# Demographics of Madagascar

Demographic features of the population of Madagascar include 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.
Since the country's independence in 1960, three general census of population and dwellings (RGPH) have been conducted by the national statistics office INSTAT under the supervision of the ministry of economy. The first census in 1975 counted 7.4 million Malagasy people, the second one in 1993 censused 12.3 million citizens and the 18h May to 10 June 2018 census numbered 25 674 186 inhabitants.

## Population

The problem with population estimation in Madagascar is that data is very old and limited. The last population census was carried out in 1993, after an initial 1975 census. There was an attempt at a census in 2009, but this attempt ultimately failed due to political instability. Therefore, the demographic situation is inferred but reliability of any estimates from any source has a large margin of error. According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects the total population was 28,915,653 in 2021, 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 | Population percentages | Population percentages | Population percentages |
| | Total population | aged 0–14 | aged 15–64 | aged 65+ |
| 1950 | 4 084 000 | 38.2% | 58.6% | 3.2% |
| 1955 | 4 548 000 | 40.2% | 56.6% | 3.2% |
| 1960 | 5 104 000 | 42.6% | 54.1% | 3.3% |
| 1965 | 5 764 000 | 44.6% | 52.0% | 3.4% |
| 1970 | 6 549 000 | 45.1% | 51.3% | 3.6% |
| 1975 | 7 502 000 | 45.6% | 50.6% | 3.8% |
| 1980 | 8 609 000 | 45.9% | 50.5% | 3.6% |
| 1985 | 9 785 000 | 45.1% | 51.6% | 3.3% |
| 1990 | 11 281 000 | 44.7% | 52.1% | 3.2% |
| 1995 | 13 129 000 | 44.5% | 52.4% | 3.1% |
| 2000 | 15 364 000 | 45.3% | 51.6% | 3.1% |
| 2005 | 17 886 000 | 44.6% | 52.3% | 3.1% |
| 2010 | 20 714 000 | 43.1% | 53.8% | 3.1% |
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2019) (Unrevised data. Data refer to projections based on the 1993 Population Census.):
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 12 668 593 | 12 919 924 | 25 588 517 | 100% |
| 0–4 | 2 140 990 | 2 208 330 | 4 349 320 | 17.00% |
| 5–9 | 2 046 090 | 2 055 178 | 4 101 267 | 16.03% |
| 10–14 | 1 787 232 | 1 715 544 | 3 502 776 | 13.69% |
| 15–19 | 1 395 251 | 1 354 185 | 2 749 436 | 10.74% |
| 20–24 | 894 670 | 1 035 834 | 1 930 504 | 7.54% |
| 25–29 | 791 824 | 871 146 | 1 662 969 | 6.50% |
| 30–34 | 723 266 | 769 648 | 1 492 914 | 5.83% |
| 35–39 | 657 405 | 701 492 | 1 358 897 | 5.31% |
| 40–44 | 529 353 | 577 400 | 1 106 753 | 4.33% |
| 45–49 | 499 305 | 520 776 | 1 020 081 | 3.99% |
| 50–54 | 446 371 | 379 375 | 825 746 | 3.23% |
| 55–59 | 292 937 | 246 664 | 539 601 | 2.11% |
| 60–64 | 163 388 | 178 418 | 341 806 | 1.34% |
| 65-69 | 111 931 | 108 062 | 219 993 | 0.86% |
| 70-74 | 91 962 | 89 849 | 181 811 | 0.71% |
| 75-79 | 53 430 | 56 044 | 109 474 | 0.43% |
| 80-84 | 29 565 | 33 412 | 62 977 | 0.25% |
| 85+ | 13 625 | 18 568 | 32 193 | 0.13% |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
| 0–14 | 5 974 312 | 5 979 052 | 11 953 364 | 46.71% |
| 15–64 | 6 393 768 | 6 634 937 | 13 028 705 | 50.92% |
| 65+ | 300 513 | 305 935 | 606 448 | 2.37% |

