Malawi

Republic of Malawi

one-party republicIndependence 6 July 1964 (from UK)

Malawi as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 77 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalLilongwe

Area118,480 km2

LocationSouthern Africa, between Mozambique and Zambia

Populationas each edition published it

9.83 million July 1993 est. · 9.16m in 1990

Population growth% a year

-0.95% 1993 est. · 2.16% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

40.48 years 1993 est. · 73 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

7.5 children per woman 1993 est. · 7.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

141.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 130 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$200 1992 est. · $1,600 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

-7.7% 1992 est. · 1.8% in 2025

Geography

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and Zambia

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Land useshare of 118,480 km2

arable land 25%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 20%forest and woodland 50%other 5%irrigated 200 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

118,480km2

land area: 94,080 km2comparative area: slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked

Land boundaries

2,881km

total · Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Location

Southern Africa, between Mozambique and Zambia

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)

Climate

tropical;
rainy season (November to May);
dry season (May to November)

Terrain

narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains

Natural resources

limestone, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite

People

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Population

9,831,935

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: -0.95% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

51.1Death

22.87Net migration

-37.71

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years40.48

39.61 · 41.37

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy22%

34% · 12%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1966)

Labor force

428,000wage earners

by occupation: agriculture 43%, manufacturing 16%, personal services 15%, commerce 9%, construction 7%, miscellaneous services 4%, other permanently employed 6% (1986)

Infant mortality rate

141.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Malawian(s)
adjective:: Malawian

Ethnic divisions

Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European

Religions

Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, traditional indigenous beliefs

Languages

English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important regionally

Government

One-party republic

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Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form:: Malawi
former:: Nyasaland

Type

one-party republic note: a referendum to determine whether Malawi should remain a one-party state is scheduled to be held on 14 June 1993

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

Independence

6 July 1964 (from UK)

Constitution

6 July 1964; 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

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 July (1964)

Political parties and leaders

only party - Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Wadson DELEZA, administrative secretary;
John TEMBO, treasurer general;
top party position of secretary general vacant since 1983

Other political or pressure groups

Alliance for Democracy (AFORD), Chakufwa CHIHANA;
United Democratic Front (UDF) Bakili MULUZI;
Malawi Democratic People (MDP), leader NA

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Elections

President:: President BANDA sworn in as President for Life on 6 July 1971
National Assembly:: last held 26-27 June 1987 (next to be held by June 1997);
results - MCP is the only party;
seats - (141 total, 136 elected) MCP 141

Executive branch

president, Cabinet

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly

Judicial branch

High Court, Supreme Court of Appeal

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Dr. Hastings Kamuzu BANDA (since 6 July 1966; sworn in as President for Life 6 July 1971)

Member of

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Robert B. MBAYA
chancery:: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: (202) 797-1007

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Michael T. F. PISTOR
embassy:: address NA, in new capital city development area in Lilongwe
mailing address:: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe
telephone:: [265] 730-166
FAX:: [265] 732-282

Flag

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

Economy

Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$200

(1992 est.)

Real growth rate

-7.7%

(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 4.0% (1990 est.); accounts for about 18% of GDP (1988)

Inflation, consumer prices

21%

(1992 est.)

External debt

$1.8billion

(December 1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$398 millionExpenditures

$510 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $154 million (FY91 est.)

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. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.9 billion (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$400 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)

commodities:: tobacco, tea, sugar, coffee, peanuts, wood products
partners:: US, UK, Zambia, South Africa, Germany

Imports

$660 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.)

commodities:: food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment
partners:: South Africa, Japan, US, UK, Zimbabwe

Electricity

190,000 kW capacity; 620 million kWh produced, 65 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

agricultural processing (tea, tobacco, sugar), sawmilling, cement, consumer goods

Agriculture

accounts for 40% of GDP;
cash crops - tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, and corn;
subsistence crops - potatoes, cassava, sorghum, pulses;
livestock - cattle, goats

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $215 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2,150 million

Currency

1 Malawian kwacha (MK) = 100 tambala

Exchange rates

Malawian kwacha (MK) per US$1 - 4.3418 (November 1992), 2.8033 (1991), 2.7289 (1990), 2.7595 (1989), 2.5613 (1988), 2.2087 (1987)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

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Networkskm

Highways

13,135Railroads

789

Highways: ; 2,364 km paved; 251 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil; 10,520 km earth and improved earth

Highways

13,135 km total;
2,364 km paved;
251 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil;
10,520 km earth and improved earth

Inland waterways

Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi); Shire River, 144 km

Ports

Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, and Nkotakota - all on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)

Airports

total:: 47
usable:: 41
with permanent-surface runways:: 5
with runways over 3,659 m:: 0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 10

Telecommunications

fair system of open-wire lines, radio relay links, and radio communications stations;
42,250 telephones;
broadcast stations - 10 AM, 17 FM, no TV;
satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT

Note

a majority of exports would normally go through Mozambique on the Beira, Nacala, and Limgogo railroads, but now most go through South Africa because of insurgent activity and damage to rail lines

Defense Forces

Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (including | paramilitary Mobile Force Unit), paramilitary Malawi Young Pioneers

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