Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/941

 AREA AND POPULATION — RELIGION, EDUCATION, ETC 889

A Consultative Council of Administration has been established at Antananarivo. The Colony is not represented in the French Parliament, nor has it any elective assembly. By decree of June 1918, Madagascar in divided into 24 provinces, and 75 districts administered by officials of the council of administration. Natives are employed to a large extent in subordinate positions both in the civil and military administration. In some parts of the island the natives, under the direction of the administrateurs, are allowed to choose one of their number as intermediary between them- selves and the native governors appointed by the French Government. These representatives receive a remuneration and give their whole time to this work.

Area and Population.

Madagascar is situated to the south-east coast of Africa, from which it is separated by the Mozambique Channel, the least distance between island and continent being 240 miles ; its length is 980 miles ; greatest breadth, 360 miles. The area is estimated at 228,000 square miles. The census of December 31, 1917, showed a population of 3,545,264, of whom 15,157 French, 3,101 were of other European birth, 5.272 were Hindus, 1,007 Chinese, 631 were African, and 3,520,096 were Malagasy. On December 31, 1918, the population was 3,545,575.

The Malagasy races or tribes are verv numerous, the more important being the Hova (1,097,458), the Betsileo (515,005), the Betsimisiraka (401,857). the Tanala (151,061), the Sakalava (208,777), and the Bant (161,116 . Hindus, Chinese, Arabs, and other Asiatics carry on small retail trade. The most intelligent and enterprising tribe is the Hova, whose language, allied to the Malayan and Oceanic tongues, is understood over a large part of the island. The people are divided into a great many clans, who seldom inter-marry.

- The slave trade was nominally abolished iu 1877 ; slavery in Imerina and in all parts under French authority was abolished by proclama- tion on September 27, 1896. The 3ystem of forced labour in the public service was abolished on January 1, 1901, but the personal tax due from 16 to 60 years of age, formerly 5 francs, has been increased to 10, 15, in some provinces 20, and in Antananarivo to 30 francs. The populations of the chief towns were : The capital, Antananarivo, in the centre of the island, 63,115, Tamatave 15,000, Fianarantsoa 8,231, Andevoranto 1,322, Majunga 7,205, Diego Suarez 10,377, Ambositra 3,580, Tulear 2,467, Mananjary 8,927, Maroantsetia, 3,294. Fort Dausslen 2,000. The principal ports are Tamatave, on the east coast, Majunga on the north-west coast, Diego Suarez in the north, and Tulear in the south-west.

In 1896 Diego-Suarez a French colony from 1885), the island of Nossi Be (area 130 sq. m. ) on the west coast, and the island of Ste. Marie on the east coast (area, 64 sq. m. ), and in 1914 the Comoro Islands, were placed under the authority of the Governor-General of Madagascar.

Religion, Education, Justice.

Up to 1895 a large portion of the Hova and of the other tribes in the central districts had been Christianised. The Christian population was estimated at 450,000 Protestants, and 50,000 Roman Catholics. There are many missionary societies at work, French (Catholic and Protestant), British the London Missionary Societv, the Friends' Mission, and the Anglican Mission) ; there is also a Norwegian Lutheran Mission and an American Mission. French Catholic missions had 258 European workers (67 female) ;