Indians in Madagascar form a community of roughly 25,000 individuals according to the statistics of India's Ministry of External Affairs; other estimates of their population range from 15,000 to 30,000. Among them are 867 non-resident Indians, with the rest being locally-born descendants of early immigrants.[1][2] They form a minority ethnic group in Madagascar.
[edit] History
By the 1880s, a community of roughly 200 Indian traders had formed at Mahajanga, a port on the north-west coast of Madagascar, near Bembatoka Bay at the mouth of the Betsiboka River. Confusion arose over their legal status; they often declared themselves to be Malagasy subjects in order to evade the laws against slave-holding or the building of stone houses, both forbidden to British subjects, while their dhows, which they used to transport goods to and from the African mainland, flew French flags.[3] Initial arrivals were mainly Muslim Khojas, Ismailis and Daoudi Bohras, with some Hindus settling later.[4] The 1911 census found 4,480 Indians in the country, making them 21% of the total foreign population and the second-largest foreign population after the French.[5] Following the nationalisation of private businesses in the 1970s, many were compelled to leave; those who remained were largely uneducated, but stayed on and gradually built their businesses. By 2000, they were generally believed to control 50-60% of the country's economy, making them the target of demonstrators during periods of unrest.[6]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] Sources
- A., Kathirasen (2001-07-31), "A vibrant minority: The Chinese and Indians, who make up a tiny minority in Madagascar, are doing very well for themselves", New Straits Times (Singapore), http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-82613088.html, retrieved 2008-10-28
- Martin, Frederick (1916), "Madagascar", The Statesman's Year-book: The Statesman's Year-book: Statistical and Historical Annual of the States of the World for the Year 1916, St. Martin's Press
- Oliver, Samuel Pasfield (1885), The True Story of the French Dispute in Madagascar, Unwin
- Singhvi, L. M. (2000), "Other Countries of Africa", Report of the High Level Committee on the Indian Diaspora, New Delhi: Ministry of External Affairs, http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter8.pdf
[edit] Further reading
- Stratton, Arthur (1964), "The Chinese and the Indians", The Great Red Island: A Biography of Madagascar, Scribner, OCLC 1670237
- Blanchy, Sophie (2004-01-22), Karana Et Banians: Les Communautes Commercantes D'Origine Indienne A Madagascar, Harmattan, ISBN 9782738426567
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