Madagascar Vase, Hand Carved By Betsileo Tribe Artisans, Rosewood.

There is a lot of ethnic diversity present in Madagascar as well. Many Europeans, especially the French, have decided to make it their home. As Madagascar was once a French colony, it is easy to imagine generations of French-speaking inhabitants choosing to live in Madagascar. Moreover, many Indians have also begun to arrive in Madagascar, mainly for trading reasons, but they are now permanently moving in.

Madagascar was initially habituated by Austronesian seafarers. It was predominantly uninhabited; however, it did contain more than 18 separate tribal groups. Among them, the largest of the tribes is Betsilio, which originally had 2 million inhabitants, followed closely by the Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety and Sakalava tribes. All of these different tribes highlight the ethnic diversity that is prevalent in this region. Due to such a large population, providing education for everyone may prove to be a significant challenge. Nevertheless, Madagascar boasts of an 80% literacy rate. Around 88% of the male population is literate, as well as 73% of the female population. Also, these statistics are rising every year, which signifies the level of development currently happening in Madagascar, regardless of the political turmoil it has faced over the years.

Madagascar is a richly populated country with many people from diverse backgrounds. This has helped it showcase a multitude of rituals and cultures and has given rise to a multi-ethnic population.