Asians in Africa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
People from, or with roots from, Asia live throughout Africa. Some came in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as indentured labour or coolies. For example, workers from the Indian subcontinent moved within the British Empire to build the railway linking Mombasa to Nairobi, thus laying the foundations for the colony of Kenya; many stayed at the end of their terms of contract, and form the basis of the Sikh and Ismaeli communities. Relations between Asians and the black majority have not always been easy; most notably, Idi Amin, dictator of Uganda, expelled all Indians in 1972. Other Asians came more recently to Africa as traders and professional workers.
One noticeable exception is the Merina people of Madagascar. This dominant ethnic group is commonly accepted as indigenous on the African island of Madagascar, though they are mainly descending from Malay, Polynesian, Middle Eastern and Northern African immigrations.
They are the largest ethnic group in the country (representing roughly one quarter of the population) and also the ruling group. (The kings who unified the country in pre-colonial era and the incumbent President, and about 70% of his government members are all Merina).
