Malawi

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 17,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Broadcast media

radio is the main broadcast medium; privately owned Zodiak radio has the widest national reach, followed by state-run radio; numerous private and community radio stations broadcast in cities and towns; the largest TV network is state-owned, but at least 4 private TV networks broadcast in urban areas; relays of multiple international broadcasters are available (2019)

Internet country code

.mw

Internet users

percent of population: 18% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 5,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 15 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 69 (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

sweet potatoes, cassava, maize, sugarcane, mangoes/guavas, potatoes, tomatoes, pigeon peas, pumpkins/squash, plantains (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

revenues: $2.208 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $3.523 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Current account balance

-$2.276 billion (2023 est.) -$2.218 billion (2022 est.) -$1.918 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$2.269 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

low-income East African economy; primarily agrarian; investing in human capital; urban poverty increasing due to COVID-19; high public debt; endemic corruption and poor property rights; poor hydroelectric grid; localized pharmaceutical industry

Exchange rates

Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar - 1,161.094 (2023 est.) 949.039 (2022 est.) 805.9 (2021 est.) 749.527 (2020 est.) 745.541 (2019 est.)

Exports

$1.526 billion (2023 est.) $1.487 billion (2022 est.) $1.587 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

tobacco, tea, dried legumes, soybean meal, raw sugar (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Germany 11%, India 7%, Zimbabwe 6%, South Africa 5%, USA 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$11.009 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 32.4% (2024 est.) industry: 16% (2024 est.) services: 44.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

38.5 (2019 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9% (2019 est.) highest 10%: 31% (2019 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

$3.995 billion (2023 est.) $3.834 billion (2022 est.) $3.768 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, fertilizers, plastics, garments, postage stamps/documents (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 17%, South Africa 16%, UAE 12%, India 7%, Tanzania 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

2.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

32.2% (2024 est.) 28.8% (2023 est.) 21% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

8.602 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

50.7% (2019 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

55.6% of GDP (2022 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$35.425 billion (2024 est.) $34.789 billion (2023 est.) $34.143 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

1.8% (2024 est.) 1.9% (2023 est.) 0.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$1,600 (2024 est.) $1,600 (2023 est.) $1,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

1.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.6% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$594.498 million (2020 est.) $846.84 million (2019 est.) $766.155 million (2018 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Taxes and other revenues

13.5% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

5.1% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 5.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 6.8% (2024 est.) male: 6.4% (2024 est.) female: 7.1% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Coal

production: 3,000 metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 22,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 19,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 801.999 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 731,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.585 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 19.938 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 231.785 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 14% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 54% electrification - rural areas: 5.6%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 4.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 92.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

1.792 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

2.265 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 65,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.2 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

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

Environmental issues

deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of fish spawning grounds; high temperatures and changing precipitation patterns

International environmental agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land: 64.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 42.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 19.6% (2023 est.) forest: 22.4% (2023 est.) other: 13.4% (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

18.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

17.28 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 143.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 47.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 1.166 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 18.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.298 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.6% (2022 est.)

Area

total : 118,484 sq km 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

highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m mean elevation: 779 m

Geographic coordinates

13 30 S, 34 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; Lake Nyasa, about 580 km (360 mi) long, is the country's most prominent physical feature; it contains more fish species than any other lake on earth

Irrigated land

740 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 2,857 km border countries (3): Mozambique 1,498 km; Tanzania 512 km; Zambia 847 km

Land use

agricultural land: 64.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 42.4% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 19.6% (2023 est.) forest: 22.4% (2023 est.) other: 13.4% (2023 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Lake Malawi (shared with Mozambique and Tanzania) - 22,490 salt water lake(s): Lake Chilwa - 1,040 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s], Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Tanzania, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km) Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

flooding; droughts; earthquakes

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

population density is highest south of Lake Nyasa, as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

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

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) etymology: named after the Lilongwe River that flows through the city; the origin of the river's name is unclear

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Malawi dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Constitution

history: previous 1953 (pre-independence), 1964, 1966; latest drafted January to May 1994, approved 16 May 1994, entered into force 18 May 1995 amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, including the sovereignty and territory of the state, fundamental constitutional principles, human rights, voting rights, and the judiciary, requires majority approval in a referendum and majority approval by the Assembly; passage of other amendments requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly

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 etymology: named for the Maravi people who inhabited the area since the 14th century; the word maravi means "flames"

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg d Affaires Jonathan FISCHER (since 8 August 2025) embassy: 16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3 mailing address: 2280 Lilongwe Place, Washington DC 20521-2280 telephone: [265] (0) 177-3166 FAX: [265] (0) 177-0471 email address and website: LilongweConsular@state.gov https://mw.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Esme Jynet CHOMBO (since 19 April 2022) chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 451- 0409 email address and website: malawidc@aol.com Home | Malawi Embassy USA

Executive branch

chief of state: President Peter MUTHARIKA (since 4 October 2025) head of government: President Peter MUTHARIKA (since 4 October 2025) cabinet: Cabinet named by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: September 2030 election results: 2025: Peter MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote- Peter MUTHARIKA (DPP) 56.8%, Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 33.0%, Dalitso KABAMBE (UTM) 3.95, Atupele MULUZI (UDF) 1.92%, Joyce BANDA (PP) 1.61%, other 2.72% 2020: Lazarus CHAKWERA elected president; Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 59.3%, Peter Mutharika (DPP) 39.9%, other 0.8% expected date of next election: September 2030 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Flag

description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green, with a rising red sun centered on the black band meaning: black stands for ethnic groups, red for the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, and green for nature; the sun represents the hope of freedom for the continent of Africa

Government type

presidential republic

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, UNHCR, UNHRC, 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 on the 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 system of English common law and customary law; Supreme Court of Appeal reviews legislative acts

Legislative branch

legislature name: National Assembly legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 229 (all directly elected) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 9/16/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) (78); Malawi Congress Party (MCP) (52); Independents (73); Other (21) percentage of women in chamber: 21.4% expected date of next election: September 2025

National anthem(s)

title: "Mulungu dalitsa Malawi" (O God, Bless Our Land of Malawi) lyrics/music: Michael-Fredrick Paul SAUKA history: adopted 1964

National color(s)

black, red, green

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Lake Malawi National Park (n); Chongoni Rock-Art Area (c); Mount Mulanje Cultural Landscape (c)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 July (1964) note: also called Republic Day since 6 July 1966

National symbol(s)

lion

Political parties

Democratic Progressive Party or DPP Malawi Congress Party or MCP People's Party or PP United Democratic Front or UDF United Transformation Movement or UTM

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Malawi shares its name with the Chewa word for flames and is linked to the Maravi people from whom the Chewa language originated. The Maravi settled in what is now Malawi around 1400, during one of the later waves of Bantu migration across central and southern Africa. A powerful Maravi kingdom established around 1500 reached its zenith around 1700, when it controlled what is now southern and central Malawi and portions of neighboring Mozambique and Zambia. The kingdom eventually declined because of destabilization from the escalating global trade in enslaved people. In the early 1800s, widespread conflict in southern Africa displaced various ethnic Ngoni groups, some of which moved into Malawi and further undermined the Maravi. Members of the Yao ethnic group -- which had long traded with Malawi from Mozambique -- introduced Islam and began to settle in Malawi in significant numbers in the mid-1800s, followed by members of the Lomwe ethnic group. British missionary and trading activity increased in the area around Lake Nyasa in the mid-1800s, and in 1891, Britain declared a protectorate called British Central Africa over what is now Malawi. The British renamed the territory Nyasaland in 1907, and it was part of the colonial Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland -- including present-day Zambia and Zimbabwe -- from 1953 to 1963 before gaining independence as Malawi in 1964. Hastings Kamuzu BANDA served as prime minister at independence and then as president when the country became a republic in 1966. He later instituted one-party rule under his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and was declared president for life. After three decades of one-party rule, the country held multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections in 1994 under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. Bakili MULUZI of the United Democratic Front party became the first freely elected president of Malawi when he defeated BANDA at the polls in 1994; he won reelection in 1999. President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA was elected in 2004 and reelected to a second term in 2009. He died abruptly in 2012 and was succeeded by Vice President Joyce BANDA. MUTHARIKA's brother, Peter MUTHARIKA, defeated BANDA in the election in 2014. Peter MUTHARIKA was reelected in a disputed election in 2019 that resulted in countrywide protests. The courts ordered a new election, and in 2020, Lazarus CHAKWERA of the MCP was elected president. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.

Military - note

the MDF s primary responsibility is external security; it is also tasked as necessary with providing support to civilian authorities during emergencies, supporting the Police Service, protecting national forest reserves, and participating in regional peacekeeping missions, as well as assisting with infrastructure development; key areas of concern include border security, regional conflict, and international terrorism; the MDF participates in exercises with foreign partners and contributes regularly to African Union and UN peace support operations; Malawi contributes regularly to African Union and UN peace support operations the MDF was established in 1964 from elements of the Kings African Rifles (KAR), a British colonial regiment raised from Great Britain's various possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s; the KAR conducted both military and internal security functions within the colonial territories, and served outside the territories during the World Wars (2025)

Military and security forces

Malawi Defense Force (MDF): Malawi Army (Land Forces), Malawi Maritime Force (MMF), Malawi Air Force (MAF), Malawi National Service (MNS) Ministry of Homeland Security: Malawi Police Service (2025) note: the MDF reports directly to the president as commander in chief

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 10,000 active Malawi Defense Forces (2025)

Military deployments

750 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the MDF's inventory is comprised of mostly older or secondhand armaments originating from such countries as China, France, Israel, South Africa, and the UK (2025)

Military expenditures

0.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-24 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service (2025)

Age structure

0-14 years: 37.7% (male 4,080,567/female 4,132,710) 15-64 years: 58.4% (male 6,217,761/female 6,487,273) 65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 376,266/female 468,732)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 2.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

28.04 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 7.5% (2020) women married by age 18: 37.7% (2020) men married by age 18: 7% (2020)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

11.6% (2020 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

62.1% (2020 est.)

Death rate

3.57 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 71.3 (2024 est.) youth dependency ratio: 64.6 (2024 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.7 (2024 est.) potential support ratio: 15 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 85.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 68.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 71.9% of population (2022 est.) urban: 14.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 31.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 28.1% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

2.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 16% national budget (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups

Chewa 34.3%, Lomwe 18.8%, Yao 13.2%, Ngoni 10.4%, Tumbuka 9.2%, Sena 3.8%, Mang'anja 3.2%, Tonga 1.8%, Nyanja 1.8%, Nkhonde 1%, other 2.2%, foreign 0.3% (2018 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.65 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

7.4% of GDP (2021) 3.3% of national budget (2022 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 28.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 36.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official), Chewa (dominant), Lambya, Lomwe, Ngoni, Nkhonde, Nyakyusa, Nyanja, Sena, Tonga, Tumbuka, Yao note : Chewa and Nyanja are mutually intelligible dialects; Nkhonde and Nyakyusa are mutually intelligible dialects

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73 years (2024 est.) male: 69.9 years female: 76.1 years

Literacy

total population: 70.2% (2020 est.) male: 78.6% (2020 est.) female: 62.7% (2020 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1.276 million LILONGWE (capital), 1.031 million Blantyre-Limbe (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

225 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 19.4 years (2025 est.) male: 20 years female: 20.6 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.1 years (2015/16 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

Nationality

noun: Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian

Net migration rate

-2.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5.8% (2016)

Physician density

0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

total: 21,763,309 (2024 est.) male: 10,674,594 female: 11,088,715

Population distribution

population density is highest south of Lake Nyasa, as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

2.16% (2025 est.)

Religions

Protestant 33.5% (includes Church of Central Africa Presbyterian 14.2%, Seventh Day Adventist/Baptist 9.4%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 2.3%), Roman Catholic 17.2%, other Christian 26.6%, Muslim 13.8%, traditionalist 1.1%, other 5.6%, none 2.1% (2018 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 87.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 73.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 75.8% of population (2022 est.) urban: 12.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 26.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 24.2% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 10 years (2021 est.) male: 10 years (2021 est.) female: 10 years (2021 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 6.3% (2025 est.) male: 11.7% (2025 est.) female: 1.4% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.33 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 18.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 56,659 (2024 est.) IDPs: 135,728 (2024 est.)

Airports

27 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

7Q

Railways

total: 767 km (2014) narrow gauge: 767 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge