Regions of Madagascar

Here are maps  showing regions, etc. Note: many of the maps show a set of regional divisions which differs in several details from the set actually adopted.

Madagascar is divided into six faritany mizakatena (autonomous provinces). They are subdivided into 22 regions, which were created in 2004. The region chiefs were appointed on 2004-09-03, which we might as well take to be the creation date for the regions. (See the change history for further details on subdivisions.) The list below shows the regions of Madagascar.

RegionHASCCapital
Alaotra MangoroMG.TM.AOAmbatondrazaka
Amoron'i ManiaMG.FI.AMAmbositra
AnalamangaMG.AV.AGAntananarivo
AnalanjirofoMG.TM.AN
AndroyMG.TL.ADAmbovombe
AnosyMG.TL.AYTolagnaro
Atsimo-AndrefanaMG.TL.AFToliara
Atsimo-AtsinananaMG.FI.AAFarafangana
AtsinananaMG.TM.AI
BetsibokaMG.MA.BEMaevetanana
BoenyMG.MA.BOMahajanga
BongolavaMG.AV.BOTsiroanomandidy
DianaMG.AS.DIAntsiranana
Haute MatsiatraMG.FI.HMFianarantsoa
IhorombeMG.FI.HOIhosy
ItasyMG.AV.ITMiarinarivo
MelakyMG.MA.MEMaintirano
MenabeMG.TL.MEMorondava
SavaMG.AS.SVSambava
SofiaMG.MA.SFAntsohihy
VakinankaratraMG.AV.VAAntsirabe
Vatovavy FitovinanyMG.FI.VFManakara

Change history:

An article in Cybergeo: Revue européenne de géographie  No. 301 says that in 1960, Madagascar was divided into six provinces, then into préfectures, then sous-préfectures, then cantons, then villages, and finally hameaux (hamlets).

Under the Second Republic (approx. 1973-1992), the country was divided into six faritanin' (sing. faritany: provinces), then into fivondronana or fivondronampokontany, then firaisana or firaisampokontany, then fokontany (villages), and then fokonolona (autonomous rural collectivities). The various types of subdivision have been translated various ways. Among the sources I consulted, fivondronana are equated to districts, préfectures, sous-préfectures, subregions, or ensembles (French for "sets"). There were probably 110 of them up to a certain date, when the 111th was created - possibly Manandriana in ~2000. Firaisana correspond to cantons, communes, or districts - communes is the most popular term - and number from 1,252 to 1,392 at different dates. The number of fokontany is given as 11,433.

The 1992 constitution called for decentralization and reorganization. It left the details up to the National Assembly. According to the Biology Daily  website, three types of subdivision were defined (but not actually implemented): the region (faritra), department (departemanta) and commune (kaominina). The communes were created in 1996. The primary subdivisions (faritany), although not mentioned, were apparently kept. The Cybergeo article has a table which is somewhat ambiguous, but it seems to mean that in 1995 or early in 1996 the departments became fivondronana once more, and the firaisana became urban and rural communes. The latter were divided into fokontany and then into villages. It may be that the only real change under the 1992 constitution was the introduction of regions, which were intermediate between faritany and fivondronana. Twenty-eight regions were proposed.

A paper on the Réseau Impact  anti-poverty site says, "A new administrative division was put in place in 1997: the Fokontany level disappeared, the Firaisana were replaced by communes with territorial limits differing from the Firaisana according to zones. The other levels were kept for the present." (Translated from French.) This may just be a restatement of the previous paragraph.

The Biology Daily site says that the constitution was changed in 1998. It now specified six autonomous provinces, with the same names and extents as the six old faritany. They were to be divided into regions and communes in a manner not specified. The autonomous provinces were created in 2000.

According to a website of the Government of Antananarivo Province , dated 2001-10-26, Madagascar was divided into provinces, then regions, then fivondronana, then firaisana, and then fokontany. The region was an administrative circumscription, but not a territorial collectivity. Fabien Antoine writes that an administrative circumscription is a territory of State action, headed by a representative of the State; a territorial collectivity is an organized entity headed by a locally elected official who acts on behalf of the collectivity.

Biology Daily goes on to say that 22 regions were actually created in 2004 (law no. 2004-001). The regions are supposed to take over the assets of the fivondronana. The departments which should be created by the reorganization are expected to be based on the old fivondronana. The law of 2004 doesn't use the term departments, instead calling them components of the regions.

