Betafo

Betafo or Betafó ("many roofs") is a town and urban commune in Vakinankaratra Region, in the Central Highlands of Madagascar.

For the district, see Betafo District. For the village in Arivonimamo,Itasy, see Betafo, Arivonimamo.
Betafo
fields near Betafo
Betafo
Location in Madagascar
Coordinates: 19°50′24″S 46°51′18″E
Country Madagascar
RegionVakinankaratra
DistrictBetafo District
Elevation
1,410 m (4,630 ft)
Population
 (2001)[1]
 • Total31,000
Time zoneUTC3 (EAT)
Betafo in 1885.

The town had an estimated population of 31,000 in 2001 [1] and is the administrative centre of Betafo District.

Geography

Betafo is situated at an altitude of 1,410 metres (4,630 ft) above sea level, in the central highlands of Madagascar. The town lies along the RN34 national road, 191 km (119 mi) from the country's capital, Antananarivo.

Ecclesiastical history

[2]On 1913.05.15 it became the seat of Catholic missionary pre-diocesan jurisdiction, the Apostolic Prefecture of Betafó, which was promoted on 1918.08.24 as Apostolic Vicariate of Betafó, but on 1921.01.10 that was renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Antsirabé (meanwhile a diocese) when the seat was moved there.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

The irrigated rice paddies of the area are emblematic of this technology throughout the Malagasy highlands and were nominated to the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Madagascar in 1997.[3]

References
  1. Cornell University. "The Commune Census of by the Ilo program of Cornell University in collaboration with FOFIFA and INSTAT".
  2. http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/ants1.htm
  3. UNESCO. "World Heritage Convention: Madagascar". Archived from the original on April 24, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
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