Taomasina / Tamatave, Madagascar - Rue Blevec - postcard c.1920s

• • Postcard

     

  • Picture / Image:  Tamatave / Taomasina - Madagascar, Africa - Rue Brevec
  • Publisher:  none given
  • Postally used:  no
  • Stamp:  n/a
  • Postmark(s):  n/a
  • Sent to:  n/a
  • Notes / condition: 

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Text from the free encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA may appear below to give a little background information (internal links may not  work) :

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Toamasina [to'masin??], meaning ""like salt"" or ""salty"", unofficially and in French also Tamatave, is a city (commune urbaine) on the east coast of Madagascar on the Indian Ocean. The city is the chief seaport of the country, situated 215 km (134 mi) northeast of its capital and biggest city Antananarivo, near the centre of the eastern coast at 18 10 S, 49 32 E. According to the 2001 census, Toamasina had population of 179,045. The city is served by Toamasina Airport.

Toamasina is the capital of Atsinanana region. Gervais Rakotomanana is the president of the city by special delegation since 30 May 2007. The former mayor, Roland Ratsiraka, was suspended after a decision in the municipal council in early 2007.

Toamasina owes its importance to the existence of a coral reef which forms a spacious and fairly commodious harbour, entered by two openings. The city center is built on a sandy peninsula which projects at right angles from the general coastline. On this are crowded together a considerable number of houses, with shops and merchant offices located in the main thoroughfares.

The city has wide palm tree-lined avenues and a wide selection of hotels and restaurants. The beaches in this area are famously beautiful, although sharks and pollution often prevent swimming and watersports. Bazary Be is a famous colorful street market, specailizing in exotic spices and locally made handicrafts. The central market in the heart of the city is one of the most popular sites in the city.

The city is home to the University of Toamasina, which is part of Madagascar's public university system. Toamasina is also the see city of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toamasina.

Under French domination, Toamasina was the seat of several foreign consuls, as well as of numerous French officials, and was the chief port for the capital and the interior. Imports consisted principally of piece-goods, farinaceous foods, and iron and steel goods, and exports of gold dust, raffia, hides, caoutchouc (rubber) and live animals. Communication with Europe was maintained by steamers of the Messageries Maritimes and the Havraise companies, and also with Mauritius, and thence to Sri Lanka, by the British Union-Castle Line.[1]

During the colonial period owing to the character of the soil and the formerly crowded native population, the town was often attacked by epidemics: the plague broke out in 1898, and again in 1900; but since the draining of the neighboring marshes, there was an improvement. After 1895 the native population was removed from the town and settled in a new village to the north-west.[1]