Statistical information Malawi 1995

Malawi in the World
top of pageBackground: Established in 1891 the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule the country held multiparty elections in 1994 under a provisional constitution which took full effect in 1995.
top of pageLocation: Southern Africa, east of Zambia
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
AfricaAreaTotal area total: 118,480 km²
Land: 94,080 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries: total 2,881 km, Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
Climate: tropical; rainy season (November to May; dry season (May to November)
Terrain: narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains
ElevationNatural resources: limestone, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
Land useArable land: 25%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 20%
Forest and woodland: 50%
Other: 5%
Irrigated land: 200 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographyNote: landlocked
top of pagePopulation: 9,808,384 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 2.63% (1995 est.)
NationalityNoun: Malawian(s)
Adjective: Malawian
Ethnic groups: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European
Languages: English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important regionally
Religions: Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, traditional indigenous beliefs
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 48% (female 2,361,309; male 2,384,679)
15-64 years: 49% (female 2,479,108; male 2,335,729)
65 years and over: 3% (female 139,632; male 107,927) (July 1995 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.63% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 49.81 births/1000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 23.53 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)
Note: the return of refugees to Mozambique is much reduced compared with 1994
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish population
Current issues natural hazards: NA
Current issues international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 140.2 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 39.01 years
Male: 38.28 years
Female: 39.76 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.36 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1987)
Total population: 48%
Male: 65%
Female: 34%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Malawi
Conventional short form: Malawi
Former: Nyasaland
Government type: multiparty democracy following a referendum on 14 June 1993; formerly a one-party republic
Capital: Lilongwe
Administrative divisions: 24 districts; Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba
Dependent areasIndependence: 6 July 1964 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1964)
Constitution: 6 July 1966; republished as amended January 1974
Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state and head of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994), leader of the United Democratic Front
Cabinet: Cabinet; named by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly: elections last held 17 May 1994 (next to be held 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (177 total) UDF 84, AFORD 33, MCP 55, others 5
Judicial branch: High Court, Supreme Court of Appeal
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Patrick NYASULU (since 14 October 1994)
In the us chancery: 2,408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 797-1007
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Peter R. CHAVEAS
From the us embassy: address NA, in new capital city development area in Lilongwe
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 30,016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
From the us telephone: [265] 783 166
From the us FAX: [265] 780 471
Flag description
: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band; similar to the flag of Afghanistan, which is longer and has the national coat of arms superimposed on the hoist side of the black and red bands
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for 40% of GDP and 90% of export revenues. After two years of weak performance, economic growth improved significantly in 1988-91 as a result of good weather and a broadly based economic adjustment effort by the government. Drought cut overall output sharply in 1992, but the lost ground was recovered in 1993. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. The new government faces strong challenges, e.g., to spur exports, to improve educational and health facilities, and to deal with environmental problems of deforestation and erosion.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 9.3% (1994 est.)
Real gdp per capita: $750 (1994 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for 40% of GDP; cash crops - tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, and corn; subsistence crops - potatoes, cassava, sorghum, pulses; livestock - cattle, goats
Industries: agricultural processing (tea, tobacco, sugar), sawmilling, cement, consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% accounts for about 15% of GDP (1992 est.)
Labor force: 428,000 wage earners
By occupation agriculture: 43%
By occupation manufacturing: 16%
By occupation personalservices: 15%
By occupation commerce: 9%
By occupation construction: 7%
By occupation miscellaneousservices: 4%
By occupation otherpermanentlyemployed: 6% (1986)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $416 million
Expenditures: $498 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $311 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodoties: tobacco, tea, sugar, coffee, peanuts, wood products
Partners: US, UK, Zambia, South Africa, Germany
Imports: $308 million (c.i.f., 1993 est.)
Commodoties: food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment
Partners: South Africa, Japan, US, UK, Zimbabwe
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $1.8 billion (December 1993 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Malawian kwacha (MK) per US$1 - 7.8358 (August 1994), 4.4028 (1993), 3.6033 (1992), 2.8033 (1991), 2.7289 (1990), 2.7595 (1989)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 190,000 kW
Production: 820 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 77 kWh (1993)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone system: 42,250 telephones
Local: NA
Intercity: fair system of open-wire lines, radio relay links, and radio communications stations
International: 2 INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean ) earth stations
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $13 million, 0.7% of GDP (FY93/94)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 47
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With paved runways under 914 m: 25
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 15
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi; Shire River, 144 km
Merchant marinePorts and terminalsMalawi - Transnational issues 1995
top of pageDisputes international: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs