops. This alone can be for visitors already a breathtaking sight be. The main cities of the province of Fianarantsoa are: Fianarantsoa, Ambositra, Ambalavao and Manakara.

The province of Toamasina

The City Toamasina is the capital of the former province of Toamasina and already has an extremely exciting and sometimes also very terrible history behind it. Already at the beginning of the 20th century, Toamasina was once almost completely razed to the ground - the culprit was a Hurricane. Then, in 1986, another raging Cyclone in the city, which in turn ensured that large parts of the rebuilt city were once again destroyed. But the inhabitants of Toamasina do not let themselves be defeated, which is probably due in part to the unusual age structures in the city: More than half of the people living in Toamasina have not yet reached the age of twenty. The province of Toamasina is located on the East coast Madagascar and one of the most important central points in this city is the natural harbor. This is considered the second most important port in the country. Also a Railroad line exists, which runs between Toamasina and Antananarivo, so that reciprocal day trips for tourists become possible. The highlights of the province also include the numerous Beaches on the east coast as well as the short distance to popular island Sainte Marie. Also numerous of the rainforest areas protected by UNESCO are located in the province of Toamasina, which is why nature conservation is particularly important in this region. The main cities of Toamasina province are: Toamasina, Sonierana Ivongo, Mananara, Maroantsetra, Vatomandry.

The province of Antsiranana

The former Antsiranana Province is dominated by the city of the same name, which until a few decades ago was known as Diégo-Suarez. The province lies in the North of the country and the city itself has less than 100,000 inhabitants, divided into numerous different ethnicities and ethnic groups subdivided. Antsiranana has its own port, but from an economic point of view it is of little importance to Madagascar today. First and foremost, Madagascar's third-largest port is used today primarily in the area of the civil shipping used because the various Cruise ships with numerous tourists call here. The city of Antsiranana differs from other cities in Madagascar mainly in that the streets are much wider and large stone houses of good quality dominate the cityscape. The Antsiranana province enjoys a very good reputation among tourists, as it is considered very tolerant, cultured and cosmopolitan. The few luxurious tourist accommodations that can be found in Madagascar are also located in the province of Antsirana. For example, on the Nosy Be Island numerous of the breathtaking dream beachesEuropean tourists can only dream of. On the other hand, the province is also characterized by the original rainforest, which is found in the numerous different National Parks of the province can be experienced. The main cities of the province of Antsiranana are: Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), Ambanja, Sambava, Ambilobe and Antalaha.

The province of Mahajunga

Mahajanga is on the one hand a city in the Northwest MadagascarOn the other hand, it is also one of the island's former provinces. Mahajanga currently has a population of slightly more than 130,000 people, although the numbers sometimes fluctuate depending on the source of information. Mahajanga has always been one of Madagascar's most important trading town, was then renamed Majunga after the French conquest. Today Mahajanga is known mainly for its Port and of the regional airport famous and well-known in Madagascar. The trade is still today the main industry for the people living there, who even today mainly export rice, tobacco and sugar cane. Tourists tend to stray into the province of Mahajanga less frequently, as the Sights in the city themselves are rather limited. For this the nearby rainforests for nature-loving tourists an important place to go. The main cities of Mahajunga province are: Mahajunga, Antsohihy, Maevatanana and Maintirano.

The province of Toliara

The Toliara Province, which is often also called Tulear, is the southernmost province of Madagascar and at the same time the driest. It is located on the so-called Mozambique roadwhich designates the strait between Madagascar and Mozambique. Toliara itself is home to about 120,000 people, most of whom belong to the Vezo people. Today the city is mainly known as important trading base rice, cotton, peanuts and also sisal are shipped from here all over the world. For tourists in the region are especially the numerous beaches of great interest, but also the various smaller museums can make the cultural program of a day trip. The nearby located Tsimanampetsotsa National Park is home to four different species of lemurs and as many as 39 different species of reptiles, making it a popular destination for nature-loving travelers. The most important cities in the province of Toliara are: Toliara (Tulear), Taolognaro (Fort Dauphin, Morondava, Belo sur Tsiribihina and Miandrivazo.

The Cities and provinces of Madagascar have according to our experience for each traveler in each case completely unique experiences and adventures to offer. To create for you an exceptional Madagascar vacation To be able to guarantee your satisfaction, it is important for us to consider your individual needs when planning your Trip to Madagascar to be able to take into account. Just let us know if you prefer to use Exploring the national parks of the island go or to the Provincial bathing beaches want to relax. All your questions in this regard we will be happy to answer.