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CATEGORIES
◆ COMMUNICATIONS(8 fields)
Broadcast media
radio is the main broadcast medium; privately owned Zodiac radio has the widest national broadcasting reach, followed by state-run radio; about a dozen private and community radio stations broadcast in cities and towns around the country; the largest TV network is government-owned, but two private TV networks now broadcast in urban areas and more plan to begin broadcasting in 2014; relays of multiple international broadcasters are available (2014)
Internet country code
.mw
Internet users
total: 387,500 | percent of population: 2.2% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 135
Radio broadcast stations
AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus one shortwave station on standby) (2001)
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)
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 64,200 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 153
Telephones - mobile cellular
total: 5.1 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 117
Television broadcast stations
1 (2001)
◆ ECONOMY(41 fields)
Agriculture - products
tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats
Budget
revenues: $1.264 billion | expenditures: $1.573 billion (2014 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
-7% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 190
Central bank discount rate
15% (31 December 2009) | 15% (31 December 2008) | country comparison to the world: 9
Commercial bank prime lending rate
44% (31 December 2014 est.) | 46% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 2
Current account balance
-$216 million (2014 est.) | -$958.4 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120
Debt - external
$1.729 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.487 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 149
Distribution of family income - Gini index
39 (2004) | country comparison to the world: 68
Economy - overview
Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's most densely populated and least developed countries. The country’s economic performance has historically been constrained by policy inconsistency, macroeconomic instability, limited connectivity to the region and the world, and poor health and education outcomes that limit labor productivity. The economy is predominately agricultural with about 80% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for about 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 program. Between 2005 and 2009 Malawi’s government exhibited improved financial discipline under the guidance of Finance Minister Goodall GONDWE and signed a three year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility worth $56 million. The government 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. In October 2013, the African Development Bank, the IMF, several European countries, and the US indefinitely froze $150 million in direct budgetary support in response to a high level corruption scandal, called “Cashgate,” citing a lack of trust in the government’s financial management system and civil service. Most of the frozen donor funds—which accounted for 40% of the budget—have been channeled through non-governmental organizations in the country. The government has failed to address barriers to investment such as unreliable power, water shortages, poor telecommunications infrastructure, and the high costs of services. Investment had fallen continuously for several years, but rose 4 percentage points in 2014 to 17% of GDP. | The government faces many challenges, including developing a market economy, improving educational facilities, addressing environmental problems, dealing with HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors on anti-corruption efforts.
Exchange rates
Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar - | 412.1 (2014 est.) | 364.41 (2013 est.) | 249.11 (2012 est.) | 156.93 (2011 est.) | 150.49 (2010 est.)
Exports
$1.332 billion (2014 est.) | $1.374 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154
Exports - commodities
tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel (2010 est.)
Exports - partners
Belgium 12.4%, Zimbabwe 10.4%, South Africa 6.8%, Germany 6.8%, Russia 6.6%, Canada 6.1%, US 6% (2014)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
GDP (official exchange rate)
$4.263 billion (2014 est.)
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$13.73 billion (2014 est.) | $12.98 billion (2013 est.) | $12.34 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 152
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 95% | government consumption: 11% | investment in fixed capital: 16.5% | investment in inventories: 6.6% | exports of goods and services: 28.1% | imports of goods and services: -57.1% | (2014 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 30.1% | industry: 18.5% | services: 51.3% (2014 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$800 (2014 est.) | $700 (2013 est.) | $700 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 227
GDP - real growth rate
5.7% (2014 est.) | 5.2% (2013 est.) | 1.9% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 41
Gross national saving
10.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | 14.2% of GDP (2013 est.) | 13.4% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 3% | highest 10%: 31.9% (2004)
Imports
$2.498 billion (2014 est.) | $2.52 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 156
Imports - commodities
food, petroleum products, semi-manufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment
Imports - partners
South Africa 26.2%, India 15.5%, China 10%, Zambia 9.8%, Tanzania 5.4% (2014)
Industrial production growth rate
-1.7% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 183
Industries
tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
23.8% (2014 est.) | 27.3% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 221
Labor force
5.747 million (2007 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 90% | industry and services: 10% (2003 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares
$753.6 million (31 December 2012 est.) | $1.384 billion (31 December 2011) | $1.363 billion (31 December 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110
Population below poverty line
53% (2004 est.)
