Population in Madagascar
Madagascar: Population was 31.20 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
31.20 million people
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
49th
of 236 countries
All-time high
31.20 million people
in 2023
All-time low
3.96 million people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population in Madagascar, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Madagascar recorded 31.20 million people for population in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 29.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in Madagascar peaked at 31.20 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3.96 million people, in 1950.
That places Madagascar 49th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population in Madagascar, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.96 million people | — |
| 1951 | 4.06 million people | +2.6% |
| 1952 | 4.16 million people | +2.6% |
| 1953 | 4.27 million people | +2.6% |
| 1954 | 4.38 million people | +2.6% |
| 1955 | 4.49 million people | +2.6% |
| 1956 | 4.61 million people | +2.6% |
| 1957 | 4.73 million people | +2.6% |
| 1958 | 4.85 million people | +2.6% |
| 1959 | 4.98 million people | +2.6% |
| 1960 | 5.11 million people | +2.6% |
| 1961 | 5.25 million people | +2.6% |
| 1962 | 5.38 million people | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 5.53 million people | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 5.67 million people | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 5.82 million people | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 5.97 million people | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 6.14 million people | +2.7% |
| 1968 | 6.31 million people | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 6.48 million people | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 6.67 million people | +2.9% |
| 1971 | 6.87 million people | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 7.07 million people | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 7.29 million people | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 7.51 million people | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 7.74 million people | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 7.98 million people | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 8.22 million people | +3.1% |
| 1978 | 8.48 million people | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 8.74 million people | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 9.01 million people | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 9.28 million people | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 9.56 million people | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 9.84 million people | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 10.13 million people | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 10.43 million people | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 10.74 million people | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 11.05 million people | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 11.37 million people | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 11.71 million people | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 12.06 million people | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 12.42 million people | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 12.80 million people | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 13.20 million people | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 13.61 million people | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 14.05 million people | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 14.51 million people | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 14.99 million people | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 15.49 million people | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 16.00 million people | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 16.52 million people | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 17.03 million people | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 17.55 million people | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 18.07 million people | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 18.61 million people | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 19.16 million people | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 19.73 million people | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 20.32 million people | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 20.92 million people | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 21.55 million people | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 22.18 million people | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 22.82 million people | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 23.46 million people | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 24.11 million people | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 24.76 million people | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 25.43 million people | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 26.10 million people | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 26.79 million people | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 27.49 million people | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 28.22 million people | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 28.95 million people | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 29.69 million people | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 30.44 million people | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 31.20 million people | +2.5% |
Madagascar compared with similar countries
- Madagascar's 31.20 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 23.03 million people, 1.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Madagascar's 31.20 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.26 million people, 2.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 4.45 million people | 3.96 million people | 4.98 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.77 million people | 5.11 million people | 6.48 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.66 million people | 6.67 million people | 8.74 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.31 million people | 9.01 million people | 11.71 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.91 million people | 12.06 million people | 16.00 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.95 million people | 16.52 million people | 21.55 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.14 million people | 22.18 million people | 28.22 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.07 million people | 28.95 million people | 31.20 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Madagascar
- 46 Ghana 33.79 million people compare
- 47 Mozambique 33.64 million people compare
- 48 Saudi Arabia 33.26 million people compare
- 50 Cote d'Ivoire 31.17 million people compare
- 51 Nepal 29.69 million people compare
- 52 Cameroon 28.37 million people compare
More population data for Madagascar
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.463 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.445 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.153 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.445 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.06 million people (2100)
- Population density 146.69 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2896 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.671 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in Madagascar?
- Population in Madagascar was 31.20 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population recorded in Madagascar?
- The highest recorded value was 31.20 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest population recorded in Madagascar?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.96 million people in 1950.
- How does Madagascar rank for population?
- Madagascar ranks 49th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population rising or falling in Madagascar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Madagascar data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.