Statistical information Malawi 1999

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 the following year. National multiparty elections were held again in 1999.
top of pageLocation: Southern Africa, east of Zambia
Geographic coordinates: 13 30 S, 34 00 E
Map reference:
AfricaAreaTotal: 118,480 km²
Land: 94,080 km²
Water: 24,400 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundariesTotal: 2,881 km
Border countries: (3) Mozambique 1,569 km;
, Tanzania 475 km;
, Zambia 837 kmCoastline: 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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m
Extremes highest point: Sapitwa 3,002 m
Natural resources: limestone, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
Land useArable land: 18%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 20%
Forests and woodland: 39%
Other: 23% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 280 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: NA
GeographyNote: landlocked
top of pagePopulation: 10,000,416 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 1.57% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: 54% (1990-91 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: 45% (male 2,265,526; female 2,246,135)
15-64 years: 52% (male 2,580,125; female 2,637,464)
65 years and over: 3% (male 112,813; female 158,353) (1999 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 1.57% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 39.54 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 23.84 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 132.14 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 36.3 years
Male: 36.49 years
Female: 36.11 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.48 children born/woman (1999 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 expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 56.4%
Male: 71.9%
Female: 41.8% (1995 est.)
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
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; Republic Day 6 July (1966)
Constitution: 18 May 1995
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: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet named by the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 17 May 1994 (next to be held by May 1999)
Election results: Bakili MULUZI elected president; percent of vote_NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (177 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 17 May 1994 (next to be held by May 1999)
Election results: percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_UDF 84, AFORD 33, MCP 55, others 5; note_because of defections and byelections, the distribution of seats in the National Assembly had changed at the end of the 1996 as follows:UDF 84, MCP 47, AFORD 34, independents 8, and vacant 4
Note: the constitution of 18 May 1995, in addition to reducing the age at which universal suffrage is conferred from 21 to 18 years, provided for a bicameral legislature; by 1999, in addition to the existing National Assembly, a Senate of 80 seats is to be elected
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; magistrate's courts
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Willie CHOKANI
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 Amelia Ellen SHIPPY
From the us embassy: address NA, in new 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
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 45% of GDP and 90% of export revenues. 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: 3.2% (1998 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $940 (1998 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 45%
Industry: 30%
Services: 25% (1995 est.)
Agriculture products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; cattle, goats
Industries: tea, tobacco, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate: 0.9% (1995)
Labor force: 3.5 million
By occupation agriculture: 86%
By occupation wageearners: 14% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: 54% (1990-91 est.)
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $530 million
Expenditures: $674 million, including capital expenditures of $129 million (1993)
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: $405 million (f.o.b., 1995)
Commodities: tobacco, tea, sugar, coffee, peanuts, wood products
Partners: US, South Africa, Germany, Japan
Imports: $475 million (f.o.b., 1995)
Commodities: food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment
Partners: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Japan, US, UK, Germany
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $2.3 billion (1996 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Malawian kwachas (MK) per US$1_43.5426 (January 1999), 31.0727 (1998), 16.4442 (1997), 15.3085 (1996), 15.2837 (1995), 8.7364 (1994)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 800 million kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 2.5%
Production by source hydro: 97.5%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 800 million kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 43,000 (1985 est.)
Telephone systemDomestic: fair system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations
International: satellite earth stations_2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $17 million (FY96/97)
Percent of gdp: 0.8% (FY96/97)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 45 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 5
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 40
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 16
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 23 (1998 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysTotal: 789 km
Narrow gauge: 789 km 1.067-m gauge
RoadwaysWaterways: Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi; Shire River, 144 km
Merchant marinePorts and terminalsMalawi - Transnational issues 1999
top of pageDisputes international: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs