Madagascar Population Pyramid 1978
Madagascar
Afghanistan
Africa
Albania
Algeria
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Asia
Australia
Australia/New Zealand
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Caribbean
Central African Republic
Central America
Central Asia
Chad
Channel Islands
Chile
China
China, Hong Kong SAR
China, Macao SAR
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Curaçao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Côte d'Ivoire
Dem. People's Republic of Korea
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominican Republic
Eastern Africa
Eastern Asia
Eastern Europe
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Europe
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Latin America and the Caribbean
Latvia
Least developed countries
Lebanon
Lesotho
Less developed regions
Less developed regions, excluding China
Less developed regions, excluding least developed countries
Liberia
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Melanesia
Mexico
Micronesia
Micronesia (Fed. States of)
Middle Africa
Mongolia
Montenegro
More developed regions
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Northern Africa
Northern America
Northern Europe
Norway
Oceania
Oman
Other non-specified areas
Pakistan
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Polynesia
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Republic of Korea
Republic of Moldova
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Réunion
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South America
South Sudan
South-Central Asia
South-Eastern Asia
Southern Africa
Southern Asia
Southern Europe
Spain
Sri Lanka
State of Palestine
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syrian Arab Republic
TFYR Macedonia
Tajikistan
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United Republic of Tanzania
United States Virgin Islands
United States of America
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Viet Nam
Western Africa
Western Asia
Western Europe
Western Sahara
World
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe
1978
Population:
8,475,864
Summary
Madagascar in 1978
The population of Madagascar in 1978 was 8,475,864. Over the previous ten years the population grew by 34.4%, up from 6,306,494 in 1968.
With a median age of 16.5 years, Madagascar had a youth dependency ratio of 94.2 and an old-age dependency ratio of 7.0 per 100 people of working age. This is an expansive pyramid — each cohort of children is larger than the one above it, the signature of high birth rates and rapid growth.
Data source: United Nations World Population Prospects, 2024 revision (medium variant) — last updated July 2024.
Key indicators for Madagascar
What is driving the change
Births per woman
Total fertility rate, 1960–2023
12345678
1960Replacement level (2.1)2023 · 3.97
The fertility rate of Madagascar was 3.97 births per woman in 2023, above the 2.1 needed to replace each generation.
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, latest available year.
Life expectancy at birth
Years, 1960–2023
Total
Women
Men
3040506070
19602023 · 63.6
A child born there in 2023 could expect to live 63.6 years on average (65.4 years for girls, 61.9 for boys).
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, latest available year.
People supported per 100 workers
Dependency ratios, 1950–2100
Children
Older adults
255075100
19502100
Migration to and from Madagascar
Where immigrants come from (2024)
28,259 immigrants live in Madagascar, 0.1% of the population.
| Comoros | 13,199 |
| France | 10,776 |
| China | 2,382 |
| India | 1,902 |
Where emigrants live (2024)
212,454 people born in Madagascar live in other countries.
| France | 162,751 |
| Réunion | 17,859 |
| Mayotte | 10,316 |
| Comoros | 9,569 |
| Italy | 2,903 |
Explore
Immigration statistics
Origin of migrant stocks map
Source: United Nations International Migrant Stock 2024.
How Madagascar compares with its neighbours
| Country | Population | Median age | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madagascar | 8,475,864 | 16.5 | |
| Zimbabwe | 6,543,575 | 15.7 | |
| Mozambique | 10,618,250 | 17.9 | |
| Malawi | 5,810,132 | 17.4 | |
| Zambia | 5,465,374 | 15.3 |
Frequently asked questions about Madagascar's population
What was the population of Madagascar in 1978?
Madagascar had a population of 8,475,864 in 1978.
Is the population of Madagascar increasing or decreasing?
Yes, growing: up 34.4% from 1968, with a projected population of 53,185,475 in 2050.
What is the median age in Madagascar?
The median age in Madagascar is 16.5 years — half the population is younger, half older.
What share of Madagascar's population is over 65 or under 15?
3.5% of Madagascar's population is 65 or older, and 46.8% is under 15.
What type of population pyramid does Madagascar have?
Madagascar has an expansive pyramid: a wide base of young cohorts reflecting high fertility and continued population growth.
