Madagascar: Madagascar People Profile

Madagascar Population

 Madagascar is a large island located in Southeastern Africa in the Indian Ocean. It is the fourth largest island in the world and is heavily populated as well.

As of late 2012 and early 2013, its population was estimated to be around 22,005,222. In 2014, it is estimated to have 23,752,887. Over the course of the past few years, it has shown a steady increase in its population every year.

One of its largest age groups in Madagascar lies in the age 25-54 bracket (around 30.8% of the total population), which provides it with a large labor force that is available to take a large number of jobs and help in its development. The young population, comprising of all individuals in the 15-24 years old age bracket, make up around 20.6% of the total population. As a result, it can be clearly seen that Madagascar comprises mainly of youngsters and young adults who take up more than 50% of the total population. Apart from having more able hands to take on different jobs, this large bracket of young individuals provides Madagascar with the opportunity to develop itself more, as long as the youngsters are given the right tools to develop themselves first.

Madagascar Births/Deaths

The number of births per year in Madagascar greatly overshadows the number of deaths. According to a number of estimates, the number of births per year from 2005 to 2010 was around 698,000. That is why it comes as no surprise that the largest age bracket in Madagascar belongs to children in the region of 0-14 years. They make up around 40.1% of the total population. With such a large number of births per year and a lesser number of deaths per year, the population is greatly increasing with every passing year.

Madagascar Demographics

There is a lot of ethnic diversity present in Madagascar as well. Many Europeans, especially the French, have decided to make it their home. As Madagascar was once a French colony, it is easy to imagine generations of French speaking inhabitants choosing to live in Madagascar. Moreover, many Indians have also begun to arrive in Madagascar, mainly for trading reasons, but they are now permanently moving in.

Madagascar was initially habituated by Austronesian seafarers. It was predominantly uninhabited; however, it did contain more than 18 separate tribal groups. Among them, the largest of the tribes is Betsilio, which originally had 2 million inhabitants, followed closely by the Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety and Sakalava tribes. All of these different tribes highlight the ethnic diversity that is prevalent in this region. Due to such a large population, providing education for everyone may prove to be a significant challenge. Nevertheless, Madagascar boasts of an 80% literacy rate. Around 88% of the male population is literate, as well as 73% of the female population. Also, these statistics are rising every year, which signifies the level of development currently happening in Madagascar, regardless of the political turmoil it has faced over the years.

Madagascar is a richly populated country with many people from diverse backgrounds. This has helped it showcase a multitude of rituals and cultures and has given rise to a multi-ethnic population.

Madagascar Demographics

There is a lot of ethnic diversity present in Madagascar as well. A lot of Europeans, particularly the French, have decided to make it their home. As Madagascar was once a French colony, it is easy to imagine generations of French speaking inhabitants choosing to live in Madagascar. Moreover, a lot of Indians have as well begun to arrive in Madagascar, mainly for trading reasons, but they are presently permanently moving in.

Madagascar was initially habituated by Austronesian seafarers. It was predominantly uninhabited; however, it did contain additional than 18 separate tribal groups. Part them, the major of the tribes is Betsilio, which originally had 2 million inhabitants, followed closely by the Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety and Sakalava tribes. All of these different tribes highlight the ethnic diversity that is prevalent in this region. Due to such a large people, providing education for everyone may prove to be a significant challenge. Nevertheless, Madagascar boasts of an 80% literacy rate. Around 88% of the male people is literate, inclunding 73% of the female people. As well, these statistics are rising each year, which signifies the level of development currently happening in Madagascar, regardless of the political turmoil it has faced over the years.

Madagascar is a richly populated country with a lot of people from diverse backgrounds. This has helped it showcase a multitude of rituals and cultures and has given rise to a multi-ethnic people.

Ethnic groups

Additional than nine-tenths of the people is Malagasy, which is divided into about 20 ethnic groups. The major and most dominant of the groups is the Merina people, who are scattered throughout the island. The name Merina (Imerina) is said to mean Elevated People, deriving from the fact that they lived on the plateau. The second major group is the Betsimisaraka (The Inseparable Multitude), who live generally in the east.

The third most numerous group is the Betsileo (The Invincible Multitude), who inhabit the plateau around Fianarantsoa. Other significant peoples are the Tsimihety (Those Who Do Not Cut Their Hair), the Sakalava (People of the Long Valley), the Antandroy (People of the Thorn Bush), the Tanala (People of the Forest), the Antaimoro (People of the Banks), and the Bara (a name of uncertain origin). Smaller groups are the Antanosy (People of the Island), the Antaifasy (People of the Sand), the Sihanaka (People of the Lake), the Antakarana (People of the Rocks), the Betanimena (People of the Red Soil), who are instantly largely absorbed by the Merina, the Bezanozano (Those with A lot of-Braided Hair), and the Mahafaly (Those Who Make Taboos).

These ethnic names do not stand for clear-cut cultural boundaries, for in a lot of cases one group shades imperceptibly into an additional. Moreover, the conventional translations are by no means reliable, and most of the names themselves are of somewhat recent origin, probably crystallized and rigidified by the exigencies of colonial government additional than by the realities of indigenous culture. In a lot of cases these people represent endogamous and often non-unilinear descent groups.

Additional than nine-tenths of the people is Malagasy, which is divided into about 20 ethnic groups. The major and most dominant of the groups is the Merina people, who are scattered throughout the island. The name Merina (Imerina) is said to mean Elevated People, deriving from the fact that they lived on the plateau. The second major group is the Betsimisaraka (The Inseparable Multitude), who live generally in the east. The third most numerous group is the Betsileo (The Invincible Multitude), who inhabit the plateau around Fianarantsoa.

Other significant peoples are the Tsimihety (Those Who Do Not Cut Their Hair), the Sakalava (People of the Long Valley), the Antandroy (People of the Thorn Bush), the Tanala (People of the Forest), the Antaimoro (People of the Banks), and the Bara (a name of uncertain origin). Smaller groups are the Antanosy (People of the Island), the Antaifasy (People of the Sand), the Sihanaka (People of the Lake), the Antakarana (People of the Rocks), the Betanimena (People of the Red Soil), who are instantly largely absorbed by the Merina, the Bezanozano (Those with A lot of-Braided Hair), and the Mahafaly (Those Who Make Taboos). These ethnic names do not stand for clear-cut cultural boundaries, for in a lot of cases one group shades imperceptibly into an additional. Moreover, the conventional translations are by no means reliable, and most of the names themselves are of somewhat recent origin, probably crystallized and rigidified by the exigencies of colonial government additional than by the realities of indigenous culture. In a lot of cases these people represent endogamous and often non-unilinear descent groups.

Languages

Most inhabitants of Madagascar speak Malagasy, the national language. Although Madagascar is located geographically close to Bantu-speaking Africa, Malagasy—which is written in the Latin alphabet—is a standardized version of Merina, an Austronesian language. Nevertheless, there are a number of Bantu words in the language, inclunding some phonetic and grammatical modifiers of Bantu origin. There exist numerous local variations of Malagasy, all of which are mutually intelligible, and Bantu elements, which exist in each dialect, appear to have been established for some time. French is as well widely spoken and is officially recognized. It is used as a medium of instruction, particularly in the upper grade levels, as is Malagasy. English, although not widely spoken, is as well recognized as an official language. Comorian is spoken part a sizable community of immigrants from Comoros.

Religion

Some two-fifths of the people practice traditional religion, which is based upon ancestor worship. The dead are buried in tombs and are believed to reward or punish the living. There is a supreme being called Zanahary (the Creator) or Andriamanitra (the Fragrant One). There is as well a belief in local spirits, and a complex system of taboos constrains traditional Malagasy life.