### UN population projections

UN medium variant projections:
| Year | Projected population |
| 2015 | 23,852,000 |
| 2020 | 27,365,000 |
| 2025 | 31,217,000 |
| 2030 | 35,333,000 |
| 2035 | 39,643,000 |
| 2040 | 44,132,000 |
| 2045 | 48,782,000 |
| 2050 | 53,561,000 |
| 2060 | 65,280,000 |

## Vital statistics

Registration of vital events in Madagascar is not complete. The Population Department 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 | 192,000 | 96,000 | 96,000 | 48.6 | 24.4 | 24.2 | 7.30 | 140.1 |
| 1951 | 196,000 | 99,000 | 98,000 | 48.5 | 24.3 | 24.1 | 7.30 | 138.8 |
| 1952 | 201,000 | 100,000 | 101,000 | 48.4 | 24.2 | 24.3 | 7.30 | 137.4 |
| 1953 | 206,000 | 102,000 | 104,000 | 48.4 | 23.9 | 24.5 | 7.30 | 135.5 |
| 1954 | 211,000 | 103,000 | 108,000 | 48.4 | 23.7 | 24.7 | 7.30 | 133.4 |
| 1955 | 216,000 | 104,000 | 111,000 | 48.3 | 23.3 | 24.9 | 7.30 | 131.2 |
| 1956 | 221,000 | 106,000 | 115,000 | 48.2 | 23.1 | 25.1 | 7.30 | 130.0 |
| 1957 | 226,000 | 107,000 | 119,000 | 48.1 | 22.7 | 25.4 | 7.30 | 128.4 |
| 1958 | 231,000 | 108,000 | 123,000 | 47.9 | 22.3 | 25.6 | 7.30 | 126.7 |
| 1959 | 236,000 | 109,000 | 127,000 | 47.6 | 22.0 | 25.7 | 7.30 | 124.9 |
| 1960 | 240,000 | 109,000 | 131,000 | 47.3 | 21.5 | 25.8 | 7.30 | 122.9 |
| 1961 | 245,000 | 110,000 | 135,000 | 47.0 | 21.1 | 25.9 | 7.30 | 121.4 |
| 1962 | 250,000 | 111,000 | 139,000 | 46.7 | 20.7 | 26.0 | 7.30 | 119.5 |
| 1963 | 255,000 | 112,000 | 143,000 | 46.5 | 20.4 | 26.1 | 7.31 | 117.9 |
| 1964 | 261,000 | 112,000 | 148,000 | 46.3 | 20.0 | 26.4 | 7.31 | 116.4 |
| 1965 | 267,000 | 114,000 | 153,000 | 46.1 | 19.7 | 26.5 | 7.31 | 114.9 |
| 1966 | 275,000 | 115,000 | 160,000 | 46.4 | 19.4 | 27.0 | 7.31 | 113.8 |
| 1967 | 284,000 | 116,000 | 168,000 | 46.6 | 19.0 | 27.6 | 7.30 | 112.0 |
| 1968 | 294,000 | 117,000 | 177,000 | 46.9 | 18.6 | 28.2 | 7.30 | 109.8 |
| 1969 | 305,000 | 118,000 | 187,000 | 47.2 | 18.3 | 28.9 | 7.29 | 107.3 |
| 1970 | 317,000 | 119,000 | 197,000 | 47.6 | 18.0 | 29.7 | 7.27 | 105.8 |
