Antsiroamandidy

Antsiroamandidy lies west of Madagascar's central highlands, in a country between the Merina kingdoms and the Sakalava realm of Menabe. During the early nineteenth century Merina expansion brought a garrison into this frontier district. Soldiers' families, officials and traders settled around it, giving rise to a town at a meeting point of highland and western interests. Its position reflects the changing balance of power between the island's great inland and western kingdoms.