2003 Edition

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

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.)

Area

land

94,080 sq km

total

118,480 sq km

water

24,400 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

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 Malawi

Birth rate

44.7 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Capital

Lilongwe

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

18 May 1994

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Malawi

conventional short form

Malawi

former

British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland

Death rate

22.64 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

lowest point

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

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

Ethnic groups

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

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

Geographic coordinates

13 30 S, 34 00 E

Geography - note

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

Government type

multiparty democracy

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

15% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

80,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

850,000 (2001 est.)

Independence

6 July 1964 (from UK)

Infant mortality rate

female

100.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

109.36 deaths/1,000 live births

total

105.15 deaths/1,000 live births

Irrigated land

280 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

2,881 km

Land use

arable land

19.93%

other

78.74% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

1.33%

Languages

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

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

38.39 years (2003 est.)

male

37.57 years

total population

37.98 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

49.8% (2003 est.) Government Malawi

male

76.1%

total population

62.7%

Location

Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

16.7 years (2002)

male

16.1 years

total

16.4 years

National holiday

Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)

Nationality

adjective

Malawian

noun

Malawian(s)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

11,651,239

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.)

Population growth rate

2.21% (2003 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

6.1 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

43 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)

total

6

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m

22 (2002) Military Malawi

Budget

expenditures

$523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 99/00 est.)

revenues

$490 million

Currency

Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Currency code

MWK

Debt - external

$2.9 billion (2002)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Paul Tony Steven KANDIERO

Disputes - international

dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Economic aid - recipient

$540 million (1999)

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.

Electricity - consumption

715.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

769.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

3.3%

hydro

96.7%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Exchange rates

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

Exports

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

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 17.3%, Germany 13.6%, South Africa 10.2%, Egypt 6.2%, Japan 6%, Netherlands 5.5%, Russia 4.8%, UK 4.3% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 265-0976

[265] (1) 770 471

chancery

2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 797-1007

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June Communications Malawi

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

GDP

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

37%

industry

16%

services

47% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $600 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.7% (2002 est.)

Government - note

the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature Economy Malawi

Highways

paved

5,254 km

total

28,400 km

unpaved

23,146 km (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

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

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

South Africa 44.4%, Zambia 12.7%, US 5.6%, India 4.2% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

-0.8% (2002 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

27.4% (2001 est.)

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

Internet country code

.mw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

3 (2002)

Internet users

35,000 (2002) Transportation Malawi

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

Labor force

4.5 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 86% (1997 est.)

Legislative branch

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

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

elections

last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

Military branches

Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (including paramilitary Mobile Force Unit)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$13.01 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.7% (FY02) Transnational Issues Malawi

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

2,625,495 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

1,347,248 (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

5,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

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]

Population below poverty line

54% (FY 90/91 est.)

Ports and harbors

Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Radio broadcast stations

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

Radios

2.6 million (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

797 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

total

797 km

Telephone system

domestic

system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations

general assessment

NA

international

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

45,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular

49,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2001)

Televisions

NA

Unemployment rate

NA%

Waterways

144 km

note

on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire Riverall