Malawi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

3 (2002)

Internet country code

.mw

Internet users

35,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

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

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

45,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular

49,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2001)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $490 million expenditures: $523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 99/00 est.)

Currency

Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Currency code

MWK

Debt - external

$2.9 billion (2002)

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% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

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)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

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.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 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.)

Labor force

4.5 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 86% (1997 est.)

Oil - consumption

5,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

54% (FY 90/91 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 118,480 sq km water: 24,400 sq km land: 94,080 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 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

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

Irrigated land

280 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 2,881 km border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Land use

arable land: 19.93% permanent crops: 1.33% other: 78.74% (1998 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

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

Capital

Lilongwe

Constitution

18 May 1994

Country name

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

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

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

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%

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

Government type

multiparty democracy

Independence

6 July 1964 (from UK)

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

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

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

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

National holiday

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

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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

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)

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.)

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.)

Birth rate

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

Death rate

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

Ethnic groups

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

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.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 105.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 100.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 109.36 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 37.98 years male: 37.57 years female: 38.39 years (2003 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 62.7% male: 76.1% female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 16.4 years male: 16.1 years female: 16.7 years (2002)

Nationality

noun: Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian

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 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.)

Disputes - international

dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Airports

43 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 22 (2002)

Highways

total: 28,400 km paved: 5,254 km unpaved: 23,146 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Railways

total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

Waterways

144 km note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire Riverall