About Madagascar
Malagasy - the official language, spoken by ~99.9% of the population; a Malayo-Polynesian language reflecting the island's Southeast Asian settler origins.
French - also official, spoken by ~23.6% of the population.
English is spoken by ~8.2%.
Both Malagasy and French are official languages of Madagascar.
| Geography |
Location: Southern Africa, an island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 587,041 sq km; world's fourth-largest island
Natural hazards: periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation
Geography - note: strategic location along the Mozambique Channel; despite proximity to the African continent, ocean currents isolate the island, resulting in extremely high rates of endemic plant and animal species - approximately 90% of its flora and fauna are found nowhere else on Earth
| People |
Population: 28.2-31.7 million (2022-2025 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37-38.86%
15-64 years: 59.1%
65 years and over: 3.47-3.9%
Median age: 20.5 years (2025 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population 63.6 years (World Bank, 2025)
Nationality:
noun/adjective: Malagasy (singular and plural)
Ethnic groups: Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
Religions: Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar/Malagasy Lutheran/Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 32.3%, other Christian 8.1%, none 21.9% (2021 est.)
Languages: Malagasy (official) 99.9%, French (official) 23.6%, English 8.2%, other 0.6% (2018 est.; shares exceed 100% due to multiple responses)
Population distribution: most of the population lives on the eastern half of the island, with significant clustering in the central highlands and eastern coastline; urban population 40.6% of total (2023)
| Government |
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
conventional short form: Madagascar
Data code: MA
Government type: in transition; a transitional administration was established following an October 2025 military takeover
National capital: Antananarivo; the name means "City of the Thousand," from the Malagasy prefix an- (place name), tanana (town), and arivo (thousand)
Background: among the last major habitable landmasses on Earth to be settled; large-scale settlement began between 350-550 AD with settlers from present-day Indonesia; Arab and Persian traders arrived from the 7th century, African migrants around 1000 AD; a pirate stronghold in the late 17th-early 18th centuries and a slave trading center into the 19th century; a native Merina Kingdom dominated much of the island from the 16th to late 19th century; France conquered the island in 1896, making it a colony; independence regained in 1960; following 2025 unrest and protests, Col. Michael Randrianirina declared the military had taken power on 14 October 2025; the High Constitutional Court asked him to serve as transitional president, and he was inaugurated on 17 October 2025
| Economy |
Economy - overview: low-income, least-developed economy; persistently high poverty despite modest, steady growth since the 2010s; manufacturing, tourism, telecommunications, trade, and banking drive recent growth; extreme poverty and rising urban poverty remain serious challenges
GDP (purchasing power parity): $64.14 billion (2025 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.8% (2025)
GDP - per capita: $2,040 PPP (2025 est.)
Inflation rate: 7.8-8% (2017-2025 est.)
Unemployment rate: 1.8-3.0% (varies by source)
Currency: Malagasy ariary (MGA)
| Military |
Military - note: the military's responsibilities include territorial defense and protecting the maritime domain against piracy and smuggling; has a history of influence in domestic politics and seized control of the government in October 2025; security relationships have included France, India, and Russia (2025)