Maevatanana is an urban municipality located in the central-north part of Madagascar. It serves as the capital of the Betsiboka Region and is situated along the Ikopa River. The city is connected to both Antananarivo and Mahajanga via the national road RN 4.
The area is characterized by low altitude and high temperatures due to its inland location away from the coast. According to a 2001 commune census, the population of Maevatanana was estimated to be approximately 24,000 residents.