Malawi

Broadcast media

radio is the main broadcast medium; state-run radio has the widest geographic broadcasting reach, but about a dozen privately-owned radio stations broadcast in major urban areas; the single television network is government-owned; relays of multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet country code

.mw

Internet hosts

870 (2010) country comparison to the world: 167

Internet users

716,400 (2009) country comparison to the world: 109

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 15 per 100 persons international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

175,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 129

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.4 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 126

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

15% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 21 15% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

25.25% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 25.28% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$315 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 98 -$332 million (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$1.213 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 146 $1.166 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

39 (2004) country comparison to the world: 69

Economy - overview

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 more than 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. Improved relations with the IMF lead other international donors to resume aid as well. 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 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. The government has failed to address barriers to investment such as unreliable power, water shortages, poor telecommunications infrastructure, and the high costs of services.

Electricity - consumption

1.572 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

1.69 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Exchange rates

Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar - 151.65 (2010), 141.14 (2009), 142.41 (2008), 141.12 (2007), 135.96 (2006)

Exports

$1.189 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 $912 million (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel

Exports - partners

Germany 12.37%, Egypt 8.52%, South Africa 7.67%, Zimbabwe 7.55%, US 7.4%, Russia 6.79%, Netherlands 6.64%, Japan 4.1% (2009)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$5.035 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$13.51 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 $12.69 billion (2009 est.) $11.79 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 33.4% industry: 21.7% services: 44.9% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$900 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 219 $800 (2009 est.) $800 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

6.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 30 7.6% (2009 est.) 9.8% (2008 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 31.9% (2004)

Imports

$1.675 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 $1.502 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

South Africa 40.15%, China 6.79%, India 6.73%, France 5.03%, Tanzania 4.81%, Mozambique 4.03% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

17.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 2

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 8.4% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

27.7% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Labor force

5.747 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 66

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10% (2003 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 97 $1.771 billion (31 December 2008) $587.2 million (31 December 2006)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Oil - consumption

8,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Oil - imports

6,960 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Population below poverty line

53% (2004)

Public debt

40.4% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 70 44.6% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$301 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $163.4 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.434 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 $1.233 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$1.72 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 $1.515 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$626.5 million (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 151 $580.3 million (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 118,484 sq km country comparison to the world: 99 land: 94,080 sq km water: 24,404 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 1.01 cu km/yr (15%/5%/80%) per capita: 78 cu m/yr (2000)

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

560 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 20.68% permanent crops: 1.18% other: 78.14% (2005)

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

Total renewable water resources

17.3 cu km (2001)

Administrative divisions

28 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Neno, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba

Capital

name: Lilongwe geographic coordinates: 13 59 S, 33 47 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

18 May 1994

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 Peter W. BODDE 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 Stephen D. Tennyson MATENJE chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270 FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288

Executive branch

chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004) cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president (For more information visit theWorld 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%

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), black, and green; a white sun disc is centered on the black band, its surrounding 45 white rays extend partially into the red and green bands; black represents the native peoples, red the blood shed in their struggle for freedom, and green the color of nature; the sun represents Malawi's economic progress since attaining independence

Government type

multiparty democracy

Independence

6 July 1964 (from the UK)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

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

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)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Dindi NYASULU]; Congress of Democrats or CODE [Ralph KASAMBARA]; Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Bingu wa 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]; Maravi People's Party [Uladi MUSSA]; National Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; New Rainbow Coalition Party [Beatrice MWALE]; New Republican Party [Gwanda CHAKUWAMBA]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party or RP [Stanley MASAULI]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI]; United Democratic Party [Kenedy KALAMBO]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Agri-Ecology Media (agriculture and environmental group); Council for NGOs in Malawi or CONGOMA (human rights, democracy, and development); Human Rights Consultative Committee or HRCC (human rights); Malawi Law Society (human rights and law reform); Malawi Movement for the Restoration of Democracy or MMRD (acts to restore and maintain democracy); Public Affairs Committee or PAC (promotes democracy, development, peace and unity)

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 under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. Current 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. As president, MUTHARIKA has overseen economic improvement but because of political deadlock in the legislature, his minority party has been unable to pass significant legislation, and anti-corruption measures have stalled. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi. MUTHARIKA was reelected to a second term in May 2009.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 3,402,724 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 2,048,900 females age 16-49: 1,960,258 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 177,376 female: 176,905 (2010 est.)

Military branches

Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment) (2009)

Military expenditures

1.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 118

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; standard obligation is 2 years of active duty and 5 years of reserve service (2007)

Age structure

0-14 years: 45.4% (male 3,419,711/female 3,404,726) 15-64 years: 51.9% (male 3,889,065/female 3,915,309) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 172,679/female 227,267) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

41.28 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Death rate

13.69 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Education expenditures

4.2% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 101

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

11.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

HIV/AIDS - deaths

68,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

930,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

Infant mortality rate

total: 83.5 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 11 male: 87.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 79.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Languages

Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%, Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other 3.6% (1998 census)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 50.92 years country comparison to the world: 211 male: 50.22 years female: 51.64 years (2010 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 62.7% male: 76.1% female: 49.8% (2003 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 plague water contact disease: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Median age

total: 17.1 years male: 17 years female: 17.3 years (2010 est.)

Nationality

noun: Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 91

Population

15,447,500 country comparison to the world: 64 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 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

2.758% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Religions

Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 9 years male: 9 years female: 9 years (2007)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.015 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.51 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 12

Urbanization

urban population: 19% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 5.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Disputes - international

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

Airports

32 (2010) country comparison to the world: 112

Airports - with paved runways

total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 12 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Railways

total: 797 km country comparison to the world: 102 narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

total: 15,451 km country comparison to the world: 121 paved: 6,956 km unpaved: 8,495 km (2003)

Waterways

700 km; (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2010) country comparison to the world: 76