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Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $530 million expenditures: $674 million, including capital expenditures of $129 million (1993)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Malawian kwacha (MK) = 100 tambala

Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]

$2.3 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: donor pledges, $332 million (1996)

Economic overview (Economy-overview) [time series]

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 45% 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.

Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]

185,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]

82 kWh (1995)

Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]

800 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

Malawian kwacha (MK) per US$1-17.5300 (October 1997), 15.3085 (1996), 15.2837 (1995), 8.7364 (1994), 4.4028 (1993)

Exports [time series]

total value: $405 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: tobacco, tea, sugar, coffee, peanuts, wood products partners: US, South Africa, Germany, Japan

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April-31 March Communications

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$8.6 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 45% industry: 30% services: 25% (1995 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$900 (1997 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]

6% (1997 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $475 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment partners: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Japan, US, UK, Germany

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

0.9% (1995)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]

83.4% (1995)

Labor force [time series]

total: 3.5 million by occupation: agriculture 86%, wage earners 14% (1990 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

1.011 million (1995)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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 - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

43,000 (1985 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

0 (1987 est.)

Televisions [time series]

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 118,480 sq km land: 94,080 sq km water: 24,400 sq km

Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]

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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

13 30 S, 34 00 E

Geography - note (Geography-note) [time series]

landlocked

Irrigated land [time series]

280 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 2,881 km border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 18% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 39% other: 23% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

Natural resources [time series]

limestone, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Constitution [time series]

18 May 1995

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Malawi conventional short form: Malawi former: Nyasaland

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Amelia Ellen SHIPPY embassy: address NA, in new capital city development area in Lilongwe mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi telephone: [265] 783 166

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Willie CHOKANI chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-1007

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet named by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 17 May 1994 (next to be held by May 1999) election results: Bakili MULUZI elected president; percent of vote-NA

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[265] 780 471

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

multiparty democracy

Independence [time series]

6 July 1964 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

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, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Legal system [time series]

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 [time series]

unicameral National Assembly (177 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 17 May 1994 (next to be held by May 1999) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-UDF 84, AFORD 33, MCP 55, others 5; note-because of defections and byelections, the seats in the National Assembly were held at the end of the year as follows: UDF 84, MCP 47, AFORD 34, independents 8, and vacant 4 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 (National capital) [time series]

Lilongwe

National holiday [time series]

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

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

ruling party: United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI] opposition groups: Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA]; Congress for the Second Republic or CSR [Kanyama CHIUME]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [Gwanda CHAKUAMBA, president/John TEMBO, vice president]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA, president]; People Democratic Party or PDP [Rolf PATEL]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Eston KAKHOME, president]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]

$10.4 million (FY94/95)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower-availability) [time series]

males age 15-49 : 2,248,023 (1998 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower-fit for military service) [time series]

males: 1,151,594 (1998 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 46% (male 2,249,108; female 2,228,934) 15-64 years: 52% (male 2,512,768; female 2,584,516) 65 years and over: 2% (male 111,089; female 154,059) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

40.22 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate [time series]

23.68 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

133.77 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 36.59 years male: 36.64 years female: 36.54 years (1998 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 56.4% male: 71.9% female: 41.8% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population [time series]

9,840,474 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.66% (1998 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.62 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]

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

Transportation

Airports [time series]

45 (1997 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]

total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (1997 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 39 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 24 (1997 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 28,400 km paved: 5,254 km unpaved: 23,146 km (1996 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota

Railways [time series]

total: 789 km narrow gauge: 789 km 1.067-m gauge

Waterways [time series]

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