Population 16,473,477 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 45% (male 3,713,700; female 3,696,478)
15-64 years: 51.8% (male 4,227,931; female 4,313,940)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 241,699; female 279,729) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 3.03% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 42.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 12.15 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 81.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
total population: 55.74 years
female: 58.11 years (2002 est.)
male: 53.45 years

Total fertility rate 5.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 0.15% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 11,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths 870 (1999 est.)

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

Ethnic groups 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
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 80%
male: 88%
female: 73% (1990 est.)

NOTE: The information regarding Madagascar on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Madagascar People 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Madagascar People 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.