Madagascar

Madagascar sits in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The United Nations classifies it under the region of Africa and the subregion of Sub-Saharan Africa, and it is a UN member state. The World Bank lists Antananarivo as the capital. These are stable statistical facts, not political claims; the UN M49 overview is the standard for regional groupings and country codes.

Statistical identifiers

• UN M49 code: 450
• ISO alpha-2: MG
• ISO alpha-3: MDG
• UN region: Africa
• UN subregion: Sub-Saharan Africa
• UN member state: Yes
• World Bank capital field: Antananarivo

These identifiers come from the UN Statistics Division’s M49 standard and the World Bank country API. M49 is a statistical classification; it does not define sovereignty, borders or political recognition. For country codes and domain assignments, IANA maintains the root zone and ISO 3166-1 lists.

Capital

Antananarivo is the capital of Madagascar, its largest city and its political and administrative centre. The city sits in the central highlands at roughly 1,280 metres above sea level, which gives it a cooler climate than the coastal lowlands. No single capital-region figure should be quoted without naming the source year, because metropolitan boundaries and census definitions change. The World Bank country profile lists Antananarivo as the capital, and the UN M49 overview confirms it for statistical classification.

Population

Population figures change constantly and are always estimates between censuses. The most recent comprehensive census in Madagascar was conducted in 2018, but the UN Population Division and the World Bank produce annual estimates. For the current figure, use the World Bank’s country data API (reference year is stated in the data itself). The UN World Population Prospects (2024 revision) publishes medium-variant projections that are the standard for cross-country comparison. Always cite the specific dataset and reference year, because Madagascar’s national statistical office may publish a different figure than the UN or World Bank depending on census timing and projection methodology.

Languages and people

Malagasy is the national language and is spoken by nearly the entire population. French is also widely used in government, business and education, reflecting the colonial history. The2019 Malagasy constitutional revision recognised both as official languages, with Malagasy as the national language. The population is predominantly of Austronesian and Bantu descent, with smaller groups of Arab, Indian and Chinese origin. As with all demographic data, treat population figures as estimates from a named source and reference year, not as fixed facts.

Government and economy

Madagascar is a semi-presidential republic. The president is head of state, and the prime minister is head of government. The most recent presidential election was held in2023; the next general election is scheduled for2028. For legal and administrative questions, consult the official Malagasy government portal or your own foreign ministry’s current country guidance.

The World Bank classifies Madagascar as a low-income economy. GDP figures, poverty rates and income classifications change annually; verify current values through the World Bank country API and note the reference year in the dataset metadata. The IMF and the national statistical office publish their own estimates, which may differ because of methodology, revision timing and coverage. When comparing Madagascar’s economy to another nation’s, use the same source and the same indicator, for example GDP per capita at purchasing power parity, not a mix of nominal and PPP values.

Currency and time zone

The official currency is the Malagasy ariary (ISO code MGA). The central bank (Banky Foiben’i Madagasikara) and the IMF publish current exchange-rate series; check the reference year of any figure you cite. The IANA time zone database entry is Indian/Antananarivo, and the IANA country code is MG.

How to verify current data

Volatile figures change frequently. For any statistic you cite, name the source and the reference year, and check the primary database before repeating a number. For Madagascar:

• Population, GDP, income classification: World Bank country page and API.
• API: `
• Reference year is stated in the API response.
• UN M49 classification (region, subregion, codes):
• Demographic and development indicators: UN Data, UNESCO, WHO, UNDP HDR.
• Currency: the central bank and the IMF publish current exchange-rate series; check the reference year of any figure you cite.
• Government structure: official government portals and the CIA World Factbook (secondary compilation).
• Travel entry rules: your own government’s foreign ministry travel advisory and the IATA Travel Centre. Never trust third-party summaries for visa decisions.

Primary sources for country data

Domain	Source	Notes
Population	UN World Population Prospects (population.un.org/wpp)	Biennial estimates; reference year on each data download.
Capital	World Bank country profile (api.worldbank.org/v2/country/MDG?format=json)	Lists Antananarivo; confirm with UN M49 overview.
Languages and culture	UNESCO country profiles, national statistical offices	CIA World Factbook is a secondary compilation; cite it as such.
Currency	IMF, Banky Foiben’i Madagasikara	Do not treat a static number as current.
Government and economy	World Bank country pages, UN Statistics Division	Classifications, income group and indicators have explicit reference years.
Travel and entry	Foreign ministries, IATA Travel Centre	Only authoritative sources for visa rules, border measures and safety. This article does not give travel advice.

Classification facts (statistical, not political)

The United Nations M49 classification gives Madagascar the following stable identifiers:

• UN M49 code:450
• ISO alpha-2: MG
• ISO alpha-3: MDG
• UN region: Africa
• UN subregion: Sub-Saharan Africa
• UN member state: Yes

These codes are for statistical classification, not territorial or political claims. They come from the UN Statistics Division’s M49 overview, which assigns country codes for statistical convenience and does not determine sovereignty or borders. The World Bank’s capital field is a data-entry label, not a legal determination of seat of government; for Madagascar, the official capital is Antananarivo, but any territorial dispute or administrative change must be attributed to the relevant government source and year.

How to verify the basics without freezing volatile figures

Population, language, currency, government and economy figures change. Do not rely on a static number; use the named sources below and note the reference year.

• Population: UN World Population Prospects publishes biennial estimates, with a reference year stated on each data download. The World Bank API also returns population series with a date field; use that date in any citation.
• Capital: The World Bank country profile lists Antananarivo as the capital. Confirm with the UN M49 overview for the official statistical classification.
• Languages and culture: UNESCO country profiles and national statistical offices publish language and education data. The CIA World Factbook is a secondary compilation and can be cited as such, not as a primary source.
• Currency: The IMF and the central bank of Madagascar publish current currency and exchange-rate data. Do not treat a static number as current.
• Government and economy: World Bank country pages and the UN Statistics Division provide classifications, income group and economic indicators with explicit reference years.
• Travel and entry: Foreign ministries and the IATA Travel Centre are the only authoritative sources for visa rules, border measures and safety. This article does not give travel advice.

Key source URLs

• UN M49 overview:
• World Bank country API:
• WHO country page:
• UNESCO country page:
• World Bank country page:
• IMF country page:

For current entry, health and safety information, readers should consult their own government’s foreign ministry or travel advisory service; do not rely on a third-party summary for life-safety decisions.