Malawi Population: 16,777,547
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| 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. 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. MUTHARIKA was reelected to a second term in May 2009. As president, he oversaw some economic improvement in his first term, but was accused of economic mismanagement and poor governance in his second term. He died abruptly in April 2012 and was succeeded by his vice president, Joyce BANDA. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi. |
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| Geography | |
| Landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature; it contains more fish species than any other lake on earth | |
| Location: | Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique |
| Geographic coordinates: | 13 30 S, 34 00 E |
| Area: | total: 118,484 sq km land: 94,080 sq km water: 24,404 sq km Size comparison: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 2,881 km border countries: Mozambique 1,569 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 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 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | NA |
| Current Environment Issues: | deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations |
| International Environment 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 signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
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| People | |
| Population: | 16,777,547 (July 2013 est.) 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 |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 44.7% (male 3,754,206/female 3,738,521) 15-24 years: 20.6% (male 1,723,098/female 1,725,326) 25-54 years: 28.5% (male 2,422,642/female 2,364,137) 55-64 years: 3.6% (male 269,058/female 327,158) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 192,928/female 260,473) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 17.3 years male: 17.2 years female: 17.4 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.758% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 40.42 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 12.84 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 79.02 deaths/1,000 live births male: 83.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 74.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 52.31 years male: 51.5 years female: 53.13 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 5.26 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 11% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 920,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 51,000 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Malawian(s) 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% |
| Religions: | Christian 82.7%, Muslim 13%, other 1.9%, none 2.5% (1998 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) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.8% male: 81.1% female: 68.5% (2010 est.) |
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| Government | |
| 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 58 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, 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 |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Joyce BANDA (since 7 April 2012); Vice President Khumbo Hastings KACHALI (since 11 April 2012); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; former President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA died on 5 April 2012, Vice President Joyce BANDA was subsequently sworn in on 7 April 2012 head of government: President Joyce BANDA (since 7 April 2012); Vice President Khumbo Hastings KACHALI (since 11 April 2012) cabinet: 36-member Cabinet named by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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%; note - MUTHARIKA passed away on 5 April 2012 and was succeeded by then vice president Joyce BANDA |
| 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 [Godfrey SHAWA]; Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Peter 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]; New Labour Party or NLP [Friday JUMBE]; New Republican Party [Gwanda CHAKUWAMBA]; People's Party or PP [Joyce BANDA]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Mark Katsonga PHIRI]; People's Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Atupele MULUZI] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Council for NGOs in Malawi or CONGOMA (human rights, democracy, and development); Human Rights Consultative Committee or HRCC (human rights); Malawi Economic Justice Network or MEJN (pro economic growth, development, government accountability); Malawi Law Society (an umbrella organization of all lawyers in Malawi); Public Affairs Committee or PAC (promotes democracy, development, peace and unity) |
| International organization participation: | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen D. Tennyson MATENJE chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270 FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanine E. JACKSON embassy: 16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3 mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi telephone: [265] (1) 773-166 FAX: [265] (1) 770-471 |
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| Economy | |
| 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 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. 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. Donors, who provided an average of 36% of government revenue in the past five year, suspended general budget support for Malawi in 2011 due to a negative IMF review and governance issues. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $14.58 billion (2012 est.) $13.98 billion (2011 est.) $13.4 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $4.49 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 4.3% (2012 est.) 4.3% (2011 est.) 6.5% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $900 (2012 est.) $900 (2011 est.) $900 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 29.6% industry: 16.9% services: 53.5% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 5.747 million (2007 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 90% 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) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 18.4% (2012 est.) 7.6% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 23.1% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $1.089 billion expenditures: $1.373 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 47.1% of GDP (2012 est.) 32.4% of GDP (2011 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: | 8.2% (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 1.736 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 1.614 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$683.4 million (2012 est.) -$758.5 million (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $860 million (2012 est.) $945.1 million (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel |
| Exports - partners: | Canada 12.4%, Zimbabwe 8.9%, Germany 8.8%, South Africa 6.4%, US 6.1%, Russia 6%, Egypt 5%, UK 4.2%, China 4.1% (2011) |
| Imports: | $1.752 billion (2012 est.) $1.722 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | food, petroleum products, semi-manufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment |
| Imports - partners: | South Africa 31%, India 10.6%, Zambia 9.4%, China 8.7%, Tanzania 5.7%, US 5.1% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $315.3 million (31 December 2012 est.) $213.1 million (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $1.214 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $1.051 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $NA |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $NA |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $1.384 billion (31 December 2011) $1.363 billion (31 December 2010) $1.383 billion (31 December 2009) |
| Exchange rates: | Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar - 239 (2012 est.) 156.93 (2011 est.) 150.49 (2010 est.) 141.14 (2009) 142.41 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 July - 30 June |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 173,500 (2011) country comparison to the world: 129 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 3.952 million (2011) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: rudimentary; privatization of Malawi Telecommunications (MTL), 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 25 per 100 persons international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2010) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .mw |
| Internet hosts: | 1,099 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 716,400 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 31 (2012) country comparison to the world: 114 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 24 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 11 (2012) |
| Railways: | total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 15,451 km paved: 6,956 km unpaved: 8,495 km (2003) |
| Waterways: | 700 km (on Lake Nyasa [Lake Malawi] and Shire River) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Malawi Defense Forces (MDF): Army (includes Air Wing, Marine Unit) (2012) |
| 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) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 3,514,809 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 2,132,909 females age 16-49: 2,043,925 (2010 est.) |
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