Background: Madagascar was one of the last major habitable landmasses on earth to be settled by humans. While there is some evidence of human presence on the island in the millennia B.C., large-scale settlement began between A.D. 350 and 550 with settlers from present-day Indonesia. The island attracted Arab and Persian traders as early as the 7th century, and migrants from Africa arrived around A.D. 1000. Madagascar was a pirate stronghold during the late 17th and early 18th centuries and served as a slave trading center into the 19th century. From the 16th to the late 19th century, a native Merina Kingdom dominated much of Madagascar. The French conquered the island in 1896 and made it a colony; independence was regained in 1960. Free presidential and National Assembly elections were held in 1992-93, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing half the country to secede. In 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. He won a second term in 2006 but, following protests in 2009, handed over power to the military, which then conferred the presidency on the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA, in what amounted to a coup d'etat. After a lengthy mediation process, Madagascar held UN-supported presidential and parliamentary elections in 2013. Former de facto finance minister Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA won in a runoff and was inaugurated in 2014. In 2019, RAJOELINA was declared the winner against RAVALOMANANA. In 2023, RAJOELINA won another term in an election that most of the opposition boycotted, including RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA and RAVALOMANANA, who claimed it was rigged in favor of RAJOELINA. International observers, however, saw no evidence of systemic fraud, leading the international community to accept the election results.

Area
Total: 587,041 km²
Land: 581,540 km²
Water: 5,501 km²
Comparative: almost four times the size of Georgia; slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 4,828 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m isobath

Climate: tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain: narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Elevation
Highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 615 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 70.3% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 5.2% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 64.1% (2023 est.)
Forest: 17.5% (2023 est.)
Other: 12.2% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 10,860 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation
Volcanism: Madagascar's volcanoes have not erupted in recorded history

Geography
Note: world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel; despite Madagascar’s close proximity to the African continent, ocean currents isolate the island, resulting in high rates of endemic plant and animal species; approximately 90% of the flora and fauna on the island are found nowhere else

Population
Total: 29,452,714 (2024 est.)
Male: 14,760,501
Female: 14,692,213
Distribution: most of population lives on the eastern half of the island; significant clustering is found in the central highlands and eastern coastline, as shown in this population distribution map
Growth rate: 2.18% (2024 est.)

Languages: Malagasy (official) 99.9%, French (official) 23.6%, English 8.2%, other 0.6% (2018 est.)
Note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

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.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 37% (male 5,507,847/female 5,400,551)
15-64 years: 59.1% (male 8,720,012/female 8,673,880)
65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 532,642/female 617,782)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 69.3 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 62.7 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.6 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 15.1 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 21.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 21.1 years
Female: 21.5 years

Population growth rate: 2.18% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 27.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 5.8 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: most of population lives on the eastern half of the island; significant clustering is found in the central highlands and eastern coastline, as shown in this population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 40.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 4.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 3.872 million ANTANANARIVO (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 445 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 37.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 40.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 34 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 68.8 years (2024 est.)
Male: 67.3 years
Female: 70.3 years

Total fertility rate: 3.47 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 20.2% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 64% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 46.5% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 46.1% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 74.8% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 63.3% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 22.6% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 3.1% (2024 est.); 3.1% (2023 est.); 3.2% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Antananarivo
Geographic coordinates: 18 55 S, 47 31 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name means 'City of the Thousand,' from the Malagasy an- (a prefix denoting a place name), tanana (town), and arivo (thousand); in the 17th century, King ADRIANJAKA named the original fortress after the 1,000 soldiers stationed there

Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Legal system: civil law system based on the old French civil code and customary law in matters of marriage, family, and obligation

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Michael RANDRIANIRINA (Col.) (since 17 October 2025)
Head of government: Prime Minister Herintsalama RAJAONARIVELO (since 22 October 2025)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly, appointed by the president
Most recent election date: 16 November 2023
2023: Andry RAJOELINA reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Andry RAJOELINA (TGV) 59.0%, Siteny Thierry RANDRIANASOLONIAIKO 14.4%, Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 12.1%, other 14.5%
2018: Andry RAJOELINA elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Andry RAJOELINA (TGV) 39.2%, Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 35.4%, other 25.4%; percent of vote in second round - Andry RAJOELINA 55.7%, Marc RAVALOMANANA 44.3%
Expected date of next election: November 2,028

Legislative branch
Legislative structure: bicameral

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green, with a vertical white band on the left side

National anthem
Title: 'Ry Tanindraza nay malala o' (O Our Beloved Fatherland)
Lyrics/music: Pasteur RAHAJASON/Norbert RAHARISOA
History: adopted 1959

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 3 (1 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 4.2% (2024 est.); 4.2% (2023 est.); 4.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 4.2% (2024 est.); 4.2% (2023 est.); 4.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 69.8% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 15.3% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 22.6% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 23.6% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -31.3% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 22.5% (2024 est.)
Industry: 22.8% (2024 est.)
Services: 46.4% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Industries: meat processing, seafood, soap, beer, leather, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism, mining

Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 16.519 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 3.1% (2024 est.); 3.1% (2023 est.); 3.2% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 3.1% (2024 est.); 3.1% (2023 est.); 3.2% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $2.066 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $2.876 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 9.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $4.689 billion (2022 est.); $3.362 billion (2021 est.); $2.589 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: garments, nickel, vanilla, cloves, gold (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $6.041 billion (2022 est.); $4.769 billion (2021 est.); $3.718 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, rice, fabric, cotton fabric, wheat (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 759,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 2.506 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 139 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 36.1% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 71.6%
Access electrification - rural areas: 10.9%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 64.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 31.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 472,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 472,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 150 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 20,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 3.936 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 1.057 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 2.879 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 1.816 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 3,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 25.4 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 70 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 20% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 34,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Military expenditures: 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 93 (2025)

Railways
Total: 836 km (2018)
Narrow gauge: 836 km (2018) 1.000-m gauge

Merchant marine
Total: 29 (2023)
By type: general cargo 16, oil tanker 2, other 11