2021 Edition

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. Several of Malawi’s ethnic groups trace their origins to different Maravi lineages. A powerful Maravi kingdom, established around 1500, reached its zenith around 1700, when it controlled what is now southern and central Malawi as well as portions of neighboring Mozambique and Zambia before beginning to decline 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 the mid-1800s; in the late 1800s, members of the Lomwe ethnic group also moved into southern Malawi from Mozambique. British missionary and trading activity increased in the area around Lake Nyasa in the mid-1800s, and Britain declared a protectorate, called British Central Africa, over what is now Malawi in 1891 and eliminated various political entities that sought to retain their autonomy over the subsequent decade. 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, when the country became a republic in 1966, he became president. 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 subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party, in 2005. MUTHARIKA was reelected to a second term in 2009. He died abruptly in 2012 and was succeeded by Vice President Joyce BANDA, who had earlier started her own party, the People's Party. 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 the election, and in 2020 Lazarus CHAKWERA of the MCP was elected president after defeating MUTHARIKA as head of a coalition of opposition parties. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the scourge of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.

Area

land

94,080 sq km

total

118,484 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, some 580 km 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

border countries

Mozambique 1498 km, Tanzania 512 km, Zambia 847 km

total

2,857 km

Land use

agricultural land

59.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 38.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 19.6% (2018 est.)

forest

34% (2018 est.)

other

6.8% (2018 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 kmnote – [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

Age structure

0-14 years

45.87% (male 4,843,107/female 4,878,983)

15-24 years

20.51% (male 2,151,417/female 2,195,939)

25-54 years

27.96% (male 2,944,936/female 2,982,195)

55-64 years

2.98% (male 303,803/female 328,092)

65 years and over

2.68% (male 249,219/female 318,938) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

28.59 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

9% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

59.2% (2015/16)

Current Health Expenditure

9.3% (2018)

Death rate

4.66 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Malawi has made great improvements in maternal and child health, but has made less progress in reducing its high fertility rate. In both rural and urban areas, very high proportions of mothers are receiving prenatal care and skilled birth assistance, and most children are being vaccinated. Malawi’s fertility rate, however, has only declined slowly, decreasing from more than 7 children per woman in the 1980s to about 5.5 today. Nonetheless, Malawians prefer smaller families than in the past, and women are increasingly using contraceptives to prevent or space pregnancies. Rapid population growth and high population density is putting pressure on Malawi’s land, water, and forest resources. Reduced plot sizes and increasing vulnerability to climate change, further threaten the sustainability of Malawi’s agriculturally based economy and will worsen food shortages. About 80% of the population is employed in agriculture.Historically, Malawians migrated abroad in search of work, primarily to South Africa and present-day Zimbabwe, but international migration became uncommon after the 1970s, and most migration in recent years has been internal. During the colonial period, Malawians regularly migrated to southern Africa as contract farm laborers, miners, and domestic servants. In the decade and a half after independence in 1964, the Malawian Government sought to transform its economy from one dependent on small-scale farms to one based on estate agriculture. The resulting demand for wage labor induced more than 300,000 Malawians to return home between the mid-1960s and the mid-1970s. In recent times, internal migration has generally been local, motivated more by marriage than economic reasons.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

4.9

potential support ratio

20.6 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

83.9

youth dependency ratio

79.1

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 87.3% of population

improved: total

total: 88.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 95.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 12.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 11.3% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 4.1% of population

Education expenditures

2.9% of GDP (2020)

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.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

8.1% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

12,000 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

990,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

29.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

38.61 deaths/1,000 live births

total

34.19 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official), Chewa (common), Lambya, Lomwe, Ngoni, Nkhonde, Nyakyusa, Nyanja, Sena, Tonga, Tumbuka, Yao

note

note: Chewa and Nyanja are mutually intelligible dialects; Nkhonde and Nyakyusa are mutually intelligible dialects

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.33 years (2021 est.)

male

69.04 years

total population

72.16 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

55.2% (2015)

male

69.8%

total population

62.1%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

1.171 million LILONGWE (capital), 962,000 Blantyre-Limbe (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

349 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

16.9 years (2020 est.)

male

16.7 years

total

16.8 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.1 years (2015/16 est.)

note

note: median age at first birth among women 20-49

Nationality

adjective

Malawian

noun

Malawian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5.8% (2016)

Physicians density

0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

20,308,502 (July 2021 est.)

note

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

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

2.39% (2021 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

improved: rural

rural: 35.9% of population

improved: total

total: 39.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 58.2% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 64.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 60.4% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 41.8% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

11 years (2011)

male

11 years

total

11 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

0.99 male(s)/female

15-24 years

0.98 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.02 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.51 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

10.6% (2017 est.)

male

6.7%

total

8.5%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

17.7% of total population (2021)

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

etymology

named after the Lilongwe River that flows through the city

geographic coordinates

13 58 S, 33 47 E

name

Lilongwe

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

amendments

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; amended several times, last in 2017

history

previous 1953 (preindependence), 1964, 1966; latest drafted January to May 1994, approved 16 May 1994, entered into force 18 May 1995

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Malawi

conventional short form

Malawi

etymology

named for the East African Maravi Kingdom of the 16th century; the word "maravi" means "fire flames"

former

British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland

local long form

Dziko la Malawi

local short form

Malawi

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Charge d' Affaires Jeremy NEITZKE (26 October 2021 

email address and website

LilongweConsular@state.govhttps://mw.usembassy.gov/

embassy

16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3

FAX

[265] (0) 177-0471

mailing address

2280 Lilongwe Place, Washington DC  20521-2280

telephone

[265] (0) 177-3166

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Edward Yakobe SAWERENGERA (since 16 September 2016)

email address and website

malawiembassy-dc.orghttp://www.malawiembassy-dc.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 721-0288

telephone

[1] (202) 721-0270

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet named by the president 

chief of state

President Lazarus CHAKWERA (since 28 June 2020); Vice President Saulos CHILIMA (since 3 February 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government 

election results

Lazarus CHAKWERA elected president; Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 59.3%, Peter Mutharika (DPP) 39.9%, other 0.7%        

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 June 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

head of government

President Lazarus CHAKWERA (since 28 June 2020); Vice President Saulos CHILIMA (since 3 February 2020) 

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered on the black band; black represents the native peoples, red the blood shed in their struggle for freedom, and green the color of nature; the rising 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, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts

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 upon 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 legal system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - n/a; seats by party - DPP 62, MCP 55, UDF 10, PP 5, other 5, independent 55, vacant 1; composition - men 161, women 32, percent of women 16.6%

elections

last held on 21 May 2019 (next to be held in May 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Michael-Fredrick Paul SAUKA

name

"Mulungu dalitsa Malawi" (Oh God Bless Our Land of Malawi)

note

note: adopted 1964

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: black, red, green

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Peter MUTHARIKA]Malawi Congress Party or MCP [Lazarus CHAKWERA]Peoples Party or PP [Joyce BANDA]United Democratic Front or UDF [Atupele MULUZI]United Transformation Movement or UTM [Saulos CHILIMA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sweet potatoes, cassava, sugar cane, maize, mangoes/guavas, potatoes, tomatoes, pigeon peas, bananas, plantains

Budget

expenditures

1.567 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

1.356 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$744 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$591 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$1.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$2.102 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries. The country’s economic performance has historically been constrained by policy inconsistency, macroeconomic instability, poor infrastructure, rampant corruption, high population growth, and poor health and education outcomes that limit labor productivity. The economy is predominately agricultural with about 80% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for about one-third of GDP and 80% of export revenues. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for more than half of exports, although Malawi is looking to diversify away from tobacco to other cash crops.The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. Donors halted direct budget support from 2013 to 2016 because of concerns about corruption and fiscal carelessness, but the World Bank resumed budget support in May 2017. In 2006, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program but recent increases in domestic borrowing mean that debt servicing in 2016 exceeded the levels prior to HIPC debt relief.Heavily dependent on rain-fed agriculture, with corn being the staple crop, Malawi’s economy was hit hard by the El Nino-driven drought in 2015 and 2016, and now faces threat from the fall armyworm. The drought also slowed economic activity, led to two consecutive years of declining economic growth, and contributed to high inflation rates. Depressed food prices over 2017 led to a significant drop in inflation (from an average of 21.7% in 2016 to 12.3% in 2017), with a similar drop in interest rates.

Exchange rates

currency

Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

424.9 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

499.6 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

732.335 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

736.6548 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

762.4951 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2017

$9.658 billion (2017 est.)

Exports 2018

$1.11 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$1.16 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports - commodities

tobacco, tea, raw sugar, beans, soybean products, clothing and apparel (2019)

Exports - partners

Belgium 16%, United States 8%, Egypt 7%, South Africa 6%, Germany 6%, Kenya 5%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

27.9% (2017 est.)

government consumption

16.3% (2017 est.)

household consumption

84.3% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-43.8% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

15.3% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

28.6% (2017 est.)

industry

15.4% (2017 est.)

services

56% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$7.766 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2004

39 (2004)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016

44.7 (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

37.5% (2010 est.)

lowest 10%

2.2%

Imports

Imports 2017

$11.631 billion (2017 est.)

