Madagascar

World Book Index

Introduction

Background
Madagascar was one of the last major habitable landmasses on earth to be settled by humans. Madagascar was a pirate stronghold during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The French conquered the island in 1896 and made it a colony. Independence was regained in 1960.

Geography

Area
total : 587,041 sq km
land: 581,540 sq km
water: 5,501 sq km

Climate
tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Natural resources
graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, rare earth elements, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

People and Society

Population
total: 29,452,714 (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups
Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran

Languages
Malagasy (official) 99.9%, French (official) 23.6%, English 8.2%, other 0.6% (2018 est.)

Religions
Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar/Malagasy Lutheran Church/Anglican Church 34%, Roman Catholic 32.3%, other Christian 8.1%, traditional/Animist 1.7%, Muslim 1.4%, other 0.6%, none 21.9% (2021 est.)

Population growth rate
2.18% (2024 est.)

Government

Government type
semi-presidential republic

Capital
name: Antananarivo

Executive branch
chief of state: President Andry RAJOELINA (since 16 December 2023)
head of government: Prime Minister Christian NTSAY (since 6 June 2018)

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Lantosoa RAKOTOMALALA (since 13 January 2025)

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Claire PIERANGELO (since 2 May 2022)

Economy

Economic overview
low-income East African island economy; natural resource rich; extreme poverty; return of political stability has helped growth; sharp tax revenue drop due to COVID-19; leading vanilla producer; environmentally fragile

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$52.968 billion (2024 est.)
$50.833 billion (2023 est.)
$48.782 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$1,700 (2024 est.)
$1,600 (2023 est.)
$1,600 (2022 est.)

Exports
$4.689 billion (2022 est.)
$3.362 billion (2021 est.)
$2.589 billion (2020 est.)

Exports - partners
USA 16%, France 15%, Japan 8%, China 6%, S. Korea 6% (2023)

Exports - commodities
garments, nickel, vanilla, cloves, gold (2023)

Imports
$6.041 billion (2022 est.)
$4.769 billion (2021 est.)
$3.718 billion (2020 est.)

Imports - partners
China 19%, Oman 13%, France 10%, India 8%, South Africa 5% (2023)

Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, rice, fabric, cotton fabric, wheat (2023)

Human Development Index

The country's Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.487, ranking it 183th out of 193 countries tested. (more information)

World Happiness Report

The World Happiness Report ranked the country 133rd out of 158 countries tested with a score of 4.186. (more information)