2023 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 in 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 1,498 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

38.54% (male 4,073,674/female 4,128,035)

15-64 years

57.64% (male 6,001,150/female 6,264,749)

65 years and over

3.82% (2023 est.) (male 362,428/female 449,561)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

1.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

2.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

27.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

7% (2020 est.)

women married by age 15

7.5%

women married by age 18

37.7%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

11.7% (2020)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

65.6% (2019/20)

Current health expenditure

5.4% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

60.7% (2022 est.)

Death rate

4.5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 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

5

potential support ratio

20.1 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

84.7

youth dependency ratio

79.7

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 91% of population

improved: total

total: 92% of population

improved: urban

urban: 96.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 8% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 3.3% of population

Education expenditures

2.9% of GDP (2020 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

1.64 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

28.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

37.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

32.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

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

75.9 years

male

69.6 years

total population

72.7 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

63.7% (2021)

male

71.2%

total population

67.3%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

note

note: on 31 August 2023, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Malawi is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

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

Maternal mortality ratio

381 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

20.2 years

male

19.7 years

total

20 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.1 years (2015/16 est.)

note

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

Nationality

adjective

Malawian

noun

Malawian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5.8% (2016)

Physicians density

0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

21,279,597 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

2.28% (2023 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: 40% of population

improved: urban

urban: 59.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 64.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 60% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 40.1% 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

15-64 years

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.81 male(s)/female

at birth

1.01 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

4.1% (2020 est.)

male

17.5% (2020 est.)

total

10.8% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.3 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

18.3% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

12.2%

male

7.6%

total

9.9% (2021 est.)

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

Ambassador David YOUNG (since 5 May 2022)

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 Esme Jynet CHOMBO (since 19 April 2022)

email address and website

info@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

2020: Lazarus CHAKWERA elected president; Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 59.3%, Peter Mutharika (DPP) 39.9%, other 0.8% 2014: Peter MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote - Peter MUTHARIKA (DPP) 36.4%, Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 27.8%, Joyce BANDA (PP) 20.2%, Atupele MULUZI (UDF) 13.7%, other 1.9% 

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, 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 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 as of July 2023 - men 153, women 40, percent of women 20.7%

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 heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Lake Malawi National Park (n); Chongoni Rock-Art Area (c)

total World Heritage Sites

2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)

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]People's Party or PP [Joyce BANDA]United Democratic Front or UDFUnited 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

$2.129 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$1.628 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$1.321 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$1.466 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$1.543 billion (2021 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

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

Currency

Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2016

718.005 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

730.273 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

732.333 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

745.541 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

749.527 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$1.447 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$1.268 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$1.538 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

tobacco, gold, soybeans, raw sugar, tea, dried legumes and nuts (2021)

Exports - partners

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

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

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 2019

38.5 (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

37.5% (2010 est.)

lowest 10%

2.2%

Imports

Imports 2019

$3.266 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$3.208 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$3.582 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

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

1.9% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

12.42% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

9.37% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

8.63% (2020 est.)

Labor force

8.551 million (2021 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 2017

34.29% of GDP (2017 est.)

Public debt 2018

41.7% of GDP (2018 est.)

Public debt 2019

44.89% of GDP (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$28.635 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$28.864 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$29.658 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

5.45% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

0.8% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

2.75% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$1,500 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$1,500 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$1,500 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2018

$766,154,800 (31 December 2018 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$846,839,800 (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$594,498,500 (31 December 2020 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

11.72% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

5.75% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

6.7% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

7.02% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

12.2%

male

7.6%

total

9.9% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

203,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

1.339 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

1.542 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

47,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

48,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

2 million metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

1,117,378,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

618,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

460 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

5.5% (2021)

electrification - total population

14.1% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

54.2% (2021)

population without electricity

17 million (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

3.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

11.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

81.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

3.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

1.809 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

9,400 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 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

0.1 (2020 est.)

total

12,255 (2020 est.)

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

24% (2021 est.)

total

4.8 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

limited fixed-line subscribership less than 1 per 100 households; mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 60 per 100 households (2021)

general assessment

with few resources, Malawi is one of the world’s least developed countries; there has been little investment in fixed-line telecom infrastructure, and as a result, the country’s two mobile networks Airtel Malawi and TMN provide the vast majority of connections for voice and data services; both operators have invested in LTE technologies to improve the quality of data services; the lack of market competition, together with limited international internet bandwidth, has also resulted in some of the highest prices for telecom services in the region; the government in late 2020 secured an average 80% reduction in the cost of data bundles offered by the MNOs; following continuing customer complaints, the regulator in mid-2021 ensured that costs were again reduced, this time by about a third; mobile penetration remains low in comparison to the regional average and so there are considerable opportunities for further growth, particularly in the mobile broadband sector; low penetration is partly attributed to the lack of competition, though there is the possibility that a new play come launch services by the end of 2022; the internet sector is reasonably competitive, with about 50 licensed ISPs, though the limited availability and high cost of international bandwidth has held back growth and kept broadband access prices among the highest in the region; these limitations are being addressed, with the second phase of the national fiber backbone having started in mid-2021 (2022)

international

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

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2021 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

12,465 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

60 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

11,940,135 (2021 est.)

Airports

32 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

7

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

25

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

7Q

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

10,000 (2018) mt-km

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 (2014) 1.067-m gauge

total

767 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

4,074 km (2015)

total

15,452 km (2015)

unpaved

11,378 km (2015)

Waterways

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

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; it is generally considered to be a professional and effective service, although most of its equipment is aging and obsolescent; Malawi contributes regularly to African Union and UN peace support operations; the Army is the dominant service and has 3 infantry brigades while its subordinate maritime force has a few patrol boats for monitoring Lake Malawi 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 (2023)

Military and security forces

Malawi Defense Force (MDF): Army, Maritime Force, Air Force, National Service (reserve force) (2023)

note

note: the MDF reports directly to the president as commander in chief; the Malawi Ministry of Defense was abolished in 2011; the Malawi Police Service is under the Ministry of Homeland Security

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 10,000 active military personnel (2023)

Military deployments

750 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the MDF's inventory is comprised of mostly obsolescent or secondhand equipment originating from such countries as France and South Africa; in recent years, it has received small amounts of armaments from a few countries, including China (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

0.8% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.1% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for men and women 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 (2023)

Disputes - international

Malawi-Mozambique: the two countries have held exercises to reaffirm boundaries a number of times Malawi-Tanzania: 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 Malawi-Zambia: border demarcation was completed in 2011; in 2018, the redemarcation exercise determined that some parts of Malawi actually belonged to Zambia  

Illicit drugs

NA

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

34,030 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) 11,502 (Burundi) (refugees and asylum seekers), 6,594 (Rwanda) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2023)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

1.3 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

11.12 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

18.57 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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 precipitation patterns)

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

widespread lack of access

due to weather extremes and high food prices - the latest analysis indicates that about 3.8 million people (20 percent of the population) are estimated to have faced high levels of acute food insecurity between January and March 2023; this figure is more than double the number in the corresponding months of 2022; high food prices are the key reason for the deterioration in food insecurity, which, in the absence of a substantial increase in incomes, are severely constraining households’ economic access to food; production shortfalls in southern districts in 2022, areas that have the highest prevalence of food insecurity, are a further contributing factor; the impact of Cyclone Freddy (February-March 2023) on southern districts, including crop losses and destruction of infrastructure as well as high food prices, are expected to aggravate food insecurity conditions in 2023 (2023)

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 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

0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

6.19% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

17.28 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.17 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

140 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

18.3% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1,297,844 tons (2013 est.)