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 some economic improvement. Population growth increasing pressure on agricultural lands corruption and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi. MUTHARIKA was reelected to a second term in May 2009.

Geographic coordinates: 13 30 S 34 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 118,484 km²
Rank: 100
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: 590 km² (2008)

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: 15,879,252 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 63
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
Growth rate: 2.763% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 17
Below poverty line: 53% (2004)

Nationality
Noun: Malawian
Adjective: Malawian

Ethnic groups: Chewa 32.6% Lomwe 17.6% Yao 13.5% Ngoni 11.5% Tumbuka 8.8% Nyanja 5.8% Sena 3.6% Tonga 2.1% Ngonde 1% other 3.5% (2008 census)

Languages: Chichewa (official) 57.2% 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 82.7% Muslim 13% other 1.9% none 2.5% (2008 census)

Age structure
0-14 years: 45.1%
15-64 years: 52.2% (male 4,140,874/female 4,155,015)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 182,304/female 243,065) (2011 est.)

Median age
Total: 17.2 years
Male: 17.1 years
Female: 17.4 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.763% (2011 est.)
Rank: 17

Birth rate: 40.85 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 10

Death rate: 13.22 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 21

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 98

Urbanization
Urban population: 20% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 5.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 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: 1.015 male/female
Under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 81.04 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 12
Male: 85.11 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 76.9 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 51.7 years
Rank: 210
Male: 50.93 years
Female: 52.48 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.43 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 12

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 0.019 physicians/1000 population (2008)
Rank: 189

Hospital bed density: 1.1 beds/1000 population (2007)
Rank: 143

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 11% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 9
People living with hivaids: 920,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 12
Deaths: 51,000 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 9

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)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 15.5% (2006)
Rank: 53

Education expenditures: 4.2% of GDP (2003)
Rank: 97

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: 9 years
Female: 9 years (2007)

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: mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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 on 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 on 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 ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IPU ISO (correspondent) ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA MONUSCO NAM OPCW SADC UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNOCI UNTSO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen D. Tennyson MATENJE
In the us chancery: 2,408 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270
In the us fax: [1] (202) 721-0288
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanine E. JACKSON
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 red (top) black and green; a white sun disc is centered on the black band its surrounding 45 white rays extend partially into the red and green bands; black represents the native peoples red the blood shed in their struggle for freedom and green the color of nature; the sun represents Malawi's economic progress since attaining independence

National anthem
Name: 'Mulungu dalitsa Malawi'
Lyricsmusic: Michael-Fredrick Paul SAUKA
Note: adopted 1964

Economy overview: Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's most densely populated and least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural with about 80% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture which has benefited from fertilizer subsidies since 2006 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 2006 Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. In December 2007 the US granted Malawi eligibility status to receive financial support within the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) initiative. 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. 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. The government has announced infrastructure projects that could yield improvements such as a new oil pipeline for better fuel access and the potential for a waterway link through Mozambican rivers to the ocean for better transportation options. Since 2009 however Malawi has experienced some setbacks including a general shortage of foreign exchange which has damaged its ability to pay for imports and fuel shortages that hinder transportation and productivity. Investment fell 23% in 2009 and continued to decline in 2010. The government has failed to address barriers to investment such as unreliable power water shortages poor telecommunications infrastructure and the high costs of services.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 140
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 42

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 219
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 30.2%
Industry: 16.3%
Services: 53.5% (2010 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: 12.5% (2010 est.)
Rank: 16

Labor force: 5.747 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 65
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: 72

Budget
Revenues: $1.667 billion
Expenditures: $1.619 billion (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: 1% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 29

Taxes and other revenues: 33% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 78

Public debt: 37.8% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 80

Inflation rate consumer prices: 8.4% (2009 est.)
Rank: 183

Central bank discount rate: 15% (31 December 2008)
Rank: 15

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 25.3% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 11

Stock of narrow money: $561 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 155

Stock of broad money: $1.233 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 151

Stock of domestic credit: $1.464 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 140

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 100

Current account balance: -$317.5 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 113

Exports: $912.4 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 154
Commodities: tobacco 53% tea sugar cotton coffee peanuts wood products apparel
Partners: India 10.4% Germany 9.7% South Africa 7.5% Russia 7.4% Zimbabwe 7.4% Canada 6.4% US 6.3% Netherlands 4.7% (2010)

Imports: $1.544 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 161
Commodities: food petroleum products semi-manufactures consumer goods transportation equipment
Partners: South Africa 41.4% Zambia 7.8% India 7.5% China 6.1% Tanzania 5% France 4.4% Mozambique 4.2% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $163.4 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 156

Debt external: $1.115 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 147

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 1.676 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Production rank: 138
Consumption: 1.559 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 143
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 96
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 200
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 140
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 149
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 164

Telephones
Main lines in use: 160,100 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 133
Mobile cellular: 3.038 million (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 121

Telephone system
General assessment: rudimentary; privatization of Malawi Telecommunications a necessary step in bringing improvement to telecommunications services completed in 2006
Domestic: limited fixed-line subscribership of about 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services are expanding but network coverage is limited and is based around the main urban areas; mobile-cellular subscribership about 15 per 100 persons
International: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

Broadcast media: radio is the main broadcast medium; state-run radio has the widest geographic broadcasting reach but about a dozen privately-owned radio stations broadcast in major urban areas; the single television network is government-owned; relays of multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .mw
Hosts: 870 (2010)
Hosts rank: 167
Users: 716,400 (2009)
Users rank: 109

Military expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 114

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

Airports: 32 (2010)
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 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 26
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 13
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 12 (2010)

Railways
Total: 797 km
Rank: 99
Narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2010)

Roadways
Total: 15,451 km
Rank: 120
Paved: 6,956 km
Unpaved: 8,495 km (2003)

Waterways: 700 km (on Lake Nyasa [Lake Malawi] and Shire River) (2010)
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