{"id":1143,"date":"2024-12-07T15:04:28","date_gmt":"2024-12-07T15:04:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aegir-ran.com\/?page_id=1143"},"modified":"2024-12-07T15:12:53","modified_gmt":"2024-12-07T15:12:53","slug":"fort-dauphin","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/aegir-ran.com\/index.php\/fort-dauphin\/","title":{"rendered":"Fort-Dauphin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fort-Dauphin<\/strong> (Malagasy Tolagnaro<\/strong> or Taolagnaro<\/strong>) is a city (commune urbaine<\/em>) on the southeast coast of Madagascar<\/a>. It is the capital of the Anosy Region<\/a> and of the Taolagnaro District. It has been a port of local importance since the early 1500s. A new port, the Ehoala Port<\/a> was built in 2006\u20132009. Fort-Dauphin was the first French settlement in Madagascar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Further information: Massacre of Fort-Dauphin (Madagascar)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bay of Fort-Dauphin was found by a Portuguese Captain in 1500. Fort Dauphin was founded on an Antanosy village, Taolankarana, in 1643 by the French East India Company<\/a> who built a fort there named in honor of the crown prince<\/a>, the future Louis XIV of France<\/a>. It was settled by around a hundred colonists, who found themselves involved in the local politics. The poor trade results (some ebony and little more was obtained) hardly justified the difficulties of the settlers, who suffered from tropical illnesses and other problems. After a conflict with the Antanosy people<\/a>, the survivors were evacuated in 1674.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One Governor of this colony, \u00c9tienne de Flacourt<\/a>, published the History of the Great Isle of Madagascar and Relations<\/em>,[3]<\/sup> which was the main source of information on the island for Europeans until the late 19th century.[4]<\/sup>[5]<\/sup>[6]<\/sup>[7]<\/sup>[8]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After World War II<\/a> and until Didier Ratsiraka<\/a> took the presidency in 1975, Fort Dauphin had a thriving community of Malagasy, French, Chinese and Pakistani merchants with adequate roads connecting the city to Toliara to the west and Fianarantsoa<\/a> to the west and then north. The port provided a means of exporting cattle to Mauritius and importing various goods from France and elsewhere. During the time Philibert Tsiranana<\/a> was President of Madagascar, he enjoyed flying down to Fort Dauphin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1975, the French businesses were nationalized, French citizens’ assets were frozen, and several were briefly imprisoned.[citation needed<\/a><\/em>]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern era<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since the early 1970s, Fort Dauphin suffered an economic decline due to lack of good road connections to the rest of the country, rendering its port of local importance only. This in spite of significant foreign exchange earned from the export of live lobster (250 to over 350 tonnes per year from 1990 to 2005),[9]<\/sup>and sapphires<\/a>.[10]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mandena<\/a> ilmenite<\/a> mine near Fort-Dauphin was opened by QIT Madagascar Minerals[11]<\/sup> in 1986 prompting a boost in employment, migration to the area, development of roads and exacerbation of deforestation.[12]<\/sup> Associated with the mine the port d’Ehoala<\/a> was built, 10 km west of Tolagnaro.[13]<\/sup> These are the first major investments in the region’s infrastructure for many decades.[citation needed<\/a><\/em>]<\/sup>The mine contaminated Lake Besaroy<\/a> in 2014-2015[14]<\/sup> and has been met with mixed reactions from local communities, who held protests in 2013[15]<\/sup> and 2022.[16]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, there are a large variety of international non-governmental organizations with offices in Tolagnaro.[citation needed<\/a><\/em>]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geography<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fort-Dauphin was initially situated on a short, narrow peninsula on the extreme southeastern coast of Madagascar, but has since grown to cover a much greater area along the ocean, almost to Mount Bezavona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n