Tôlanaro

Province

Tolanaro (also Tolagnaro or Taolanaro, formerly Fort -Dauphin ) is a city in southeastern Madagascar. It is located in the province of Toliara and is the capital of the Anosy region. The capital Antananarivo is 1122 km away.

Population

The area is inhabited by the people of Antanosy. In the 1975 census, 19 605 inhabitants were counted in 1993, there were already 30,690. In mid-2001 it had 39,000 inhabitants. Today ( 2007), the population is expected to be much higher, since the mining boom in the area and also attracts workers from other parts of the country and from abroad.

Even prostitution has expanded due to the presence of numerous miners. Health officials fear that if the Tolanaro to a "gateway " for the date in Madagascar hardly spread of HIV / AIDS could be.

The place is since 1955 the seat of a Catholic bishop.

History

The settlement was originally called Tholongar. 1504 stranded eighty Portuguese there. This built a fort, which existed until 1527. After the violent expulsion of the Portuguese, there was no further European settlement until September 24, 1642. At that time, a group of French arrived, which were settled under the leadership of the Société Française de l' Orient. They built a fort, which was first called Fort Flacourt. The fort was renamed shortly thereafter in Fort- Dauphin. The settlement was destroyed in 1674 by the locals after quarrels with the French. A renewed attempt settlement of the French in 1768, was canceled in 1771. It was not until the French conquest of the island 1895/1896 the place came under European rule. From 1897 until independence in 1960, the French had a military garrison in the city.

Economy

Long the Port of Tolanaro served as a gateway to the world, especially the export of lobsters and crabs, as well as dried seaweed, great importance was also of tourism. Since the company Rio Tinto around titanium iron ore breaks down, however, the resource sector is booming and with it the previously secluded town.

Nature Reserves

• The National Park Andohahela is located about 40 km northwest of the city.
• The Nature Reserve Cap Sainte Marie is located 230 south of Fort -Dauphin.

Infrastructure

The place is difficult to reach by road. The airport west of the city has connections with the capital and Toliara. The place also has a hospital.

Climate

The city receives because of the nearby mountains sufficient rainfall (about 1700 mm per year) and is therefore much greener and more fertile than most areas in southern Madagascar. The average temperature is around 23 ° and varies between 20 ° and 26 ° per month. Towering above the city from the Pic St. Louis ( 529 m) north of the city.