Malawi

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Introduction - Malawi:
Country	Malawi
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 which 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, culminating in MUTHARIKA quitting the political party on whose ticket he was elected into office. MUTHARIKA subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and has continued with a halting anti-corruption campaign against abuses carried out under the previous regime. Increasing corruption, population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country.
Location - Malawi:
Location	Southern Africa, east of Zambia
Geographic coordinates	13 30 S, 34 00 E
Map references	Africa
Area	total: 118,480 sq km land: 94,080 sq km water: 24,400 sq km
Area comparative	slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries	total: 2,881 km border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)
Climate	sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
Terrain	narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains
Elevation extremes	lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m
Natural resources	limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
Land use	arable land: 20.68% permanent crops: 1.18% other: 78.14% (2005)
Irrigated land	560 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards	NA
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
Geography note	landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the countrys most prominent physical feature
People - Malawi:
Population	13,603,181 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 2007 est.)
Age structure	0-14 years: 46.1% (male 3,143,724/female 3,130,937) 15-64 years: 51.2% (male 3,491,114/female 3,474,209) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 155,954/female 207,243) (2007 est.)
Median age	total: 16.7 years male: 16.6 years female: 16.8 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate	2.383% (2007 est.)
Birth rate	42.09 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate	18.25 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.004 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.005 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.753 male(s)/female total population: 0.997 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate	total: 92.1 deaths/1,000 live births male: 96.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 87.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 42.98 years male: 43.35 years female: 42.61 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate	5.74 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Hiv aids adult prevalence rate	14.2% (2003 est.)
Hiv aids people living with hiv aids	900,000 (2003 est.)
Hiv aids deaths	84,000 (2003 est.)
Nationality	noun: Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian
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 are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)
Ethnic groups	Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European
Religions	Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census)
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)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 62.7% male: 76.1% female: 49.8% (2003 est.)
Government - Malawi:
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
Government type	multiparty democracy
Capital	name: Lilongwe geographic coordinates: 13 59 S, 33 47 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
Independence	6 July 1964 (from UK)
National holiday	Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)
Constitution	18 May 1994
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
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal
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 elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009) election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA 35.9%, John TEMBO 27.1%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA 25.7%, Brown MPINGANJIRA 8.7%, Justin MALEWEZI 2.5%
Legislative branch	unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDF 74, MCP 60, independents 24, RP 16, others 18, vacancies 1
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); magistrates courts
Political parties and leaders	Alliance for Democracy or AFORD; Congress for National Unity or CONU; 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]; Mgwirizano Coalition or MC [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA] (coalition of MAFUNDE, MDP, MGODE, NUP, PETRA, PPM, RP); Movement for Genuine Democratic Change or MGODE [Sam Kandodo BANDA]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Brown MPINGANJIRA]; National Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; Peoples Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; Peoples Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party or RP [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA]; United Democratic Front or UDF
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA
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, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the us	chief of mission: Ambassador Hawa NDILOWE chancery: 1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 320, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270 FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288
Diplomatic representation from the us	chief of mission: Ambassador Alan EASTHAM 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
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	no party has a majority in the fractured legislature
Economy - Malawi:
Economy overview	Landlocked Malawi ranks among the worlds least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 85% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for about one-third of GDP and four-fifths 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. 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. In 2005, President MUTHARIKA championed an anticorruption campaign. Since 2005 President MUTHARIKAS government has exhibited improved financial discipline under the guidance of Finance Minister Goodall GONDWE.
Gdp purchasing power parity	$8.272 billion (2006 est.)
Gdp official exchange rate	$2.202 billion (2006 est.)
Gdp real growth rate	8.5% (2006 est.)
Gdp per capita ppp	$600 (2006 est.)
Gdp composition by sector	agriculture: 35.4% industry: 17.6% services: 47% (2006 est.)
Labor force	4.5 million (2001 est.)
Labor force by occupation	agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	NA%
Population below poverty line	53% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income gini index	50.3 (1997)
Inflation rate consumer prices	13.9% (2006)
Investment gross fixed	9.2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget	revenues: $818.4 million expenditures: $895.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
Public debt	68.4% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture products	tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats
Industries	tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate	6.4% (2006 est.)
Electricity production	1.293 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity consumption	1.202 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity exports	0 kWh (2004)
Electricity imports	0 kWh (2004)
Oil production	0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil consumption	5,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil exports	NA bbl/day
Oil imports	NA bbl/day
Oil proved reserves	0 bbl
Natural gas production	0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas consumption	0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance	-$186 million (2006 est.)
Exports	$513.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports commodities	tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel
Exports partners	South Africa 12.9%, Germany 9.9%, Egypt 9.8%, US 9.7%, Mozambique 5.5%, Russia 5.5%, Netherlands 4.5% (2006)
Imports	$767.9 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports commodities	food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment
Imports partners	South Africa 29.3%, Zambia 9.3%, Zimbabwe 7.8%, Mozambique 7.2%, India 6.9%, US 5.4%, Tanzania 5% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold	$175.5 million (2006 est.)
Debt external	$982.4 million (2006 est.)
Economic aid recipient	$401.5 million (2001)
Currency code	Malawian kwacha (MWK)
Exchange rates	Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 135.96 (2006), 108.894 (2005), 108.898 (2004), 97.433 (2003), 76.687 (2002)
Communications - Malawi:
Fiscal year	1 July - 30 June
Telephones main lines in use	102,700 (2005)
Telephones mobile cellular	429,300 (2005)
Telephone system	general assessment: NA domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus one shortwave station on standby) (2001)
Television broadcast stations	1 (2001)
Internet country code	.mw
Internet hosts	377 (2006)
Internet users	59,700 (2006)
Transportation - Malawi:
Airports	42 (2006)
Airports with paved runways	total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2006)
Airports with unpaved runways	total: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 20 (2006)
Railways	total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways	total: 15,451 km paved: 6,956 km unpaved: 8,495 km (2003)
Waterways	700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2007)
Ports and terminals	Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba
Military - Malawi:
Military branches	Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment) (2007)
Military service age and obligation	18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service	males age 18-49: 2,430,514 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service	males age 18-49: 1,226,802 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures percent of gdp	1.3% (2006)