Malawi

Republic of Malawi

multiparty democracyIndependence 6 July 1964 (from UK)

Malawi as the 2003 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 114 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

11.65 million July 2003 est. · 9.16m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.21% 2003 est. · -0.95% in 1993

Median ageyears

16.4 years 2002 · 19.4 yrs in 2025

Life expectancyyears at birth

37.98 years 2003 est. · 40.48 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.1 children per woman 2003 est. · 7.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

105.15 deaths per 1,000 live births 2003 est. · 130 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$600 2002 est. · $200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

1.7% 2002 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. National multiparty elections were held again in 1999.

Geography

Southern Africa, east of Zambia

18 fields

Land useshare of 118,480 sq km

arable land 19.93%permanent crops 1.33%other 78.74% (1998 est.)irrigated 280 sq km (1998 est.)

Area

118,480sq km

water: 24,400 sq kmland: 94,080 sq kmslightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Highest point

3,002m

Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje)lowest 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: Law of the Sea

Geography - note

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

People

19 fields

Population

11,651,239

growth rate: 2.21% (2003 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 2003 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2003 est.)

Birth

44.7Death

22.64Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2003 est.)37.98

37.57 · 38.39Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)105.15

109.36 · 100.81

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)62.7%

76.1% · 49.8%Median age years (2002)16.4

16.1 · 16.7

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions

Protestant 55%Roman Catholic 20%Muslim 20%indigenous beliefs 3%other 2%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

15%

(2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 46.8% (male 2,748,058; female 2,698,052)
15-64 years:: 50.5% (male 2,911,892; female 2,973,723)
65 years and over:: 2.7% (male 128,722; female 190,792) (2003 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

850,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

80,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Malawian(s)
adjective:: Malawian

Ethnic groups

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

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)

National Assembly, 193 seats, elected 15 June 1999one dot, one seat

UDF 96MCP 61AFORD 30others 6

Percent of vote

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

Country name

conventional long form:: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form:: Malawi
former:: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland

Government type

multiparty democracy

Capital

Lilongwe

Administrative divisions

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

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;
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:: 46-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

unicameral 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 96, MCP 61, AFORD 30, others 6

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

National Democratic Alliance [Brown MPINGANJIRA]

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Paul Tony Steven KANDIERO
FAX:: [1] (202) 265-0976
telephone:: [1] (202) 797-1007
chancery:: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Stephen BROWN
embassy:: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road
mailing address:: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
telephone:: [265] (1) 773 166
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

Government - note

the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature

Economy

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

36 fields

Real growth rate

1.7%

(2002 est.)industrial production growth: -0.8% (2002 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

27.4%

(2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

54%

(FY 90/91 est.)

Labor force

4.5million

(2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2001 est.)

agriculture 37%industry 16%services 47% (2001 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

10.2%

South Africa

44.4%

17.3%

5.6%

13.6%

Germany

Zambia

12.7%

6.2%

Egypt

Japan

5.5%

Netherlands

4.8%

Russia

4.3%

India

4.2%

Exports $435 million f.o.b. (201)Imports $505 million f.o.b. (2001)(2002)

Budget

Revenues

$490 millionExpenditures

$523 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 99/00 est.)

Electricity

fossil fuel 3.3%hydro 96.7%other 0% · nuclear 0%

Electricity production

769.2 million (2001)Electricity consumption

715.3 million (2001)

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 accounted for nearly 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues in 2001. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations.

In late 2000, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. In November 2002 the World Bank approved a $50 million drought recovery package, which is to be used for famine relief. The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to fully develop a market economy, to improve educational facilities, to face up to environmental problems, to deal with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and to satisfy foreign donors that fiscal discipline is being tightened. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for over 50% of exports.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $6.811 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 86% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

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

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

5,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

$435 million f.o.b. (201)

Exports - commodities

tobacco 60%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel

Imports

$505 million f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities

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

Debt - external

$2.9 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient

$540 million (1999)

Currency

Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Currency code

MWK

Exchange rates

Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 76.69 (2002), 72.2 (2001), 59.54 (2000), 44.09 (1999), 31.07 (1998)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

49,000

(2000)

Internet users

(2002)

Fixed lines

45,000

(2000) · country code .mw

Telephone system

general assessment:: NA
domestic:: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations
international:: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a third station held in standby status) (2001)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2001)

Internet users

35,000 (2002)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

over 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

Paved 6Unpaved 37

Networkskm

Highways

28,400Railways

797Waterways

144

Highways: paved: 5,254 km · unpaved: 23,146 km (1999 est.) · Railways: narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2002) · Waterways: note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire Riverall