Madagascar

Republic of Madagascar Repoblikan'i Madagasikara  (Malagasy) République de Madagascar  (French)
Flag Seal
Motto:  "Fitiavana, Tanindrazana, Fandrosoana" (Malagasy) "Amour, Patrie, Progrès" (French) "Love, Land of Our Ancestors, Progress"[1]
Anthem: Ry Tanindrazanay malala ô! Oh, Beloved Land of our Ancestors!
Location of  Madagascar  (dark blue) – in Africa  (light blue & dark grey) – in the African Union  (light blue)
Capital and largest city	Antananarivo 18°55′S 47°31′E / 18.917°S 47.517°E / -18.917; 47.517
Official languages	Malagasy French Gujarati Kutchi
Ethnic groups (2004[2])	26% Merina 15% Betsimisaraka 12% Betsileo 7% Tsimihety 6% Sakalava 5% Antaisaka 5% Antandroy 24% others
Demonym(s)	Malagasy[3]
Government	Unitary semi-presidential constitutional republic
• President	Andry Rajoelina
• Prime Minister	Christian Ntsay
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	National Assembly
Independence
• from France	26 June 1960
• Current constitution	17 November 2010
Area
• Total	587,041 km2 (226,658 sq mi) (46th)
• Water	5,501 km2 (2,124 sq mi)
• Water (%)	0.9%
Population
• 2021 estimate	28,915,653[4][5] (52nd)
• 1993 census	12,238,914
• Density	35.2/km2 (91.2/sq mi) (174th)
GDP (PPP)	2017 estimate
• Total	$40.055 billion[6]
• Per capita	$1,563[6]
GDP (nominal)	2017 estimate
• Total	$10.372 billion[6]
• Per capita	$405[6]
Gini (2010)	44.1[7] medium
HDI (2015)	0.512[8] low · 158th
Currency	Malagasy ariary (MGA)
Time zone	UTC+3 (EAT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (not observed[9])
Driving side	right
Calling code	+261[9]
ISO 3166 code	MG
Internet TLD	.mg

Madagascar is a large island nation in the Indian Ocean. It is off of the East coast of Africa and its capital is Antananarivo. Twenty-two million people live there. It is the world's fourth largest island.^[10]

The official languages of Madagascar are Malagasy and French.

1. ↑ Le Comité Consultatif Constitutionnel (1 October 2010). "Projet de Constitution de la Quatrième République de Madagascar" (PDF) (in French). Madagascar Tribune. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 August 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
2. ↑ "MADAGASCAR: general data". Populstat.info. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
3. ↑ "Demonyms – Names of Nationalities". Geography.about.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
4. ↑ "World Population Prospects 2022". population.un.org. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
5. ↑ "World Population Prospects 2022: Demographic indicators by region, subregion and country, annually for 1950-2100" (XSLX). population.un.org ("Total Population, as of 1 July (thousands)"). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3} "Madagascar". International Monetary Fund.
7. ↑ "Gini Index". World Bank. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
8. ↑ "2016 Human Development Report" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Bradt (2011), p. 2.
10. ↑ "CIA - The World Factbook -- Madagascar". Central Intelligence Agency. Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved May 6, 2010.