# Madagascar

Madagascar

sovereign state, island country, unitary state, country| Part of | Indian Ocean Commission, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, Southern African Development Community  |
| Year dem found am | 1960  |
| Official name | République de Madagascar, Madagasikara  |
| Native label | Repoblikan'i Madagaskar, République de Madagascar  |
| Official language | Malagasy, French  |
| Anthem | Ry Tanindrazanay malala ô!  |
| Culture | culture of Madagascar  |
| Continent | Africa  |
| Country | Madagascar  |
| Capital | Antananarivo  |
| Located in time zone | UTC+03:00  |
| Located in/on physical feature | Madagascar, East African islands, Indian Ocean, East Africa  |
| Coordinate location | 20°0′0″S 47°0′0″E  |
| Coordinates of easternmost point | 15°15′55″S 50°29′7″E  |
| Coordinates of northernmost point | 11°57′0″S 49°15′0″E  |
| Coordinates of southernmost point | 25°36′20″S 45°10′14″E  |
| Coordinates of westernmost point | 12°7′36″S 49°2′42″E  |
| Highest point | Maromokotro  |
| Lowest point | Indian Ocean  |
| Government ein basic form | republic  |
| Office held by head of state | President of Madagascar  |
| State ein head | Michael Randrianirina  |
| Office head of government hold | Prime Minister of Madagascar  |
| Government ein head | Ruphin Zafisambo  |
| Legislative body | Parliament of Madagascar  |
| Central bank | Central Bank of Madagascar  |
| Currency | ariary  |
| Dey share bother plus | no value, Comoros, France, Mozambique, Seychelles  |
| Coextensive with | Madagascar  |
| Driving side | right  |
| Electrical plug type | Europlug, AC power plugs and sockets: British and related types, Type E, SN 441011, Type K  |
| Dey replace | French Madagascar  |
| Significant event | Independence of Madagascar  |
| Dema official website |   |
| Hashtag | Madagascar  |
| Top-level Internet domain | .mg  |
| Flag | flag of Madagascar  |
| Coat of arms | Seal of Madagascar  |
| Geography of topic | geography of Madagascar  |
| Get characteristic | partly free country  |
| History of topic | history of Madagascar  |
| Economy of topic | economy of Madagascar  |
| Demographics of topic | demographics of Madagascar  |
| Mobile country code | 646  |
| Country calling code | +261  |
| Emergency phone number | 117, 118, 124  |
| Licence plate code | RM  |
| Maritime identification digits | 647  |
| Unicode character | 🇲🇬  |
| Category for maps or plans | Category:Maps of Madagascar  |

**Madagascar**, alias **Republic of Madagascar**, be sam island country wey dey lie off de southeastern coast of Africa. Ebe de world ein fourth largest island, de second-largest island country den de 46th largest country for de world insyd. Ein capital den largest city be Antananarivo.

Madagascar be member of de United Nations (UN), de African Union (AU), de Southern African Development Community (SADC), den de *Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie*. Malagasy den French be both official languages of de state. Christianity be de country ein predominant religion, plus significant minority still dey practise traditional faiths. Dem dey classify Madagascar as a least developed country by de UN. Ecotourism den agriculture, dem pair plus greater investments insyd education, health den private enterprise, be key elements of ein development strategy. Despite substantial economic growth since de early 2000s, na income disparities widen, den quality of life remain low for de majority of de population. As of 2021, dem dey consider 68.4 percent of de population to be multidimensionally poor.

## Government

### Administrative divisions

Dem subdivid Madagascar into 22 regions (*faritra*). Dem further subdivide de regions into 119 districts, 1,579 communes, den 17,485 *fokontany*.

A map of Madagascar ein regions

**Regions and former provinces**| New regions | Former provinces | Area in km2 | Population 2018 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Diana | Antsiranana | 19,993 | 889,962 |
| Sava | Antsiranana | 23,794 | 1,123,772 |
| Itasy | Antananarivo | 6,579 | 898,549 |
| Analamanga | Antananarivo | 17,346 | 3,623,925 |
| Vakinankaratra | Antananarivo | 17,884 | 2,079,659 |
| Bongolava | Antananarivo | 18,096 | 670,993 |
| Sofia (7) | Mahajanga | 50,973 | 1,507,591 |
| Boeny | Mahajanga | 31,250 | 929,312 |
| Betsiboka | Mahajanga | 28,964 | 393,278 |
| Melaky | Mahajanga | 40,863 | 308,944 |
| Alaotra Mangoro | Toamasina | 27,846 | 1,249,931 |
| Atsinanana | Toamasina | 22,031 | 1,478,472 |
| Analanjirofo | Toamasina | 21,666 | 1,150,089 |
| Amoron'i Mania | Fianarantsoa | 16,480 | 837,116 |
| Haute-Matsiatra | Fianarantsoa | 20,820 | 1,444,587 |
| Vatovavy-Fitovinany | Fianarantsoa | 20,740 | 1,440,657 |
| Atsimo-Atsinanana | Fianarantsoa | 16,632 | 1,030,404 |
| Ihorombe | Fianarantsoa | 26,046 | 418,520 |
| Menabe | Toliara | 48,814 | 692,463 |
| Atsimo-Andrefana | Toliara | 66,627 | 1,797,894 |
| Androy | Toliara | 18,949 | 900,235 |
| Anosy | Toliara | 29,505 | 809,051 |
| Totals |  | 591,896 | 25,674,196 |

## Demographics

De regional distribution of Malagasy ethnic subgroups
### Ethnic groups

| Malagasy ethnic subgroups | Regional concentration |
| --- | --- |
| Antankarana, Sakalava, Tsimihety | Former Antsiranana Province; north den northwestern coasts |
| Sakalava, Vezo | Former Mahajanga Province; western coast |
| Betsimisaraka, Sihanaka, Bezanozano | Former Toamasina Province; eastern coast |
| Merina | Former Antananarivo Province; central highlands |
| Betsileo, Antaifasy, Antambahoaka, Antaimoro, Antaisaka, Tanala | Former Fianarantsoa Province; southeastern coast |
| Mahafaly, Antandroy, Antanosy people, Bara, Vezo | Former Toliara Province; southern inland regions den coast |

### Largest cities

| Largest cities anaa towns insyd Madagascar

According to de 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 |

A Malagasy child

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