These were the fivondronana of Madagascar from about 2000 to 2004:

FivondronanaHASCPcdPopulationArea(km.²)Region
AmbalavaoMG.FI.AL303190,0125,151MG.FI.HM
AmbanjaMG.AS.AJ203125,0566,328MG.AS.DI
Ambato-BoenyMG.MA.AB403108,8078,005MG.MA.BO
AmbatofinandrahanaMG.FI.AF304116,06610,386MG.FI.AM
AmbatolampyMG.AV.AL104215,5441,755
AmbatomaintyMG.MA.AM40419,5095,166MG.MA.ME
AmbatondrazakaMG.TM.AT503240,1236,077MG.TM.AO
AmbilobeMG.AS.AB204140,5567,714MG.AS.DI
AmboasaryMG.TL.AS603151,24510,211MG.TL.AY
AmbohidratrimoMG.AV.AH105235,5141,402
AmbohimahasoaMG.FI.AH305197,2792,560MG.FI.HM
AmbositraMG.FI.AS306229,1233,199MG.FI.AM
AmbovombeMG.TL.AV604183,7345,829MG.TL.AD
Ampanihy AndrokaMG.TL.AA605205,28213,037MG.TL.AF
AmparafaravolaMG.TM.AR504212,9223,815MG.TM.AO
AmpasimanolotraMG.TM.AS508159,3015,986
AnalalavaMG.MA.AL40589,9174,380MG.MA.SF
AndapaMG.AS.AP205147,7724,444MG.AS.SV
AndilamenaMG.TM.AL50541,1357,405MG.TM.AO
AndramasinaMG.AV.AD106139,2171,370
AnjozorobeMG.AV.AJ107145,4103,714
AnkazoaboMG.TL.AZ60647,9497,385MG.TL.AF
AnkazobeMG.AV.AK108111,0687,458
Anosibe An'alaMG.TM.AA50684,9822,590MG.TM.AO
AntalahaMG.AS.AL206186,3227,085MG.AS.SV
Antanambao ManampotsyMG.TM.AM50746,1741,342MG.TM.AO
Antananarivo AtsimondranoMG.AV.AA102292,057369
Antananarivo AvaradranoMG.AV.AV103207,942617
Antananarivo RenivohitraMG.AV.AR101903,45088
AntanifotsyMG.AV.AF109278,7413,005MG.AV.VA
AntsalovaMG.MA.AS40630,0627,195MG.MA.ME
Antsirabe IMG.AV.AN110160,356144MG.AV.VA
Antsirabe IIMG.AV.AT111333,9792,241MG.AV.VA
Antsiranana IMG.AS.AN20173,491222MG.AS.DI
Antsiranana IIMG.AS.AT20271,4166,025MG.AS.DI
AntsohihyMG.MA.AH407107,7175,125MG.MA.SF
ArivonimamoMG.AV.AM112260,2611,627MG.AV.IT
BealananaMG.MA.BN408100,7506,543MG.MA.SF
Befandriana AvaratraMG.MA.BA409169,4238,394MG.MA.SF
BefotakaMG.FI.BE30724,0453,097
BekilyMG.TL.BK607124,7645,097MG.TL.AD
Belo TsiribihinaMG.TL.BT60852,6747,573MG.TL.ME
BelohaMG.TL.BL60963,7094,669MG.TL.AD
BenenitraMG.TL.BN61026,3164,912MG.TL.AF
BerorohaMG.TL.BR61139,2417,210MG.TL.ME
BesalampyMG.MA.BS41037,78211,753MG.MA.ME
BetafoMG.AV.BE113301,6718,994MG.AV.VA
BetiokyMG.TL.BY612165,1999,103MG.TL.AF
BetrokaMG.TL.BO613134,77113,315MG.TL.AY
FandrianaMG.FI.FN308189,5442,232MG.FI.AM
FarafanganaMG.FI.FF309207,1672,621
FaratsihoMG.AV.FA114165,3272,034MG.AV.VA
Fenoarivo AtsinananaMG.TM.FA509240,5953,365
Fenoarivo BeMG.AV.FB11582,4027,761MG.AV.IT
Fianarantsoa IMG.FI.FI301144,22541MG.FI.HM
Fianarantsoa IIMG.FI.FA302431,0113,987MG.FI.HM
IakoraMG.FI.IA31129,9874,633MG.FI.HO
IfanadianaMG.FI.IF312136,8993,958
IhosyMG.FI.IH313106,59117,358MG.FI.HO
IkalamavonyMG.FI.IM31456,1489,166MG.FI.HM
IkongoMG.FI.IG310107,7483,272
IvohibeMG.FI.IV31534,2894,119MG.FI.HO
KandrehoMG.MA.KA41111,8926,816MG.MA.BE
MaevatananaMG.MA.MV412106,62411,085MG.MA.BE
MahaboMG.TL.MH61586,38313,863
Mahajanga IMG.MA.MA401135,66092MG.MA.BO
Mahajanga IIMG.MA.MH40246,7904,390MG.MA.BO
MahanoroMG.TM.MH510212,1183,968MG.TM.AO
MaintiranoMG.MA.MN41352,70010,031MG.MA.ME
MampikonyMG.MA.MP41484,3754,611MG.MA.SF
ManakaraMG.FI.MK316235,7642,961
Mananara AvaratraMG.TM.MA511106,1844,621
ManandrianaMG.FI.MN32390,693 
MananjaryMG.FI.MJ317233,6975,245MG.FI.VF
MandritsaraMG.MA.MT415204,50310,512MG.MA.SF
ManjaMG.TL.MN61656,5328,725MG.TL.ME
ManjakandrianaMG.AV.MA116202,7711,660
MaroantsetraMG.TM.MS512167,4156,917
MarolamboMG.TM.ML513120,0513,531MG.TM.AO
MarovoayMG.MA.MY416124,7393,804MG.MA.BO
MiandrivazoMG.TL.MI61782,44712,545MG.TL.ME
MiarinarivoMG.AV.MI117181,2182,818MG.AV.IT
Midongy AtsimoMG.FI.MA31825,9112,700
MitsinjoMG.MA.MJ41753,4055,894MG.MA.BO
MorafenobeMG.MA.MF41820,4756,976MG.MA.ME
MoramangaMG.TM.MM514217,9537,278MG.TM.AO
MorombeMG.TL.MB61896,7657,634MG.TL.AF
MorondavaMG.TL.MD61980,5865,648MG.TL.ME
Nosy BeMG.AS.NB20736,636242MG.AS.DI
Nosy VarikaMG.FI.NV319177,8173,925
Port BergéMG.MA.PB419103,6687,047MG.MA.SF
Sainte MarieMG.TM.SM51516,325222
SakarahaMG.TL.SA62067,8708,447MG.TL.AF
SambavaMG.AS.SA208237,4884,780MG.AS.SV
SoalalaMG.MA.SO42027,4346,578MG.MA.BO
Soanierana-IvongoMG.TM.SI51699,3734,814
SoavinandrianaMG.AV.SO118147,2171,856MG.AV.IT
Toamasina IMG.TM.TO501179,045322
Toamasina IIMG.TM.TA502168,3884,816
TolagnaroMG.TL.TN614213,2705,276MG.TL.AY
Toliary IMG.TL.TO601101,66139MG.TL.AF
Toliary IIMG.TL.TL602184,2566,776MG.TL.AF
TsaratananaMG.MA.TS42197,68513,218MG.MA.BE
TsihombeMG.TL.TS62164,8962,223MG.TL.AD
TsiroanomandidyMG.AV.TS119216,6428,977MG.AV.BO
VangaindranoMG.FI.VA320210,0284,861
VatomandryMG.TM.VT517129,1462,620MG.TM.AO
VavateninaMG.TM.VV518151,8332,826
VohemarMG.AS.VO209169,6878,204MG.AS.SV
VohipenoMG.FI.VH32198,7011,162
VondrozoMG.FI.VN32293,5472,953
  • HASC: Hierarchical administrative subdivision codes.
    The middle two letters identify the province. For
    key, see "Administrative Subdivisions of Countries".
  • Pcd: Postal code, or circumscription code. The first
    digit indicates the province.
  • Population: 2001 estimate.
  • Area: Source: a commercial Web page .
  • Region: HASC code of the new region, if known.

