▁the ▁entire ▁island . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁the ▁French ▁colon izers ▁of ▁Mad agas car ▁adopted ▁the ▁Mer ina ▁capital ▁as ▁their ▁center ▁of ▁colonial ▁administration . ▁The ▁city ▁remained ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁Mad agas car ▁after ▁reg aining ▁independence ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁capital ' s ▁population ▁was ▁estimated ▁at ▁ 1 , 3 9 1 , 4 3 3 ▁inhabitants . ▁The ▁next ▁largest ▁cities ▁are ▁Ant si ra be ▁( 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 ), ▁To am as ina ▁( 4 5 0 , 0 0 0 ) ▁and ▁Mah aj anga ▁( 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 ). ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁ ▁Since ▁Mad agas car ▁gained ▁independence ▁from ▁France ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁the ▁island ' s ▁political ▁trans itions ▁have ▁been ▁marked ▁by ▁numerous ▁popular ▁protest s , ▁several ▁disput ed ▁elections , ▁an ▁im pe achment , ▁two ▁military ▁cou ps ▁and ▁one ▁assass ination . ▁The ▁island ' s ▁rec urrent ▁political ▁cr ises ▁are ▁often ▁prolong ed , ▁with ▁det r iment al ▁effects ▁on ▁the ▁local ▁economy , ▁international ▁relations ▁and ▁Mal ag asy ▁living ▁standards . ▁The ▁eight - month ▁st ando ff ▁between ▁inc umb ent ▁Rat si ra ka ▁and ▁ch allen ger ▁Marc ▁R aval oman ana ▁following ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁president ial ▁elections ▁cost ▁Mad agas car ▁millions ▁of ▁dollars ▁in ▁lost ▁tour