Madagascar Ethnic Groups
Explanation of Madagascar Ethnic Groups
Madagascar people
Most of Madagascar’s population lives on the eastern half of the island, especially in the central highlands and along the eastern coastline. More than 90% of the people are Malagasy, divided into about 18 ethnic groups, all of whom speak the same Malagasy language.
Most Malagasy people are multi-ethnic due to centuries of migration and trade. Madagascar’s history of hierarchical societies and domestic slavery — most notably under the Merina Kingdom from the 16th to 19th centuries — still influences social class today. Some groups maintain a caste system, and descendants of enslaved people often face barriers to education and jobs despite constitutional rights.
Madagascar Map
Madagascar Ethnic Groups and Economy
- Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo)
- Côtiers — mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry (Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava)
- French
- Indian
- Creole
- Cormoran
Agriculture — including fishing and forestry — is the backbone of Madagascar’s economy. It produces around 80% of the world’s vanilla, and though hurricanes sometimes disrupt crops, global demand keeps prices high. Other industries include meat processing, seafood, textiles, sugar, leather, glassware, cement, beer, soap, petroleum, tourism, and mining.
Ifaty Beach, Madagascar
About Madagascar
Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island. Its isolation shaped a unique culture and incredible wildlife. The first settlers arrived from present-day Indonesia between A.D. 350 and 550, followed by Arab and Persian traders from the 7th century and African migrants around A.D. 1000. In the 1600s–1700s, Madagascar became a pirate stronghold and a slave trading hub.
Once an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896 and regained independence in 1960, the same year 17 other Sub-Saharan countries broke free from France. The island hosts about 5% of the world’s plant and animal species — including lemurs found nowhere else.
Despite this biodiversity, Madagascar is one of the poorest countries; a 2011 World Bank estimate found 92% of residents live on less than $2 per day. Poverty and slash-and-burn farming threaten the island’s rare forests, and losing a small area of Madagascar forest impacts global biodiversity more than losing the same area elsewhere.
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