Vatovavy: population, poverty, jobs, income, schools, water and health
Vatovavy is a region of Madagascar, number 18 of 23 by population. Vatovavy had 705,675 residents at the 2018 General Population and Housing Census (RGPH-3), 2.7% of Madagascar's 25.67 million; 6th smallest of 23 regions. This is the latest official count by region. Vatovavy became a region of its own in 2021, when Vatovavy Fitovinany was split; the figure adds up the census counts of its districts (Mananjary, Nosy-Varika and Ifanadiana).
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Vatovavy: Households in Vatovavy spent and consumed the equivalent of 972,266 ariary per person a year in 2021-22, 5th lowest of 23 regions (Madagascar: 1,374,484 ariary).
- Health in Vatovavy: 45.7% of children under five in the former Vatovavy Fitovinany region (the survey sample was drawn from the 22 regions in place before the 2021 split, so Vatovavy and Fitovinany are reported together) were stunted (too short for their age, a sign of chronic undernutrition) in the 2021 Demographic and Health Survey, 10.2% were wasted and 25.2% underweight; the stunting rate is 8th highest of 22 regions as surveyed (Madagascar: 39.8%).
How many people in Vatovavy live in towns?
5.8% of Vatovavy's people lived in urban areas at the 2018 census (40,903 urban, 664,772 rural), the least urban of 23 regions (Madagascar: 19.3%).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Madagascar · saved copyHow densely populated is Vatovavy?
Vatovavy had 53.2 people per square kilometre in 2018, 8th most densely populated of 23 regions (Madagascar: 43.4).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Madagascar · saved copyHow many households are there in Vatovavy?
The 2018 census counted 158,218 ordinary households in Vatovavy, with 4.5 people each on average, 8th largest of 23 regions for household size (Madagascar: 4.2).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Madagascar · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate in Vatovavy?
94.2% of people in Vatovavy lived below the national poverty line in the 2021-2022 Permanent Household Survey (EPM), 3rd highest of 23 regions (Madagascar: 77.0%); 83.1% in its towns and 94.8% in rural areas.
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Madagascar · saved copyHow many people in Vatovavy live in extreme poverty?
74.3% of people in Vatovavy were in extreme poverty in 2021-22, unable to afford even the minimum food basket, 4th highest of 23 regions (Madagascar: 53.3%).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Madagascar · saved copyDo households in Vatovavy have enough to eat?
22.3% of households in the former Vatovavy Fitovinany region (Vatovavy and Fitovinany are reported together in this table) had poor or borderline food consumption in 2021-22 (a diet lacking in variety or frequency), 9th highest of 22 regions in the survey table (Madagascar: 20.6%).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Madagascar · saved copyWhat is the literacy rate in Vatovavy?
58.3% of people in Vatovavy could read and write in 2021-22, 7th lowest of 23 regions (Madagascar: 76.5% of people aged 15 and over).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Madagascar · saved copyHow many children in Vatovavy go to primary school?
74.9% of primary-school-age children in Vatovavy were enrolled in primary school in 2021-22 (net enrolment rate), 11th lowest of 23 regions (Madagascar: 70.6%).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Madagascar · saved copyMore figures
- The poverty gap in Vatovavy was 43.0% in 2021-22, a measure of how far, on average, people fall below the poverty line; 6th highest of 23 regions (Madagascar: 33.8%). Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Madagascar · saved copy
How regions are governed in Madagascar
Provinces (6). Not operational. Provided for in the constitution but never set up.
Every tier of government in Madagascar
Other regions of Madagascar
- Analamanga 3,623,925
- Vakinankaratra 2,079,659
- Atsimo Andrefana 1,797,894
- Sofia 1,507,591
- Atsinanana 1,478,472
- Haute Matsiatra 1,444,587
- Alaotra Mangoro 1,249,931
- Analanjirofo 1,150,089
- Sava 1,123,772
- Atsimo Atsinanana 1,030,404
- Boeny 929,312
- Androy 900,235
- Itasy 898,549
- Diana 889,962
- Amoron'i Mania 837,116
- Anosy 809,051
- Fitovinany 734,982
- Menabe 692,463
- Bongolava 670,993
- Ihorombe 417,312
- Betsiboka 393,278
- Melaky 308,944
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Sources
- Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), with ICF (The DHS Program): Enquête Démographique et de Santé à Madagascar (EDSMD-V) 2021, Indicateurs clés: Tables 4, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 16 by region, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e371523653bb…)
- Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Madagascar: Rapport EPM 2021-2022 (Enquête Permanente auprès des Ménages): Tables 18.7 and R.3 (poverty), G.1 (consumption per head), E.2 (household income), 4.18 (wages), D.9 and D.12 (unemployment), B.1 and B.2 (literacy and primary enrolment), J.3 (drinking water), J.5 (improved latrines) and 8.5 (food consumption), by region, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6b7935e61bbc…)
- Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Madagascar: Résultats globaux du RGPH-3 de 2018, Tome 2: Table 7 (resident population by urban/rural area, region and district, with density) and Table 15 (ordinary households and household size by region and district), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 20d572315f74…)
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