TAMATAVE (called by the natives Tbamdsina)  , the chief seaport of Madagascar, situated nearly on the centre of the eastern coast in 18° ro' S., 490 32' E . It owes its importance to the existence of a coral reef, which forms a spacious and fairly commodious harbour, entered by two openings . The town is built on a sandy peninsula which projects at right angles from the general coast-line . On this are crowded together a considerable number of houses, with good shops and merchants' offices in the main thoroughfares . Tamatave is the seat of several foreign consuls, as well as of numerous French officials, and is the chief port for the capital and the interior . Imports consist principally of piece-goods, farinaceous foods, and iron and steel goods, and exports of gold dust, raffia, hides, caoutchouc and live animals . Communication with Europe is maintained by steamers of the Messageries Maritimes and the Havraise companies, and also with Mauritius, and from thence to Ceylon, by the British Union-Castle line . Of the whole foreign trade of Madagascar, 46 per cent. is through Tamatave . Owing to the character of the soil and the formerly crowded native population, the town has often been attacked by epidemics: the plague broke out in 1898, and again in 1900; but since the draining of the neighbouring marshes, there has been improvement . Since 1895 the native population has been removed from the town and settled in a new village to the north-west . A telegraph, 18o miles in length, connects Tamatave with the capital . There is also a service, partly by railway and partly by steamer, along the coast lagoons, connecting the port with Antananarivo .

Pop. about 4600 .