History
Mahajanga became established in the 18th century as a trade crossroads between Madagascar, the East African coast and the Middle East. Swahili and Indian traders settled in the town, resulting in a thriving commerce in cattle, slaves, arms and spices from the Orient and the Middle East.
When Merina king Radama I overthrew the Sakalava people, Mahajanga’s inhabitants rioted and set one section of the town on fire. Because of the capital’s strategic location, the French selected it as the base of operations in 1895 for their expeditionary forces, which would turn Madagascar into a French protectorate.
Mahajanga (Majunga)
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