Map of Malawi | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Established in 1891 the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country held multiparty elections in 1994 under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. Current President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another term struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor and subsequently started his own party the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2005. As president MUTHARIKA has overseen substantial economic improvement but because of political deadlock in the legislature his minority party has been unable to pass significant legislation and anti-corruption measures have stalled. Population growth increasing pressure on agricultural lands corruption and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.


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Location: Southern Africa east of Zambia

Geographic coordinates: 13 30 S 34 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 118,480 km²
Land: 94,080 km²
Water: 24,400 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries
Total: 2,881 km
Border countries: (3) Mozambique 1,569 km; , Tanzania 475 km; , Zambia 837 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)

Terrain: narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains rounded hills some mountains

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m
Extremes highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Natural resources: limestone arable land: hydropower unexploited deposits of uranium coal and bauxite

Land use
Arable land: 20.68%
Permanent crops: 1.18%
Other: 78.14% (2005)

Irrigated land: 560 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 17.3 km³ (2001)

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: landlocked; Lake Nyasa some 580 km long is the country's most prominent physical feature


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Population
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Growth rate: 2.39% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Malawian
Adjective: Malawian

Ethnic groups: Chewa Nyanja Tumbuka Yao Lomwe Sena Tonga Ngoni Ngonde Asian European

Languages: Chichewa 57.2% (official) Chinyanja 12.8% Chiyao 10.1% Chitumbuka 9.5% Chisena 2.7% Chilomwe 2.4% Chitonga 1.7% other 3.6% (1998 census)

Religions: Christian 79.9% Muslim 12.8% other 3% none 4.3% (1998 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 46% (male 3,208,112/female 3,194,600)
15-64 years: 51.4% (male 3,592,073/female 3,563,840)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 159,450/female 213,756) (2008 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 16.8 years
Male: 16.7 years
Female: 16.8 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.39% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 41.79 births/1000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 17.89 deaths/1000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: NA (2008 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.01 male/female
Under 15 years: 1 male/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male/female
Total population: 1 male/female (2008 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 90.55 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 94.69 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 86.35 deaths/1000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 43.45 years
Male: 43.74 years
Female: 43.15 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.67 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 14.2% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 900,000 (2003 est.)
Deaths: 84,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 5.8% of GDP (2003)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 62.7%
Male: 76.1%
Female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 9 years
Male: 10 years
Female: 9 years (2004)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
Conventional short form: Malawi
Local long form: Dziko la Malawi
Local short form: Malawi
Former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland

Government type: multiparty democracy

Capital
Name: Lilongwe
Geographic coordinates: 13 59 S, 33 47 E
Time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 28 districts; Balaka Blantyre Chikwawa Chiradzulu Chitipa Dedza Dowa Karonga Kasungu Likoma Lilongwe Machinga (Kasupe) Mangochi Mchinji Mulanje Mwanza Mzimba Neno Ntcheu Nkhata Bay Nkhotakota Nsanje Ntchisi Phalombe Rumphi Salima Thyolo Zomba

Dependent areas

Independence: 6 July 1964 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day (Republic Day) 6 July (1964)

Constitution: 18 May 1994

Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004)
Cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009)
Election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA 35.9%, John TEMBO 27.1%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA 25.7%, Brown MPINGANJIRA 8.7%, Justin MALEWEZI 2.5%

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MCP 56, UDF 49, independents 39, RP 15, others 25, vacancies 8

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 leaders: Alliance for Democracy or AFORD; Congress for National Unity or CONU; Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Bingu wa MUTHARIKA]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [John TEMBO]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; Malawi Forum for Unity and Development or MAFUNDE [George MNESA]; Mgwirizano Coalition or MC [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA] (coalition of MAFUNDE MDP MGODE NUP PETRA PPM RP); Movement for Genuine Democratic Change or MGODE [Sam Kandodo BANDA]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Brown MPINGANJIRA]; National Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party or RP [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU C COMESA FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC ISO (correspondent) ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA MONUC NAM OPCW SADC UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNMIL UNMIS UNWTO UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Hawa NDILOWE
In the us chancery: 1029 Vermont Avenue, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20,005
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270
In the us fax: [1] (202) 721-0288
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Peter W. BODDE
From the us embassy: 16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 30,016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
From the us telephone: [265] (1) 773 166
From the us fax: [265] (1) 770 471

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top) red and green with a radiant rising red sun centered in the black band

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's most densely populated and least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural with about 85% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for more than one-third of GDP and 90% of export revenues. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for more than half of exports. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF the World Bank and individual donor nations. In December 2007 the US granted Malawi eligibility status to receive financial support within the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) initiative. Malawi will now begin a consultative process to develop a five-year program before funding can begin. In 2006 Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. The government faces many challenges including developing a market economy improving educational facilities facing up to environmental problems dealing with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS and satisfying foreign donors that fiscal discipline is being tightened. In 2005 President MUTHARIKA championed an anticorruption campaign. Since 2005 President MUTHARIKA'S government has exhibited improved financial discipline under the guidance of Finance Minister Goodall GONDWE and signed a three year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility worth $56 million with the IMF. Improved relations with the IMF lead other international donors to resume aid as well.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $10.59 billion (2007 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 8% (2007 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $800 (2007 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 37.8%
Industry: 18.1%
Services: 44.1% (2007 est.)

Agriculture products: tobacco sugarcane cotton tea corn potatoes cassava (tapioca) sorghum pulses groundnuts Macadamia nuts; cattle goats

Industries: tobacco tea sugar sawmill products cement consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate: 4.4% (2007 est.)

Labor force: 4.5 million (2001 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 90%
By occupation industry and services: 10% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.9%
Highest 10: 31.8% (2004)

Distribution of family income gini index: 39 (2004)

Budget
Revenues: $1.128 billion
Expenditures: $1.185 billion (2007 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 50.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 7.9% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate: 15% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 27.72% (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit: $406.2 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$318 million (2007 est.)

Exports: $604 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: tobacco 53% tea sugar cotton coffee peanuts wood products apparel
Partners: Germany 11.7% South Africa 10% Egypt 9.2% Zimbabwe 8.2% US 7.3% Russia 5.8% Netherlands 4.5% (2007)

Imports: $866 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: food petroleum products semimanufactures consumer goods transportation equipment
Partners: South Africa 36.1% India 8.5% Tanzania 6.1% US 6.1% China 4.9% (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $217.2 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt external: $894 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates: Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar - 141.12 (2007) 135.96 (2006) 108.894 (2005) 108.898 (2004) 97.433 (2003)


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Electricity
Production: 1.13 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Consumption: 1.051 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2006 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 175,200 (2007)
Mobile cellular: 1.051 million (2007)

Telephone system
General assessment: rudimentary
Domestic: fixed-line subscribership about 1 per 100 persons; privatization of Malawi Telecommunications (MTL), a necessary step in bringing improvement to telecommunications services, completed in 2006; mobile-cellular services are expanding but cellular network coverage is limited and is based around the main urban areas; mobile cellular subscribership roughly 8 per 100 persons
International: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .mw
Hosts: 107 (2008)
Users: 139,500 (2007)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2006)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; standard obligation is 2 years of active duty and 5 years of reserve service (2007)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 39 (2007)
With paved runways total: 6
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 33
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 16
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 16 (2007)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 797 km
Narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)

Roadways
Total: 15,451 km
Paved: 6,956 km
Unpaved: 8,495 km (2003)

Waterways: 700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2007)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals: Chipoka Monkey Bay Nkhata Bay Nkhotakota Chilumba


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Disputes international: disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs