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'''The town of Diego Suarez is located in the north of Madagascar in the world's largest natural bay with the picturesque [[Nosy Lonja]] (sugar loaf island) in the middle. Diego Suarez is named after the Portuguese navigator Diogo Soares explorer Diego Diaz in who came to Madagascar in 1500 and the sailor Fernando Suarez who came to the bay in the early 16th century1506. Unfortunately he Diego Diaz was quite rather cruel to the locals and sold the locals them into slavery.'''
Although since 1975 the officinal name of the town is ''Antsiranana'', literally meaning "port" in Malagasy, many people still call it Diego Suarez. In 1885 the French Navy built a military base on location, giving the strategic importance of the deep-water harbour. During the second world war Diego Suarez was under the control of the Vichy French. In 1942 Britain and the Allies occupied Diego Suarez to prevent the Japanese warships and submarines entering the harbour. Hundreds of British soldiers fell in the Battle of Madagascar. Until 1973, Diego Suarez has served as a port to the French fleet of the Indian Ocean.