1996 Edition

Description

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Location

13 30 S, 34 00 E -- Southern Africa, east of Zambia Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly larger than Pennsylvania

land area

94,080 sq km

total area

118,480 sq km

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Environment

current issues

deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

natural hazards

NA

Geographic coordinates

13 30 S, 34 00 E

Geographic note

landlocked

International disputes

dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)

Irrigated land

200 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

total

2,881 km

Land use

arable land

25%

forest and woodland

50%

meadows and pastures

20%

other

5%

permanent crops

0%

Location

Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

limestone, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite

Terrain

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

highest point

Mount Mlanje Sapitwa 3,002 m

lowest point

junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 46% (male 2,189,223; female 2,168,317) 15-64 years: 51% (male 2,371,518; female 2,472,245) 65 years and over: 3% (male 107,701; female 143,840) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

41.56 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

24.48 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

139.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

36.46 years (1996 est.)

male

35.87 years

total population

36.16 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

41.8%

male

71.9%

total population

56.4%

Nationality

adjective

Malawian

noun

Malawian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

note

the return of refugees to Mozambique is apparently complete

Population

9,452,844 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.71% (1996 est.)

Religions

Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, traditional indigenous beliefs

Sex ratio

all ages

0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

5.91 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Assembly were held at the end of the year as follows

UDF 87, MCP 55, AFORD 35

note

the constitution of 18 May 1995, in addition to reducing the age at which universal suffrage is conferred from 21 to 18 years, provided for a bicameral legislature; by 1999, in addition to the existing National Assembly, a Senate of 80 seats is to be elected

Capital

Lilongwe

Constitution

18 May 1995; most recent revision

Data code

MI

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Willie CHOKANI

telephone

[1] (202) 797-1007

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet was named by the president

chief of state and head of government

President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994), leader of the UDF, was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage

FAX

[265] 780 471

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

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, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

High Court; Supreme Court of Appeal

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

Name of country

conventional long form

Republic of Malawi

conventional short form

Malawi

former

Nyasaland

National Assembly

elections last held 17 May 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (177 total) UDF 84, AFORD 33, MCP 55, others 5; note - because of defections and a bi-election of 18 December 1995, the seats in the National

National holiday

Independence Day 6 July (1964); Republic Day 6 July (1966)

Political parties and leaders

opposition groups

Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Green MUNLO, secretary general (top party position); Alliance for Democracy (AFORD), Chakufwa CHIHANA; Christian Democratic Party (CDP), Eston KAKHOME, president; Malawi Democratic Party (MDP), Kampelo KALUA, president

ruling party

United Democratic Front (UDF), Bakili MULUZI

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

multiparty democracy

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Peter R. CHAVEAS

embassy

address NA, in new capital city development area in Lilongwe

mailing address

P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi

telephone

[265] 783 166

Agriculture

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

Budget

expenditures

$674 million, including capital expenditures of $129 million (1993)

revenues

$530 million

Currency

1 Malawian kwacha (MK) = 100 tambala

Economic aid

recipient

in December 1995, donors pledged for 1996, $332 million

Economic 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 31% of GDP and 90% of export revenues. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. The new government faces strong challenges, e.g., to spur exports, to improve educational and health facilities, and to deal with environmental problems of deforestation and erosion. Drought hurt the 1994 economy, with GDP down by 12.4%. Good weather and a strong tobacco crop resulted in an upturn in 1995. In December 1995, donors pledged $332 million in aid for 1996.

Electricity

capacity

190,000 kW

consumption per capita

92 kWh (1993)

production

905 million kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

Malawian kwacha (MK) per US$1 - 16.3516 (November 1995), 8.7364 (1994), 4.4028 (1993), 3.6033 (1992), 2.8033 (1991)

Exports

$365 million (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities

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

partners

US, South Africa, Germany, Japan (1994)

External debt

$1.95 billion (December 1994 est.)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $6.9 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

31%

industry

14%

services

55% (1994)

GDP per capita

$700 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

9.9% (1995 est.)

Imports

$240 million (c.i.f., 1994)

commodities

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

partners

South Africa, Japan, US, UK, Zimbabwe

Industrial production growth rate

3.5% (1992 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

83.3% (1995 est.)

Labor force

428,000 wage earners

by occupation

agriculture 43%, manufacturing 16%, personal services 15%, commerce 9%, construction 7%, miscellaneous services 4%, other permanently employed 6% (1986)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Branches

Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (includes paramilitary Mobile Force Unit)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $10.4 million, NA% of GDP (FY94/95)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

2,106,905

males fit for military service

1,076,788 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 0

Radios

1.011 million (1995)

Telephone system

domestic

fair system of 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

43,000 (1985 est.)

Television broadcast stations

0 (1987 est.)

Televisions

NA Defense

Airports

total

41

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

4

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

20

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

14 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

NA km

total

27,294 km (1990 est.)

unpaved

NA km

Ports

Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota

Railways

narrow gauge

789 km 1.067-m gauge

total

789 km

Waterways

Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi); Shire River, 144 km