| 1971 | 331,000 | 121,000 | 210,000 | 48.4 | 17.7 | 30.7 | 7.25 | 103.9 |
| 1972 | 341,000 | 123,000 | 218,000 | 48.3 | 17.4 | 30.9 | 7.22 | 101.6 |
| 1973 | 349,000 | 124,000 | 225,000 | 47.9 | 17.0 | 30.9 | 7.19 | 99.8 |
| 1974 | 356,000 | 125,000 | 231,000 | 47.5 | 16.7 | 30.8 | 7.15 | 98.8 |
| 1975 | 364,000 | 127,000 | 237,000 | 47.2 | 16.5 | 30.7 | 7.10 | 98.4 |
| 1976 | 373,000 | 131,000 | 243,000 | 46.9 | 16.4 | 30.5 | 7.04 | 99.7 |
| 1977 | 383,000 | 134,000 | 249,000 | 46.7 | 16.3 | 30.3 | 6.98 | 100.9 |
| 1978 | 392,000 | 137,000 | 255,000 | 46.4 | 16.3 | 30.1 | 6.90 | 102.0 |
| 1979 | 400,000 | 141,000 | 259,000 | 46.0 | 16.2 | 29.8 | 6.81 | 103.1 |
| 1980 | 406,000 | 145,000 | 262,000 | 45.4 | 16.2 | 29.2 | 6.73 | 104.2 |
| 1981 | 412,000 | 149,000 | 263,000 | 44.8 | 16.2 | 28.6 | 6.64 | 105.4 |
| 1982 | 422,000 | 153,000 | 269,000 | 44.5 | 16.2 | 28.4 | 6.55 | 106.5 |
| 1983 | 431,000 | 157,000 | 273,000 | 44.2 | 16.1 | 28.1 | 6.48 | 107.3 |
| 1984 | 442,000 | 161,000 | 280,000 | 44.1 | 16.1 | 28.0 | 6.41 | 107.4 |
| 1985 | 453,000 | 164,000 | 289,000 | 44.0 | 16.0 | 28.1 | 6.35 | 106.9 |
| 1986 | 463,000 | 167,000 | 296,000 | 43.8 | 15.8 | 28.0 | 6.31 | 105.7 |
| 1987 | 481,000 | 169,000 | 312,000 | 44.1 | 15.5 | 28.6 | 6.29 | 103.8 |
| 1988 | 495,000 | 171,000 | 325,000 | 44.2 | 15.2 | 29.0 | 6.21 | 101.4 |
| 1989 | 510,000 | 171,000 | 339,000 | 44.2 | 14.9 | 29.4 | 6.18 | 98.5 |
| 1990 | 529,000 | 172,000 | 357,000 | 44.5 | 14.5 | 30.0 | 6.16 | 95.5 |
| 1991 | 544,000 | 172,000 | 372,000 | 44.4 | 14.0 | 30.4 | 6.12 | 92.7 |
| 1992 | 560,000 | 172,000 | 388,000 | 44.3 | 13.6 | 30.7 | 6.08 | 90.0 |
| 1993 | 577,000 | 170,000 | 407,000 | 44.3 | 13.1 | 31.3 | 6.04 | 87.1 |
| 1994 | 595,000 | 171,000 | 424,000 | 44.3 | 12.7 | 31.6 | 5.99 | 84.5 |
| 1995 | 613,000 | 172,000 | 441,000 | 44.2 | 12.4 | 31.8 | 5.95 | 81.8 |
| 1996 | 627,000 | 172,000 | 455,000 | 43.8 | 12.0 | 31.7 | 5.89 | 79.0 |
| 1997 | 638,000 | 171,000 | 467,000 | 43.2 | 11.6 | 31.6 | 5.80 | 76.1 |
