Demographics of Madagascar

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Madagascar, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Madagascar's population is predominantly of mixed Austronesian and East African origin.

Population

Demographics of Madagascar, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

Population density of Madagascar as of 2004

According to the 2010 revison of the World Population Prospects the total population was 20 714 000 in 2010, compared to only 4 084 000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 43.1%, 53.8% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 3.1% was 65 years or older .

	Total population (x 1000)	Population aged 0–14 (%)	Population aged 15–64 (%)	Population aged 65+ (%)
1950	4 084	38.2	58.6	3.2
1955	4 548	40.2	56.6	3.2
1960	5 104	42.6	54.1	3.3
1965	5 764	44.6	52.0	3.4
1970	6 549	45.1	51.3	3.6
1975	7 502	45.6	50.6	3.8
1980	8 609	45.9	50.5	3.6
1985	9 785	45.1	51.6	3.3
1990	11 281	44.7	52.1	3.2
1995	13 129	44.5	52.4	3.1
2000	15 364	45.3	51.6	3.1
2005	17 886	44.6	52.3	3.1
2010	20 714	43.1	53.8	3.1

UN population projections

Numbers are in thousands. UN medium variant projections

• 2015 23,852
• 2020 27,365
• 2025 31,217
• 2030 35,333
• 2035 39,643
• 2040 44,132
• 2045 48,782
• 2050 53,561

Vital statistics

Registration of vital events is in Madagaskar not complete. The Population Departement of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.

Period	Live births per year	Deaths per year	Natural change per year	CBR*	CDR*	NC*	TFR*	IMR*
1950–1955	212 000	119 000	93 000	49.0	27.5	21.5	7.30	181
1955–1960	236 000	125 000	111 000	48.8	25.8	23.0	7.30	167
1960–1965	262 000	130 000	132 000	48.3	24.0	24.3	7.30	155
1965–1970	295 000	136 000	159 000	47.9	22.1	25.7	7.30	143
1970–1975	339 000	145 000	194 000	48.3	20.6	27.7	7.30	132
1975–1980	379 000	152 000	227 000	47.0	18.8	28.2	7.00	122
1980–1985	388 000	152 000	237 000	42.2	16.5	25.7	6.10	111
1985–1990	474 000	173 000	301 000	45.0	16.4	28.6	6.30	110
1990–1995	545 000	174 000	371 000	44.7	14.3	30.4	6.14	96
1995–2000	609 000	161 000	448 000	42.8	11.3	31.5	5.80	76
2000–2005	649 000	143 000	505 000	39.0	8.6	30.4	5.28	58
2005–2010	698 000	131 000	567 000	36.2	6.8	29.4	4.83	45
* CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)

Total Fertility rate

According to 2008-09 survey, the Malagasy fertility rate was 4.8

Ethnicity

Further information: Malagasy people

See also: French people in Madagascar, Chinese people in Madagascar, and Indians in Madagascar

Distribution of Malagasy ethnic groups.

The island of Madagascar is predominantly populated by people broadly classified as belonging to the Malagasy ethnic identity. This group is further sub-divided a number of sub-groups, often given as numbering eighteen. In addition, communities of Indians and Arabs have long been established on the island and have assimilated into local communities to varying degrees, in some places having long since become identified "Malagasy" ethnic groups, and in others maintaining distinct identities and cultural separation. More recent arrivals include Europeans and Chinese immigrants.

Madagascar was probably uninhabited prior to Austronesian settlement in the early centuries AD. Austronesian features are most predominant in the central highlands people, the Merina (3 million) and the Betsileo (2 million); the remaining 16 tribal groupings are coastal peoples who are predominantly of East African origin, with various Malay, Arab, European and Indian admixtures. The largest coastal groups are the Betsimisaraka (1.5 million) and the Tsimihety and Sakalava (700,000 each). Malagasy society has long been polarized between the politically and economically advantaged highlanders of the central plateaux and the people along the coast. For example in the 1970s there was widespread opposition among coastal ethnics against the policy of Malgachisation which intended to phase out the use of the French language in public life in favour of a more prominent position for the Malagasy language, whose orthography is based on the Merina dialect. Identity politics were also at the core of the brief civil unrest during 2002.

Indians in Madagascar descend mostly from traders who arrived in the newly independent nation looking for better opportunities. The majority of them came from the west coast of India known as Karana (Muslim) and Banian (Hindu). The majority speak Hindi or Gujarati, although some other Indian dialects are also spoken. Nowadays the younger generations speak at least three languages, including French, Gujarati and Malagasy. A large number of the Indians in Madagascar have a high level of education, particularly the younger generation.

A sizeable number of Europeans also reside in Madagascar, mostly of French descent.

CIA World Factbook demographic statistics

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.

'Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 59.45 years
male: 57.72 years
female: 61.33 years (2006 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy

Ethnic groups: Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), coastal ethnics (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Desi, Creole, Comorian, Chinese, Osti de cave.

Religions: indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Languages: Malagasy (official, and national language), French (official).

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 80%
male: 88%
female: 73% (1990 est.)

Largest cities

Largest cities or towns in Madagascar According to the 2018 Census
Rank	Name	Region	Pop.
1	Antananarivo	Analamanga	1,275,207
2	Toamasina	Atsinanana	326,286
3	Antsirabe	Vakinankaratra	245,592
4	Mahajanga	Boeny	244,722
5	Fianarantsoa	Haute Matsiatra	189,879
6	Toliara	Atsimo-Andrefana	169,760
7	Antsiranana	Diana	131,165
8	Hell-Ville	Diana	109,365
9	Sambava	Sava	85,659
10	Taolagnaro	Anosy	67,188

References

• Matthew E. Hules, et al. (2005). The Dual Origin of the Malagasy in Island Southeast Asia and East Africa: Evidence from Maternal and Paternal Lineages. American Journal of Human Genetics, 76:894-901, 2005.