Ethnic groups: The Malagasy people are made up
of eighteen ethnic groups, including Malayo-Indonesian, African, Arab, French, Indian, Creole and Comoran.
Languages: Malagasy, French and English are official languages.
Religions: Christianity, Islam and traditional ancestral
religions are the religions of the majority of the people.
Key Population Statistics:
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Population of 19 million people.
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Two third's of the island's people live on less than $2 per day; 40%
live in extreme poverty on less than $1 per day.
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The standard of living, the state of education, and the health status
of the people of Madagascar have all been negatively impacted by the recent political upheaval.
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Madagascar is one of only a few countries in the world where the children
of today will be less educated than their parents.
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Young people under the age of 20 make up more than 60% of the population.