| 1998 | 645,000 | 169,000 | 476,000 | 42.3 | 11.1 | 31.2 | 5.68 | 73.1 |
| 1999 | 653,000 | 169,000 | 483,000 | 41.5 | 10.8 | 30.7 | 5.55 | 70.3 |
| 2000 | 655,000 | 168,000 | 487,000 | 40.4 | 10.4 | 30.0 | 5.40 | 67.8 |
| 2001 | 665,000 | 167,000 | 498,000 | 39.8 | 10.0 | 29.8 | 5.32 | 64.9 |
| 2002 | 673,000 | 168,000 | 505,000 | 39.1 | 9.7 | 29.3 | 5.23 | 62.6 |
| 2003 | 685,000 | 167,000 | 519,000 | 38.7 | 9.4 | 29.3 | 5.17 | 60.2 |
| 2004 | 699,000 | 165,000 | 533,000 | 38.3 | 9.1 | 29.2 | 5.13 | 58.0 |
| 2005 | 715,000 | 166,000 | 549,000 | 38.0 | 8.8 | 29.2 | 5.10 | 55.8 |
| 2006 | 731,000 | 164,000 | 567,000 | 37.8 | 8.5 | 29.3 | 5.06 | 53.9 |
| 2007 | 746,000 | 165,000 | 582,000 | 37.4 | 8.3 | 29.2 | 5.00 | 52.0 |
| 2008 | 760,000 | 165,000 | 595,000 | 37.1 | 8.1 | 29.0 | 4.93 | 50.2 |
| 2009 | 776,000 | 165,000 | 611,000 | 36.7 | 7.8 | 28.9 | 4.87 | 48.6 |
| 2010 | 783,000 | 168,000 | 616,000 | 36.0 | 7.7 | 28.3 | 4.76 | 47.1 |
| 2011 | 784,000 | 166,000 | 618,000 | 35.1 | 7.4 | 27.6 | 4.61 | 45.8 |
| 2012 | 787,000 | 170,000 | 618,000 | 34.3 | 7.4 | 26.9 | 4.47 | 44.6 |
| 2013 | 795,000 | 170,000 | 625,000 | 33.7 | 7.2 | 26.5 | 4.36 | 43.4 |
| 2014 | 801,000 | 171,000 | 630,000 | 33.1 | 7.1 | 26.0 | 4.25 | 42.3 |
| 2015 | 814,000 | 175,000 | 639,000 | 32.8 | 7.0 | 25.7 | 4.18 | 41.3 |
| 2016 | 836,000 | 174,000 | 662,000 | 32.8 | 6.8 | 25.9 | 4.16 | 40.3 |
| 2017 | 850,000 | 178,000 | 672,000 | 32.5 | 6.8 | 25.7 | 4.11 | 39.3 |
| 2018 | 862,000 | 181,000 | 681,000 | 32.1 | 6.7 | 25.4 | 4.04 | 38.2 |
| 2019 | 948,000 | 212,000 | 736,000 | 33.6 | 7.5 | 26.1 | 4.22 | 45.2 |
| 2020 | 964,000 | 228,000 | 737,000 | 33.3 | 7.9 | 25.4 | 4.17 | 45.2 |
| 2021 | 977,000 | 236,000 | 741,000 | 32.9 | 7.9 | 25.0 | 4.10 | 45.2 |
| 2022 | 989,000 | 235,000 | 754,000 | 32.5 | 7.7 | 24.8 | 4.04 | 45.1 |
| 2023 | 1,001,000 | 235,000 | 766,000 | 32.1 | 7.5 | 24.6 | 3.97 | 45.0 |
| 1 2 3 4 5 CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births |||||||||
Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects, 2022

