Demographics of Madagascar

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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 .[1]

Total population (x 1000) Population aged 0–14 (%) Population aged 15–64 (%) Population aged 65+ (%)
1950 4 08438.258.63.2
1955 4 54840.256.63.2
1960 5 10442.654.13.3
1965 5 76444.652.03.4
1970 6 54945.151.33.6
1975 7 50245.650.63.8
1980 8 60945.950.53.6
1985 9 78545.151.63.3
1990 11 28144.752.13.2
1995 13 12944.552.43.1
2000 15 36445.351.63.1
2005 17 88644.652.33.1
2010 20 71443.153.83.1

UN population projections

Numbers are in thousands. UN medium variant projections[1]

  • 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. [1]

Period Live births per year Deaths per year Natural change per year CBR* CDR* NC* TFR* IMR*
1950–1955 212 000 119 000 93 00049.027.521.57.30181
1955–1960 236 000 125 000 111 00048.825.823.07.30167
1960–1965 262 000 130 000 132 00048.324.024.37.30155
1965–1970 295 000 136 000 159 00047.922.125.77.30143
1970–1975 339 000 145 000 194 00048.320.627.77.30132
1975–1980 379 000 152 000 227 00047.018.828.27.00122
1980–1985 388 000 152 000 237 00042.216.525.76.10111
1985–1990 474 000 173 000 301 00045.016.428.66.30110
1990–1995 545 000 174 000 371 00044.714.330.46.1496
1995–2000 609 000 161 000 448 00042.811.331.55.8076
2000–2005 649 000 143 000 505 00039.08.630.45.2858
2005–2010 698 000 131 000 567 00036.26.829.44.8345
* 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[2]

Ethnicity

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[citation needed]) and the Betsileo (2 million[citation needed]); 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.[citation needed]

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

Religion

Roman Catholic cathedral in Antsirabe.

About half the population of Madagascar practices traditional religions, which tend to emphasize links between the living and the dead. They believe that the dead join their ancestors in the ranks of divinity and that ancestors are intensely concerned with the fate of their living descendants. This spiritual communion is celebrated by the Merina and Betsileo reburial practice of famadihana, or "turning over the dead." In this ritual, relatives' remains are removed from the family tomb, rewrapped in new silk shrouds, and returned to the tomb following festive ceremonies in their honor. In the festivities, they eat, drink, and literally dance with the dead. After one or two days of celebrating, they shower the body with gifts and re-bury it.

About 41% of the Malagasy are Christian. They are divided almost evenly between Roman Catholic and Protestant, but there are also Orthodox Christians. Many incorporate the cult of the dead with their other religious beliefs and bless their dead at church before proceeding with the traditional burial rites. They also may invite a pastor to attend a famadihana. A historical rivalry exists between the predominantly Catholic masses, considered to be underprivileged, and the predominantly Protestant Merina aristocrats, who tend to prevail in the civil service, business, and professions.

Followers of Islam constitute approximately 7 percent of the population. They are mostly concentrated in the north, northwest, and southeast.[3]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has more than 8,000 members in 33 congregations in Madagascar.[4]

See also: Christianity in Madagascar, Islam in Madagascar, Hinduism in Madagascar, and Bahá'í Faith in Madagascar.

CIA World Factbook demographic statistics

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.[5]

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

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

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision
  2. http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/FR236/FR236.pdf
  3. Madagascar
  4. Madagascar, "Facts and Statistics", Newsroom (LDS Church), January 1, 2012, retrieved 2013-03-10 
  5. The World Factbook - Madagascar

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.
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