Population: 13,427,758 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.19% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 45.22 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 13.35 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 89 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.98 years
male: 52.06 years
female: 55.96 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.68 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
adjective: Malagasy

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

Religions: indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Languages: French (official), Malagasy (official)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population: 80%
male: 88%
female: 73%
Labor force: 4.9 million (90% nonsalaried family workers engaged in subsistence agriculture; 175,000 wage earners)
by occupation: agriculture 26%, domestic service 17%, industry 15%, commerce 14%, construction 11%, services 9%, transportation 6%, other 2%
note: 51% of population of working age (1985)

NOTE: The information regarding Madagascar on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Madagascar People 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Madagascar People 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.