 Vezo fisherman | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 1,200[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Madagascar | |
| Languages | |
| Sakalava Malagasy, Vezo dialect, French | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity and Ancestral religion |
The Vezo is the term the semi-nomadic coastal people of southern Madagascar use to refer to people that have become accustomed to live from sea fishing. The Vezo speak a dialect of the Malagasy language, which is a branch of the Malayo-Polynesian language group derived from the Barito languages, spoken in southern Borneo. They currently populate most of the littoral zone along Madagascar's west coast between Toliara and Mahajanga.
"Vezo" literally means 'the people who fish', but also has been known to mean 'to struggle with the sea'.[2]
- ^ unofficial estimates include: 3000 in Anakao, 1500 in Andavadoaka, 1000 in Betania; 22000 lakanas documented in 1995 census, see Reef Doctor
- ^ Kaufmann