MADAGASCAR – Country Information

Population:
Madagascar has a population of 26,955,737 as of 2020.

Size:
587,040 sq km / 226,657 sq mi (slightly smaller than Texas)

Capital City:
The capital city of Antananarivo is land-locked and situated on a plateau providing moderate weather for the capital city.

Ethnic Groups:
90% Malagasy
10% Other

Madagascar has 18 separate tribal groups of Malayo-Indonesian, African mixed with Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry, as well as French and Indian.

Religion:
40% Traditional Ancestral Worship
27% Protestant
20% Roman Catholic
2% Sunni Muslim
11% Other

Languages:
Malagasy (official)
French (official)

Malagasy is the most widely spoken, but French is the primary business language

Geography:
Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world in a strategic location along the Mozambique Channel. There is also diversity on the island with tropical rainforest in the east, temperate highlands in the center, and arid deserts in the south.

Economy:
Madagascar is a poor country with a mostly unregulated economy and many untapped natural resources.

Interesting Fact:
Madagascar is the world’s top producer of vanilla.

Important Facts:
Madagascar gained independence from France on June 26, 1960. Most of the plant, insect, and animal life are indigenous to Madagascar.