Toamasina is the capital of the Atsinanana region located on the east coast of Madagascar along the Indian Ocean. The city's name translates to "like salt" or "salty," and it has been known unofficially in French as Tamatave or historically as Port aux prunes.
As the chief seaport of Madagascar, Toamasina is situated approximately 215 km (134 mi) northeast of the nation's capital and largest city, Antananarivo. As of 2018, the city had a recorded population of 325,857.