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People group profile · PG015290

The Antanosy of Madagascar

The Antanosy of Madagascar, numbering about 807,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a subgroup of the Antandroy (100382) peoples of the plains of Madagascar.

They are an indigenous people in the Malagasy people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Ancestor Worship, and they primarily speak Tanosy Malagasy.

Pray for the AntanosyPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Antanosy people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Antanosy

Fast facts

Country
Madagascar
Population
807,000
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Malagasy
Primary language
Tanosy Malagasy (txy)
Primary religion
Ancestor Worship
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, Dispersed CP Activity
Lostness priority
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
Eastern Africa, Africa

Where they live

Gospel status

The Antanosy are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical but there has been dispersed church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years Dispersed Church Planting

Next steps for the Antanosy

  • Continue prayer and fasting for this group
  • Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
  • Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Primary religion

Ancestor Worship · Ethnoreligion

60% adherents

Primary language

Tanosy Malagasy · Austronesian family

100% speak Tanosy Malagasy

Gospel resources in Tanosy Malagasy

  • Bible available, published 2014
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources not available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Antanosy

  1. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  2. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  3. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  4. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.

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