Antananarivo

Antananarivo (/ˌæntəˌnænəˈriːvoʊ/ or /ˌɑːntəˌnɑːnəˈriːvoʊ/; Malagasy pronunciation: [antananaˈrivʷ]), then temporarily French Tananarive (/təˌnænəˈriːv/ or /ˌtænənəˈriːv/; French pronunciation: ​[tananaʁiv]), also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana, is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. The larger urban area surrounding the city, known as Antananarivo-Renivohitra ("Antananarivo-Mother Hill" or "Antananarivo-Capital"), is the capital of Analamanga region. The city is located 1,280 m (4,199 ft) above the sea level in the center of the island, and has been the island's largest population center since at least the 18th century.