Malawi

Republic of Malawi

multiparty democracyIndependence 6 July 1964 (from UK)

Malawi as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 105 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

Position13 30 S, 34 00 E

Area118,480 sq km

LocationSouthern Africa, east of Zambia

Populationas each edition published it

10.39 million July 2000 est. · 9.16m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.61% 2000 est. · -0.95% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

37.58 years 2000 est. · 40.48 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.33 children per woman 2000 est. · 7.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

122.28 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 130 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$940 1999 est. · $200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.2% 1999 est. · -7.7% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

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.

Geography

Southern Africa, east of Zambia

18 fields

Land useshare of 118,480 sq km

arable land 34%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 20%forests and woodland 39%other 7% (1993 est.)irrigated 280 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

118,480sq km

land: 94,080 sq kmwater: 24,400 sq kmslightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Highest point

3,002m

Sapitwalowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m

Land boundaries

2,881km

border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Location

Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Geographic coordinates

13 30 S, 34 00 E

Map references

Africa

Climate

sub-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, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite

Natural hazards

Environment - current issues

deforestation;
land degradation;
water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes;
siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: Law of the Sea

Geography - note

landlocked

People

15 fields

Population

10,385,849

growth rate: 1.61% (2000 est.)

Note

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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth

38.49Death

22.44Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2000 est.)37.58

37.2 · 37.98

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1999 est.)58%

72.8% · 43.4%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Age structure

0-14 years:: 45% (male 2,335,440; female 2,324,012)
15-64 years:: 52% (male 2,671,580; female 2,766,560)
65 years and over:: 3% (male 117,932; female 170,325) (2000 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

122.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.33 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Malawian(s)
adjective:: Malawian

Ethnic groups

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

Religions

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

Languages

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

Government

Multiparty democracy; President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

51.4%

Bakili MULUZI (UDF) 51.4%Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MCP-AFORD) 44.3%election last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

Legislature, 193 seats, elected 15 June 1999one dot, one seat

UDF 93MCP 66AFORD 29others 4vacancy 1

Percent of vote

UDF 48%MCP 34%AFORD 15%others 3%

Country name

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

Data code

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 note: there may be three new districts named Balaka, Likoma, and Phalombe

Independence

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief 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:: 28-member cabinet named by the president
elections:: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results:: Bakili MULUZI reelected president; percent of vote - Bakili MULUZI (UDF) 51.4%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MCP-AFORD) 44.3%

Legislative branch

National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:: last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results:: percent of vote by party - UDF 48%, MCP 34%, AFORD 15%, others 3%; seats by party - UDF 93, MCP 66, AFORD 29, others 4, vacancy 1

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 [Chakufwa CHIHANA, president];
Malawi Congress Party or MCP [Gwanda CHAKUAMBA, president, John TEMBO, vice president];
Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA, president];
Social Democratic Party or SDP [Eston KAKHOME, president];
United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI] - governing party

International 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, UNMIK, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Willie CHOKANI
chancery:: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 797-1007

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Amelia Ellen SHIPPY
embassy:: address NA, in new development area in Lilongwe
mailing address:: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
telephone:: [265] 783 166
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

Government - note

the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature

Economy

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

31 fields

Real growth rate

4.2%

(1999 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

45%

(1999)

Population below poverty line

54%

(1990-91 est.)

Labor force

3.5million

GDP - composition by sector(1998 est.)

agriculture 37%industry 29%services 34% (1998 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$490 millionExpenditures

$523 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)

Electricity

fossil fuel 2.39%hydro 97.61%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

922 million (1998)Electricity consumption

857 million (1998)

Economy - 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 37% of GDP and 85% of export revenues. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations.

The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to spur exports, to improve educational and health facilities, to face up to environmental problems of deforestation and erosion, and to deal with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $9.4 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $940 (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 86%, wage earners 14% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Agriculture - products

tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; cattle, goats

Exports

$510 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

tobacco, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products

Exports - partners

South Africa 15%, US 9%, Germany 9%, Netherlands 7%, Japan (1998)

Imports

$512 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities

food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment

Imports - partners

South Africa 38%, Zimbabwe 18%, Zambia 8%, Japan 4%, US, UK, Germany (1998)

Debt - external

$2.3 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$416.5 million (1995)

Currency

1 Malawian kwacha (MK) = 100 tambala

Exchange rates

Malawian kwachas (MK) per US$1 - 46.3494 (December 1999), 44.0881 (1999), 31.0727 (1998), 16.4442 (1997), 15.3085 (1996), 15.2837 (1995)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

382

(1995)

Internet users

(1999)

Fixed lines

34,000

(1995)

Telephone system

domestic:: 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)