Public debt
48% of GDP (2014 est.) | 49.6% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$469.7 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $435.9 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151
Stock of broad money
$1.481 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.2 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 161
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$NA
Stock of domestic credit
$1.176 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $969.2 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 153
Stock of narrow money
$578.5 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $454.7 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 162
Taxes and other revenues
28.7% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97
Unemployment rate
NA%
◆ ENERGY(23 fields)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
1.91 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151
Crude oil - exports
0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151
Crude oil - imports
0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91
Crude oil - production
200 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111
Crude oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 162
Electricity - consumption
1.924 billion kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 143
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 168
Electricity - from fossil fuels
0.3% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 209
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
99.7% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 3
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 136
Electricity - from other renewable sources
0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 201
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 171
Electricity - installed generating capacity
301,000 kW (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 153
Electricity - production
2.069 billion kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 169
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 163
Natural gas - proved reserves
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 167
Refined petroleum products - consumption
13,040 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 148
Refined petroleum products - exports
0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 197
Refined petroleum products - imports
6,059 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142
Refined petroleum products - production
0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 171
◆ GEOGRAPHY(20 fields)
Area
total: 118,484 sq km | land: 94,080 sq km | water: 24,404 sq km | country comparison to the world: 100
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
total: 1.36 cu km/yr (11%/4%/86%) | per capita: 99.86 cu m/yr (2005)
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; it contains more fish species than any other lake on earth
Irrigated land
735 sq km (2006)
Land boundaries
total: 2,857 km | border countries (3): Mozambique 1,498 km, Tanzania 512 km, Zambia 847 km
Land use
agricultural land: 59.2% | arable land 38.2%; permanent crops 1.4%; permanent pasture 19.6% | forest: 34% | other: 6.8% (2011 est.)
Location
Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique
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
Total renewable water resources
17.28 cu km (2011)
◆ GOVERNMENT(21 fields)
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
Capital
name: Lilongwe | geographic coordinates: 13 58 S, 33 47 E | time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Constitution
previous 1953 (preindependence), 1966; latest drafted January to May 1994, approved 16 May 1994, entered into force 18 May 1995; amended several times, last in 2013 (2013)
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
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Virginia E. PALMER (since 5 February 2015) | 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
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Necton Darlington MHURA (since 18 May 2015) | chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270 | FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288
Executive branch
chief of state: President Arthur Peter MUTHARIKA (since 31 May 2014); Vice President Saulos CHILIMA (since 31 May 2014); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: President Arthur Peter MUTHARIKA (since 31 May 2014); Vice President Saulos CHILIMA (since 31 May 2014) | cabinet: Cabinet named by the president | elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 May 2014 (next to be held in May 2019) | election results: Peter MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote - Peter MUTHARIKA (DPP) 36.4%, Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 27.8%, Joyce BANDA (PP) 20.2%, Atupele MULUZI (UDF) 13.7%, other 1.9%
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered on the black band; black represents the native peoples, red the blood shed in their struggle for freedom, and green the color of nature; the rising sun represents the hope of freedom for the continent of Africa
Government type
multiparty democracy
Independence
6 July 1964 (from the UK)
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and at least 3 judges) | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly; other judges appointed by the president upon recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, which regulates judicial officers; judges serve until age 65 | subordinate courts: High Court; magistrate courts; Industrial Relations Court; district and city traditional or local courts
Legal system
mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal
Legislative branch
description: unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) | elections: last held on 20-22 May 2014 (next to be held in May 2019) | election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPP 50, MCP 48, PP 26, UDF 14, other 2, independent 52; note - voting in one electoral constituency to be rescheduled due to death of candidate
National anthem
name: "Mulungu dalitsa Malawi" (Oh God Bless Our Land of Malawi) | lyrics/music: Michael-Fredrick Paul SAUKA | note: adopted 1964
National holiday
Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)
National symbol(s)
lion; national colors: black, red, green
Political parties and leaders
Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Godfrey SHAWA] | Chipani Cha Fuko or CCP [Davis KATSONGA PHIRI] | Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Peter MUTHARIKA] | Malawi Congress Party or MCP [Lazarus CHAKWERA] | People's Party or PP [Joyce BANDA] | 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)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
◆ INTRODUCTION(1 fields)
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 presidential and parliamentary 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 in 2005. MUTHARIKA was reelected to a second term in May 2009. 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 vice president, Joyce BANDA, who had earlier started her own party, the People's Party. MUTHARIKA’s brother, Peter MUTHARIKA, defeated BANDA in the May 2014 election. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the scourge of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.
◆ MILITARY(6 fields)
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.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male: 183,683 | female: 183,028 (2010 est.)
Military branches
Malawi Defense Forces (MDF): Army (includes Air Wing, Marine Unit) (2012)
Military expenditures
0.93% of GDP (2012) | 0.79% of GDP (2011) | 0.93% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 104
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; high school equivalent required for enlisted recruits and college equivalent for officer recruits; initial engagement is 7 years for enlisted personnel and 10 years for officers (2014)
◆ PEOPLE AND SOCIETY(34 fields)
Age structure
0-14 years: 46.73% (male 4,175,706/female 4,218,955) | 15-24 years: 20.38% (male 1,820,047/female 1,841,331) | 25-54 years: 27.14% (male 2,418,126/female 2,457,419) | 55-64 years: 3.06% (male 262,067/female 287,637) | 65 years and over: 2.69% (male 213,735/female 269,674) (2015 est.)
Birth rate
41.56 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 7
Child labor - children ages 5-14
total number: 993,318 | percentage: 26% (2006 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
13.8% (2010) | country comparison to the world: 52
Contraceptive prevalence rate
46.1% (2010)
Death rate
8.41 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 94.5% | youth dependency ratio: 87.9% | elderly dependency ratio: 6.7% | potential support ratio: 14.9% (2015 est.)
Drinking water source
urban: 95.7% of population | rural: 89.1% of population | total: 90.2% of population | urban: 4.3% of population | rural: 10.9% of population | total: 9.8% of population (2015 est.)
Education expenditures
5.4% of GDP (2011) | country comparison to the world: 60
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%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
10.04% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 9
HIV/AIDS - deaths
32,600 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
1,063,900 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 10
Health expenditures
8.3% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 35
Hospital bed density
1.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)
Infant mortality rate
total: 46.26 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 53.07 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 39.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 42
Languages
English (official), Chichewa (common), Chinyanja, Chiyao, Chitumbuka, Chilomwe, Chinkhonde, Chingoni, Chisena, Chitonga, Chinyakyusa, Chilambya
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 60.66 years | male: 58.67 years | female: 62.69 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 196
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 65.8% | male: 73% | female: 58.6% (2015 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: very high | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever | vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever | water contact disease: schistosomiasis | animal contact disease: rabies (2013)
Major urban areas - population
LILONGWE (capital) 905,000; Blantyre-Limbe 808,000 (2015)
Median age
total: 16.4 years | male: 16.3 years | female: 16.5 years (2015 est.)
Nationality
noun: Malawian(s) | adjective: Malawian
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
4.3% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 168
Physicians density
0.02 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
Population
17,964,697 | 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 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64
Population growth rate
3.32% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 2
Religions
Christian 82.6%, Muslim 13%, other 1.9%, none 2.5% (2008 est.)
Sanitation facility access
urban: 47.3% of population | rural: 39.8% of population | total: 41% of population | urban: 52.7% of population | rural: 60.2% of population | total: 59% of population (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 11 years | male: 11 years | female: 11 years (2011)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female | total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.6 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8
Urbanization
urban population: 16.3% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 3.77% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
◆ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES(2 fields)
Disputes - international
dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River; Malawi contends that the entire lake up to the Tanzanian shoreline is its territory, while Tanzania claims the border is in the center of the lake; the conflict was reignited in 2012 when Malawi awarded a license to a British company for oil exploration in the lake
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 107,000 (floods in 2015) (2015)
◆ TRANSPORTATION(7 fields)
Airports
32 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 113
Airports - with paved runways
total: 7 | over 3,047 m: 1 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 | 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 25 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 11 | 13 (2013)
Ports and terminals
lake port(s): Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba (Lake Nyasa)
Railways
total: 767 km | narrow gauge: 767 km 1.067-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 99
Roadways
total: 15,450 km | paved: 6,951 km | unpaved: 8,499 km (2011) | country comparison to the world: 120
Waterways
700 km (on Lake Nyasa [Lake Malawi] and Shire River) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 75