Vatomandry is a town in and the administrative center of the Vatomandry District,

Atsinanana Atsinanana is a coastal region in eastern Madagascar. It borders Analanjirofo region in the north, Alaotra-Mangoro in the west, Vakinankaratra and Amoron'i Mania in the southwest, and Vatovavy in the south. The region contains over 285km of coas ...

Region,

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

.(29 March 2006)
MADAGASCAR: Maintaining the roads to prosperity
'' IRIN'' An

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...

serves the city.

Etymology and location

Located on the coast, the town's name means 'Sleeping Rocks', derived from two black rocks near the shore. It is also on the path of the

Canal des Pangalanes The Canal des Pangalanes is a canal that consists of a series of natural rivers, waterways and human-made lakes that extends for over and runs down the east coast of Madagascar from Toamasina to Farafangana. It is used primarily for transpor ...

and National Road RN 11a

History

In the pre-colonial era of the 19th century, Vatomandry was a center of Hova government with an active port.Bradt, Hilar
Madagascar (travel guide)
p. 348 (2011) Cyclone Manou caused great damage in 2003 to the town and left 68 people dead. Cyclone Giovanna in 2012 also caused significant damage.Quick response to Cyclone Giovanna had 20,000 children back in the classroom in Madagascar
Unicef.org, Retrieved 5 March 2013)

Religion

* Roman Catholic

Apostolic Prefecture of Vatomandry The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toamasina () is one of five Latin Metropolitan archdioceses on Madagascar, yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Its cathedral archiepiscopal see is the Cathédrale ...

http://www.gcathuntil 1olic.org/dioceses/diocese/toam0.htm

Notable personalities

Didier Ratsiraka Didier Ignace Ratsiraka (; 4 November 1936 – 28 March 2021) was a Malagasy politician and naval officer who was the third president of Madagascar from 1975 to 1993 and the fifth from 1997 to 2002. At the time of his death, he was the longest ...

(1936–2021), former President of Madagascar * Jonah Ranaivo (1908-1988), politician

References

{{Atsinanana, state=expanded Populated places in Atsinanana