Malawi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

7 (2001)

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)

Radios

2.6 million (1997)

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

38,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular

49,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2001)

Televisions

NA

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $490 million expenditures: $523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)

Currency

Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Currency code

MWK

Debt - external

$2.8 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$427 million (1999) (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 accounts for 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues. 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. The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to fully develop a market economy, to improve educational facilities, to face up to environmental problems, and to deal with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth.

Electricity - consumption

767.25 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production

825 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 3% hydro: 97% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 67.3111 (December 2001), 72.1973 (2001), 59.5438 (2000), 44.0881 (1999), 31.0727 (1998), 16.4442 (1997)

Exports

$415.5 million f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

South Africa 18%, Germany 13%, US 13%, UK 10%, Japan 7%, Netherlands 3% (2000)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 40% industry: 19% services: 41% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $660 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.7% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$463.6 million f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

South Africa 40%, UK 11%, Zimbabwe 7%, Japan 5%, Germany 2%, US 1.8%, Zambia (2000)

Industrial production growth rate

2.5% (2001 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

28.6% (2001 est.)

Labor force

4.5 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 86% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line

54% (FY90/91 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 Roger A. MEECE 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: 38-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, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, 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, 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, president]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [Gwanda CHAKUAMBA, president, John TEMBO, vice president]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA, president]; 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

$9.5 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.76% (FY00/01)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,535,207 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,301,625 (2002 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 44% (male 2,358,730; female 2,347,017) 15-64 years: 53.2% (male 2,810,478; female 2,884,601) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 120,761; female 180,237) (2002 est.)

Birth rate

37.13 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate

23.2 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

15.96% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

70,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

800,000 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

119.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 36.59 years female: 37.15 years (2002 est.) male: 36.05 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58% male: 72.8% female: 43.4% (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun: Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population

10,701,824 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 2002 est.)

Population growth rate

1.39% (2002 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 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.04 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international

Malawi and Tanzania maintain a largely dormant dispute over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and current location of historical boundary in meandering Songwe River

Airports

44 (2001)

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: 14,594 km paved: 2,773 km unpaved: 11,821 km (2001)

Ports and harbors

Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Railways

total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2001)

Waterways

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