▁of ▁the ▁population , ▁while ▁certain ▁communities ▁among ▁the ▁coast al ▁pe op les ▁( collect ively ▁called ▁cô ti ers ) ▁have ▁relatively ▁stronger ▁East ▁African ▁features . ▁The ▁largest ▁coast al ▁eth nic ▁sub groups ▁are ▁the ▁B ets im is ar aka ▁( 1 4 . 9   percent ) ▁and ▁the ▁T sim ih ety ▁and ▁Sak al ava ▁( 6   percent ▁each ). ▁ ▁Chinese , ▁Indian ▁and ▁Com or an ▁minor ities ▁are ▁present ▁in ▁Mad agas car , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁small ▁European ▁( prim arily ▁French ) ▁popul ace . ▁Em igration ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁has ▁reduced ▁these ▁minor ity ▁populations , ▁occasionally ▁in ▁ab rupt ▁waves , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁ex od us ▁of ▁Com or ans ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁following ▁anti - Com or an ▁ri ots ▁in ▁Mah aj anga . ▁By ▁comparison , ▁there ▁has ▁been ▁no ▁significant ▁em igration ▁of ▁Mal ag asy ▁pe op les . ▁The ▁number ▁of ▁Europe ans ▁has ▁decl ined ▁since ▁independence , ▁reduced ▁from ▁ 6 8 , 4 3 0 ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁to ▁ 1 7 , 0 0 0 ▁three ▁dec ades ▁later . ▁There ▁were ▁an ▁estimated ▁ 2 5 , 0 0 0   Com or ans , ▁ 1 8 , 0 0 0   Ind ians , ▁and ▁ 9 , 0 0 0   Ch inese ▁living ▁in ▁Mad agas car ▁in