 

There is some reason to believe that Manandriana was recently created (~2000).

Other names of divisions:

  1. Ambato-Boeny: Ambato Boeni, Ambato-Boina (variant)
  2. Amboasary: Amboasary Atsimo (variant)
  3. Ambovombe: Ambovombe-Androy (variant)
  4. Ampanihy Androka: Ampanihy (variant)
  5. Ampasimanolotra: Brickaville, Vohibinany (variant)
  6. Ankazoabo: Ankazoabo Atsimo (variant)
  7. Anosibe An'ala: Anosibe (variant)
  8. Antananarivo: Tananarive (obsolete)
  9. Antsiranana: Antseranana, Diégo-Suarez (variant)
  10. Antsohihy: Antsihihy (variant)
  11. Atsimo-Andrefana: Tasimo Andrefana (variant)
  12. Befandriana Avaratra: Befandriana Nord (variant)
  13. Belo Tsiribihina: Belon'i Tsiribihina (variant)
  14. Betioky: Betioky Atsimo (variant)
  15. Fenoarivo Atsinanana: Fenerive Est, Fenoarivo Est (variant)
  16. Fenoarivo Be: Fenoarivo-Afovoany (variant)
  17. Mahajanga: Majunga (obsolete)
  18. Manakara: Manakara-Atsimo (variant)
  19. Mananara Avaratra: Mananara Nord (variant)
  20. Maroantsetra: Maroansetra (variant)
  21. Midongy Atsimo: Midongy-Sud (variant)
  22. Morafenobe: Morafanobe (variant)
  23. Nosy Be: Nosibe (variant)
  24. Port Bergé: Boriziny, Port-Berger (variant)
  25. Sainte Marie: Nosy Boraha (variant)
  26. Toamasina: Tamatave (obsolete)
  27. Tolagnaro: Faradofay, Fort Dauphin, Taolagnaro, Taolanaro, Tôlanaro (variant)
  28. Toliary: Toleary, Toliara (variant); Tuléar (obsolete)
  29. Tsihombe: Tsiombe (variant)
  30. Vangaindrano: Vaingaindrano, Vangaindrona (variant)
  31. Vohemar: Vohimarina, Vohima, Iharana (variant)
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