Antananarivo Province

Antananarivo
province
Map of Madagascar with Antananarivo highlighted
Coordinates: 18°45′S 46°45′E / 18.750°S 46.750°E / -18.750; 46.750
Country	Madagascar
Capital	Antananarivo
Area
• Total	58,283 km2 (22,503 sq mi)
Population  (2004)
• Total	5,370,900
• Density	92/km2 (240/sq mi)
ISO 3166 code	MG-T
Website	www.gov-antananarivo.mg

Antananarivo Province is a former province of Madagascar with an area of 58,283 square kilometres (22,503 sq mi). It had a population of 5,370,900 in 2004. Its capital was Antananarivo, which is also the capital of the country.^[1] Established in 1965, it was the most important province of Madagascar in terms of industrial production.^[2] It was one of the most literate provinces and was dominated by the Merina people. Along with the other five provinces, it was abolished in 2007 after a referendum in favour of creation of smaller regions to help in development was approved. It was badly affected by plagues in the 20th century. In 2002 a state of emergency was proclaimed by the then president Didier Ratsiraka. The events that followed led to the other five provinces announcing the creation of a new republic that would have excluded Antananarivo Province. Peace was restored only when Marc Ravalomanana was installed as the country's president.