Almost half of the people is Christian, with additional than one-fourth of the people adherent to Protestantism and about one-fifth to Roman Catholicism. Conversion to Christianity has not eliminated the observation of traditional religious rites, however, particularly those involving the dead. A significant community of Sunni Muslims is found in the northwest.
Settlement patterns

Despite the importance of intensive rice cultivation, the land is used primarily for pastoral purposes. Cattle are kept in all parts of the island; although fewer are found in the dense forest areas of the eastern escarpment, elsewhere pastoralism predominates, most often in coexistence with the cultivation of subsistence crops. On the plateau the valley floors and irrigable slopes are mainly used for growing rice. The forest peoples traditionally grew hill rice, next cutting and burning the forest; this practice continues, although it is discouraged by the government, which promotes the establishment of permanent irrigated rice fields.

The older villages of the Merina and Betsileo were often perched on hilltops and defended by huge ditches. Today, villages have been rebuilt on lower ground, and hamlets and homesteads are scattered over the landscape. On the plateau, cattle enclosures are built of stone walls; the landscape is as well dotted with funerary monuments, which take the form of beautifully carved wooden posts.

Small towns began to develop at the administrative centres of the island’s several kingdoms at least by the 18th century. Antananarivo, Fianarantsoa, and Toamasina, three of Madagascar’s oldest cities, predate French policy. The majority populous cities are Antananarivo, in the central plateau; Mahajanga (formerly Majunga), on the northwest coast; Fianarantsoa, in the southern plateau; Toamasina (formerly Tamatave), on the east coast; Antsiranana, in the north; Toliara, in the southwest; and Antsirabe, south of Antananarivo, mainly a tourist centre. Antananarivo is by far the majority populous of these; perched on two precipitous mountain ridges, the old part of the city is dominated by the ruins of the Queen’s Palace (Manjakamiadana) and has an extremely picturesque, almost medieval appearance. Owing to internal migration, most cities are composed of a mixture of ethnic groups, although people from the same areas of the island tend to settle in the same neighbourhoods; immigrants, such as those from Comoros, follow a similar pattern.

Demographic trends

The major foreign communities are French, Comorian, Indian and Pakistani, and Chinese, although emigration in the late 20th century has significantly reduced their populations. There has been no significant emigration of Malagasy peoples abroad.

Births greatly outnumber deaths and are well above the world average. The people is growing at a relatively rapid rate, and additional than two-fifths of the people is under age 15, portending continued high increase rates well into the 21st century. Life expectancy for both men and women in Madagascar is below the world average.

The eastern part of the central plateau is the region of highest people density and contains almost all the major cities and towns. The eastern coastal plain has the second highest density. The eastern forest zone and the northeastern coast rank as the next most densely populated regions. Most of the western two-thirds of the country is sparsely inhabited.

Social and economic divisions

Malagasy society was traditionally divided into three heredity-based classes—the nobles, the freemen, and the former slaves and their descendants. These social distinctions are no longer strict and are manifest only on ceremonial occasions, such as weddings and funerals. They do, however, form the basis of other economic and social distinctions. During the 19th century the Merina elite conquered the island, established themselves as rulers, and adopted Protestant Christianity; in the late 1800s some became Roman Catholics. Under French policy in the 20th century, the Merina retained their supremacy in education, business, and the professions, while the remainder of the people retained its sense of “difference” from the dominant peoples, and some adopted Roman Catholicism.

A further distinction is made between the peoples of the plateau and those of the coast. The coastal peoples, who are called côtiers, long felt deprived of the education, power, and wealth that is concentrated on the plateau. Since independence the government has been composed primarily of côtiers, and a conscious effort has been made to keep the Merina elite of the plateau from power. One of the difficulties of the government of Pres. Albert Zafy (1993–96) was that it was dominated by Merina, thereby tipping the delicate balance established under previous regimes. The move toward federalism, begun with the constitutional revision of 1998, was in part the result of the desire to reduce the powers of the central government, should this situation arise again.