Madagascar - The People: Overview

The people of Madagascar arrived fairly recently, around 2000 years ago. There is some argument on who was the first to settle there, but it was either Indonesians or Africans. The current people are recognized as mostly a mix between these two peoples and also other groups such as Arabs and Indians.

The current people are known as Malagasy. There culture is derived from many influences, such as the Middle East, southeast Asia, Africa, and India.

There are currently over 20 ethnic groups living in Madagascar.

http://www.wildmadagascar.org/people/

Median Age:

Male: 17.24 years Female: 17.67 years

Official Languages: French and Malagasy

Religions: Indigenous beliefs, Catholicism, Muslim

Literacy Rate: 68.9%

http://www.wildmadagascar.org/overview/the_people.html

Population (2010) approx. 21,000,000

President: Andry Rajoelina

Prime Minister: Eugène Mangalaza

Capitol: Antananarivo

Government: multi-party Republic