### Demographic and Health Surveys

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
| Year | Total | Total | Urban | Urban | Rural | Rural |
| Year | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR |
| 1992 | 43.3 | 6.13 (5.2) | 34.2 | 3.84 (3.0) | 45.1 | 6.69 (5.8) |
| 1997 | 42.3 | 5.97 (5.2) | 34.5 | 4.19 (3.8) | 45.0 | 6.66 (5.8) |
| 2003–04 | 35.3 | 5.2 (4.7) | 28.7 | 3.7 (3.4) | 37.2 | 5.7 (5.1) |
| 2008–09 | 33.4 | 4.8 (4.2) | 24.8 | 2.9 (2.5) | 34.8 | 5.2 (4.5) |
| 2011 | 34.9 | 5.2 | 23.7 | 3.0 | 36.0 | 5.4 |
| 2013 | 30.6 | 4.4 | 24.0 | 3.0 | 31.2 | 4.5 |
| 2016 | 30.9 | 4.1 | 23.8 | 2.7 | 31.7 | 4.3 |
| 2021 | 32.3 | 4.3 (3.8) | 27.6 | 3.2 (2.8) | 33.4 | 4.6 (4.1) |
Fertility data as of 2008-2009 (DHS Program):
| Region | Total fertility rate | Percentage of women age 15–49 currently pregnant | Mean number of children ever born to women age 40–49 |
| Analamanga | 3.4 | 5.7 | 4.3 |
| Vakinankaratra | 5.3 | 7.4 | 6.0 |
| Itasy | 5.5 | 6.7 | 6.9 |
| Bongolava | 3.8 | 6.9 | 5.4 |
| Haute Matsiatra | 6.4 | 7.5 | 6.8 |
| Amoron'i Mania | 6.1 | 5.3 | 6.7 |
| Vatovavy Fitovinany | 6.5 | 10.3 | 6.5 |
| Ihorombe | 5.9 | 10.6 | 5.5 |
| Atsimo Atsinanana | 6.3 | 11.4 | 6.0 |
| Atsinanana | 3.0 | 9.2 | 4.1 |
| Analanjirofo | 4.6 | 6.6 | 5.7 |
| Alaotra Mangoro | 5.0 | 9.1 | 5.5 |
| Boeny | 4.5 | 9.1 | 4.9 |
| Sofia | 4.4 | 10.7 | 5.9 |
| Betsiboka | 4.7 | 10.5 | 6.1 |
| Melaky | 4.7 | 12.2 | 5.5 |
| Atsimo Andrefana | 6.2 | 13.2 | 6.3 |
| Androy | 6.4 | 10.8 | 5.6 |
| Anosy | 5.5 | 8.6 | 5.7 |
| Menabe | 4.8 | 11.3 | 5.9 |
| Diana | 3.7 | 6.8 | 4.9 |
| Sava | 4.5 | 6.3 | 5.0 |

### Life expectancy

| Period | Life expectancy in Years | Period | Life expectancy in Years |
| 1950–1955 | 36.3 | 1985–1990 | 49.9 |
| 1955–1960 | 38.8 | 1990–1995 | 52.7 |
| 1960–1965 | 41.2 | 1995–2000 | 56.7 |
| 1965–1970 | 43.5 | 2000–2005 | 60.0 |
| 1970–1975 | 46.0 | 2005–2010 | 62.2 |
| 1975–1980 | 48.1 | 2010–2015 | 64.5 |
| 1980–1985 | 49.7 | | |
Source: UN World Population Prospects

## Ethnicity

The island of Madagascar is predominantly populated by people broadly classified as belonging to the Malagasy ethno-linguistic group. This group is further subdivided a number of ethnic groups, often into the standard eighteen. In addition, communities of Indians in Madagascar and Arabs and Somalis 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 (particularly Malay) features are most predominant in the central highlands peoples, while coastal peoples are phenotypically more East African, sometimes with minor Arab, Somali, European and Indian admixtures. The largest coastal groups are the Betsimisaraka (1,500,000) 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 "Malagasization" 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.
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 languages 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.

## Languages

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

## Religion

* Christian (85.4%)
* Folk religions (4.6%)
* Muslim (3%)
* Unaffiliated/Other (7%)
According to the 1993 national census, 41% of Malagasies practised Christianity and 52% practise traditional religion, which tends to emphasize links between the living and the razana (ancestors); by 2020, only 4.5% of Malagasies exclusively practised folk religions and 85% were Christian (according to the Pew Research Center). The Association of Religion Data Archives noted that in 2020, 58.1% of the population is Christian, 2.1% is Muslim and 39.2% practices traditional faiths, while 0.6% of the population is non-religious or adheres to other faiths.
Madagascar's traditional religions 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 rebury it.
Malagasy Christians are roughly 50% Catholic and 50% Protestant (mainly Reformed Protestant Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar (FJKM), Lutheran, and Anglican) or Roman Catholic, but there are also smaller groups such as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, Eastern Orthodox Christians and evangelicals. 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 3% of the population in 2022, according to the US Department of State; there are also small numbers of Hindus and Jews.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had more than 13,000 members in 42 congregations in Madagascar in 2013.
A small community started practicing Judaism in 2010, and formally converted in 2016 with the assistance of Kulanu, a nonprofit organization focusing on remote Jewish communities.