Early History
The early native people of Madagascar had no written history, and therefore the history of Port Tulear before 1000 AD is very cloudy.
Arabs Arrive from Africa around 1000 AD
Middle Eastern peoples who had migrated down the Eastern coast of Africa were thought to arrive on the west coast of Madagascar around 1000 AD.
The French Come in 1643
The French were the first Europeans to arrive in this part of Madagascar. They built Fort Dauphin now Port Tulear in 1643. The French remained a force until the middle of the 20th century. As a sidelight, the French aristocracy on the island would have villas on the beaches of this area and they developed the Coton of Tulear breed of dog which is still shown today.
The 1700s and 1800s
The Merina Empire which came into power during the 1700s was able to control most of Madagascar by 1780. This however did not extend to Port Tulear which remained French. The British also tried to take Port Tulear from the French without success. By 1892 Madagascar had become a French Colony.
Independence
In 1960 Toliara (Port Tulear) along with the rest of Madagascar won its independence. Since this time there have been several unsettled periods in the history of Madagascar. In 1971 a demonstration in Port Tulear was violently suppressed.
Port Tulear in 2010
Today Port Tulear is a bustling city which has a large fishing fleet. It also is a major area of tourism with several hotels such as Hotel Transit with suites for $25, as of 2009.
Article Written By Les Belzer
Les Belzer has been a professor, entrepreneur, farm owner and writer since 1968. He has written in-house articles on education, mathematics and Spanish literature. Since 1999 he has written travel articles for Escapeartist and "International Living." Belzer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish literature from Idaho State University and a Master of Science in math from the Universidad Mayor de San Simon.
