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.

Geographic coordinates: 13 30 S 34 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 118,484 km²
Rank: 99
Land: 94,080 km²
Water: 24,404 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries
Total: 2,881 km
Border countries: (3) Mozambique 1569 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)

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

Population: 14,268,711
Rank: 66
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 2009 est.)
Growth rate: 2.388% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 36
Below poverty line: 53% (2004)

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)

Age structure
0-14 years: 45.8%
15-64 years: 51.5% (male 3,696,857/female 3,656,918)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 162,863/female 220,390) (2009 est.)

Median age
Total: 16.8 years
Male: 16.8 years
Female: 16.9 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.388% (2009 est.)
Rank: 36

Birth rate: 41.48 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 13

Death rate: 17.6 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 11

Net migration rate: NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization
Urban population: 19% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 5.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.02 male/female
Under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 89.05 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 14
Male: 93.15 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 84.88 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 43.82 years
Rank: 216
Male: 44.07 years
Female: 43.57 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.59 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 16

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 11.9% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 9
People living with hivaids: 930,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 15
Deaths: 68,000 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 10

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
Animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Education expenditures: 5.8% of GDP (2003)
Rank: 44

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)

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

Independence: 6 July 1964 (from the 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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA ; 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 19 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014)
Election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA 66% John TEMBO 30.7% other 3.3%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 19 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPP 114 MCP 26 UDF 17 independents 32 other 4

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 [Dindi NYASULU]; Congress of Democrats or CODE [Ralph KASAMBARA]; 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]; Maravi People's Party [Uladi MUSSA]; National Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; New Rainbow Coalition Party [Beatrice MWALE]; New Republican Party [Gwanda CHAKUWAMBA]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party or RP [Stanley MASAULI]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI]; United Democratic Party [Kenedy KALAMBO]

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

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:
Rank: 143
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 14

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 220
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 39.2%
Industry: 16.8%
Services: 44% (2008 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% (2008 est.)
Rank: 66

Labor force: 5.747 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 67
By occupation agriculture: 90%
By occupation industry and services: 10% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: 53% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3%
Highest 10: 31.9% (2004)

Distribution of family income gini index: 39 (2004)
Rank: 67

Budget
Revenues: $1.254 billion
Expenditures: $1.351 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt: 228.3% of GDP (2004 est.)
Rank: 38

Inflation rate consumer prices: 7.9% (2007 est.)
Rank: 135

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

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 27.72% (31 December 2007)
Rank: 9

Stock of domestic credit:

Market value of publicly traded shares:

Current account balance: -$75 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 93

Exports: $721 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 154
Commodities: tobacco 53% tea sugar cotton coffee peanuts wood products apparel
Partners: South Africa 14.2% Egypt 9.8% Zimbabwe 8.6% US 7.4% Netherlands 7% Russia 5.7% Germany 5.7% (2008)

Imports: $1.323 billion (2007 est.)
Rank: 157
Commodities: food petroleum products semimanufactures consumer goods transportation equipment
Partners: South Africa 41.5% China 7.3% India 6.1% Tanzania 5.4% US 4.1% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $217.2 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 145

Debt external: $894 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 153

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $11.23 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Rank: 79

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates: Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar - 142.41 (2008 est.) 141.12 (2007) 135.96 (2006) 108.894 (2005) 108.898 (2004)

Electricity
Production: 1.69 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 138
Consumption: 1.572 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 138
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 159
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 159
Exports: 0 m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 154
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 95
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 111

Telephones
Main lines in use: 236,000 (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 122
Mobile cellular: 1.781 million (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 127

Telephone system
General assessment: rudimentary
Domestic: fixed-line subscribership about 2 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 approaching 15 per 100 persons
International: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Internet
Country code: .mw
Hosts: 741 (2009)
Hosts rank: 165
Users: 316,100 (2008)
Users rank: 125

Military expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 123

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)

Airports: 32 (2009)
Rank: 113
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 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 26
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 15
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 10 (2009)

Railways
Total: 797 km
Rank: 102
Narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Total: 15,451 km
Rank: 122
Paved: 6,956 km
Unpaved: 8,495 km (2003)

Waterways: 700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2008)
Rank: 76

Ports and terminals: Chipoka Monkey Bay Nkhata Bay Nkhotakota Chilumba

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