Imports 2018

$2.92 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$3.2 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports - commodities

postage stamps, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, fertilizers, office machinery/parts (2019)

Imports - partners

South Africa 17%, China 16%, United Arab Emirates 9%, India 9%, United Kingdom 8% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

1.2% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

11.7% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

12.4% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

9.3% (2019 est.)

Labor force

7 million (2013 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

76.9%

industry

4.1%

services

19% (2013 est.)

Population below poverty line

51.5% (2016 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

60.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

59.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$26.69 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$28.22 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$28.44 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

3% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

2.3% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

4% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$1,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$1,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$1,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$585.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$780.2 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

21.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2013

20.4% (2013 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

10.6% (2017 est.)

male

6.7%

total

8.5%

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

1.321 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

1% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

93% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

6% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

375,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

1.42 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

5% (2019)

electrification - total population

13% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

55% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

6,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

4,769 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2020 est.)

total

12,255 (2020)

Broadcast media

radio is the main broadcast medium; privately owned Zodiak radio has the widest national broadcasting reach, followed by state-run radio; numerous private and community radio stations broadcast in cities and towns around the country; the largest TV network is government-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

13.78% (2019 est.)

total

3.45 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

limited fixed-line subscribership less than 1 per 100 households; mobile-cellular services are expanding but network coverage is limited and is based around the main urban areas; mobile-cellular subscribership 48 per 100 households (2019)

general assessment

Malawi remains one of the world’s least developed countries, with few resources to build efficient fixed-line telecom infrastructure; mobile penetration low compared to region with ample opportunity for growth and competition; some mobile services to rural areas; LTE services are available; national fiber backbone near completion; progress in m-payment methods; prospect of international submarine cables from neighboring countries; importer of broadcast equipment from China (2020)

international

country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

12,465 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

52.3 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

10,004,680 (2020)

Airports

total

32 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

2

914 to 1,523 m

4 (2019)

over 3,047 m

1

total

7

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

11

total

25 (2013)

under 914 m

13 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

7Q

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

10,000 mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

10,545 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

9

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Ports and terminals

lake port(s)

Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba (Lake Nyasa)

Railways

narrow gauge

767 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)

total

767 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

4,074 km (2015)

total

15,452 km (2015)

unpaved

11,378 km (2015)

Waterways

700 km (on Lake Nyasa [Lake Malawi] and Shire River) (2010)

Military - note

as of 2021, the Malawi Defense Force’s primary responsibility was external security; it was also tasked as necessary with carrying out policing or other domestic activities, such as disaster relief; Malawi contributes regularly to African Union and UN peace support operations

Military and security forces

Malawi Defense Force (MDF): Army (includes marine unit), Air Force (established as a separate service August 2019; previously was an air wing under the Army) (2021)

note

note - the Malawi Police Service is under the Ministry of Homeland Security

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 8,000 total personnel (including about 200 air and 200 marine forces) (2021)

Military deployments

700 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (Sep 2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Malawi Defense Force inventory is comprised of mostly obsolescent or second-hand equipment from Europe and South Africa; since 2010, it has taken deliveries of limited amounts of mostly second-hand equipment from China, South Africa, and the UK, as well as non-lethal equipment donated by the US (2020)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

0.6% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

0.7% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

0.9% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

0.9% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; high school equivalent required for enlisted recruits and college equivalent for officer recruits; initial engagement is 7 years for enlisted personnel and 10 years for officers (2021)

Disputes - international

dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River; Malawi contends that the entire lake up to the Tanzanian shoreline is its territory, while Tanzania claims the border is in the center of the lake; the conflict was reignited in 2012 when Malawi awarded a license to a British company for oil exploration in the lake

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

32,142 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 12,068 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers), 7,392 (Rwanda) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

1.3 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

11.12 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

22.14 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations; negative effects of climate change (extreme high temperatures, changing precipatation pattens)

Environment - international 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

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity

due to reduced incomes - nationally, cereal production is estimated at a bumper high in 2021, which is expected to result in average to above‑average household cereal supplies and thus improvements in food security; despite the good food supply situation, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to curb access to food due to reduced incomes (2021)

Land use

agricultural land

59.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 38.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 19.6% (2018 est.)

forest

34% (2018 est.)

other

6.8% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

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 kmnote – [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)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

6.19% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

17.28 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.166 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

47.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

143.1 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

17.7% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1,297,844 tons (2013 est.)