Madagascar Population 2024 (Live)

30,832,639

According to current projections, Madagascar’s population is expected to continue to grow through the rest of the century. At a current population of about 27.69 million people, Madagascar is expected to grow to 54 million by 2050 and 99.96 million by 2100.

Madagascar is currently growing at a rate of 2.68% per year. This is driven by its high fertility rate of 4.11 births per woman.

Madagascar’s rapid population growth is putting the country under immense stress. Many people already live in poverty in Madagascar, the economy has stalled, and health care and education are struggling. Additionally, infrastructure has deteriorated, tax revenues have decreased despite the population increasing, and food insecurity is endangered.

Madagascar Population Growth

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.

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 Population Projections

Madagascar's history of significant population growth is expected to continue in the years to come, although the rate should decrease somewhat. It is projected that the current growth rate of 2.69% will get down to 2% by 2045. It is forecast that the population will be 27,690,798 by 2020, 35,591,943 by 2030, and 44,367,656 by 2040.

Population Rank
Growth Rate
2024 World Percentage
Land Area
581,800
The current population of Madagascar is 30,832,639 based on projections of the latest United Nations data. The UN estimates the July 1, 2024 population at 31,056,610.

Madagascar Growth Rate

Madagascar Population 2024 (Live)

Madagascar Population Clock

Madagascar Population (as of 3/11/2024)30,832,639
Next UN Estimate (July 1, 2024)31,056,610
Births per Day2,539
Deaths per Day517
Migrations per Day-4
Net Change per Day2,018
Population Change Since Jan. 1143,278

Components of Population Change

One birth every 34 seconds
One death every 2.78 minutes
One emigrant every 360 minutes
Net gain of one person every 43 seconds

Madagascar Population Clock

City
2024 Population
Antananarivo1,391,433
Toamasina206,373
Antsirabe186,253
Fianarantsoa167,227
Mahajanga154,657
Toliara115,319
Antsiranana82,937
Antanifotsy70,626
Ambovombe66,818
Ambilobe56,000

Madagascar Area and Population Density

Madagascar is a large island, with several peripheral islands, that is off the east coast of Africa close to Mozambique. The cumulative area of the country is 226,658 square miles (587,021 square kilometers). Madagascar's population density is 118.84 people per square mile (45.89 people per square kilometer), making it the 135th most densely populated country in the world.

Largest Cities in Madagascar

Madagascar's capital city of Antananarivo is by far the country's largest city with a population of 1,391,433. The percentage of the population living in urban areas in a fairly low 36.5%, so it makes sense that there aren't any other cities with populations over one million. This may actually be a good thing, because healthcare, education, water, and sanitation quality are all worse for urban cities in the country.

The cities of Toamasina, Antsirabe, and Mahajanga are all of similar size with populations between 200,000 and 300,000. Fianarantsoa, Toliara, Antsiranana, and Ambovombe all have populations above 100,000.

Madagascar Population Density Map

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Year
Population
Growth Rate
Density (/km²)
Population Rank
Density Rank
202431,056,6102.44%5350159
202330,325,7322.47%5250159
202028,225,1772.51%4951160
201927,533,1342.56%4751162
201826,846,5412.59%4651163
201726,169,5422.62%4551165
201524,850,9122.72%4352166
201021,731,0532.95%3755168
200518,792,1712.99%3257171
200016,216,4313.18%2858173
199513,869,1383.14%2461175
199011,882,7622.9%2059177
198510,297,7462.85%1861175
19808,948,1622.99%1566180
19757,720,8593.06%1367181
19706,639,7512.81%1169182
19655,780,4532.64%1070185
19605,073,3422.58%973185
19554,467,5902.47%874183

Madagascar Population by Year (Historical)

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Year
Population
Growth Rate
Density (/km²)
Population Rank
Density Rank
202431,056,6102.44%5350159
202531,797,3062.41%5549158
203035,604,4432.29%6149155
203539,534,1222.12%6846152
204043,524,3001.94%7544148
204547,546,6061.78%8241145
205051,592,9651.65%8940143
205555,619,9501.52%9639133
206059,569,6641.38%10238129
206563,382,6621.25%10936122
207066,996,7411.11%11533121
207570,410,4121%12134115
208073,555,9810.88%12632112
208576,405,1710.76%13131109
209078,988,9770.67%13630104
209581,282,8790.57%14030102

Madagascar Population by Year (Projections)

Madagascar Population Pyramid 2024

Madagascar Median Age

20.3

Total

20.1

Male

20.5

Female

Madagascar Population by Age

There are people over age 18 in Madagascar.

Census Years

Year
Date
19931 August 1993

Madagascar Population Pyramid

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.

Madagascar Demographics

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.

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 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 Religion, Economy and Politics

Madagascar's religious situation is fairly unique because just over half of the country's population still practice indigenous beliefs, which emphasize the relationship between the living and the dead and worships a supreme being named Andriamanitra. In addition to these traditional practices, 41% of the population are practicing Christians, 7% are Muslim.

Madagascar's growing economy is rooted in the agricultural, tourism, textile and mining industries and is considered a market economy. It has been one of the fastest growing economies in the world since 2016, largely due to their abundance of natural resources.

Madagascar Population History

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.

Madagascar Population Rank 2024
Area (km²)
587,041
2024 Growth Rate
GDP (IMF '23)
$15.76
GDP (UN '22)
$14.95 Bn

Madagascar - General Info

  1. National Institute of Statistics
  2. World Population Prospects (2022 Revision) - United Nations population estimates and projections.
  3. GeoNames

Sources