Page last updated on January 28, 2014
Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another term, struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor and subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2005. MUTHARIKA was reelected to a second term in May 2009. As president, he oversaw some economic improvement in his first term, but was accused of economic mismanagement and poor governance in his second term. He died abruptly in April 2012 and was succeeded by his vice president, Joyce BANDA. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.
Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique
total: 118,484 sq km
country comparison to the world: 100
land: 94,080 sq km
water: 24,404 sq km
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains
lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m
limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
arable land: 30.38%
permanent crops: 1.1%
other: 68.52% (2011)
total: 1.36 cu km/yr (11%/4%/86%)
per capita: 99.86 cu m/yr (2005)
deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
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
noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian
Chewa 32.6%, Lomwe 17.6%, Yao 13.5%, Ngoni 11.5%, Tumbuka 8.8%, Nyanja 5.8%, Sena 3.6%, Tonga 2.1%, Ngonde 1%, other 3.5%
English (official), Chichewa (common), Chinyanja, Chiyao, Chitumbuka, Chilomwe, Chinkhonde, Chingoni, Chisena, Chitonga, Chinyakyusa, Chilambya
Christian 82.6%, Muslim 13%, other 1.9%, none 2.5% (2008 est.)
16,777,547 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
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
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 3,754,206/female 3,738,521)
15-24 years: 20.6% (male 1,723,098/female 1,725,326)
25-54 years: 28.5% (male 2,422,642/female 2,364,137)
55-64 years: 3.6% (male 269,058/female 327,158)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 192,928/female 260,473) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 94.1 %
youth dependency ratio: 87.9 %
elderly dependency ratio: 6.2 %
potential support ratio: 16.1 (2013)
total: 17.3 years
male: 17.2 years
female: 17.4 years (2013 est.)
2.74% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
39.98 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
12.54 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
urban population: 15.7% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Blantyre 856,000; LILONGWE (capital) 821,000 (2009)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
18.9
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2010 est.)
460 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 24
total: 76.98 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 10
male: 80.99 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 72.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 52.78 years
country comparison to the world: 210
male: 51.95 years
female: 53.62 years (2013 est.)
5.26 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
8.4% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 56
0.02 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
1.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)
11% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
920,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
51,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2013)
4.3% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 168
13.8% (2010)
country comparison to the world: 55
5.4% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 57
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.8%
male: 81.1%
female: 68.5% (2010 est.)
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 11 years (2011)
total number: 993,318
percentage: 26 % (2006 est.)
conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form: Malawi
local long form: Dziko la Malawi
local short form: Malawi
former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland
name: Lilongwe
geographic coordinates: 13 58 S, 33 47 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
6 July 1964 (from the UK)
Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)
previous 1953 (preindependence), 1966; latest drafted January to May 1994, approved 16 May 1994, entered into force 18 May 1995; amended several times, last in 2005 (2007)
mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Joyce BANDA (since 7 April 2012); Vice President Khumbo Hastings KACHALI (since 11 April 2012); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; former President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA died on 5 April 2012, Vice President Joyce BANDA was subsequently sworn in on 7 April 2012
head of government: President Joyce BANDA (since 7 April 2012); Vice President Khumbo Hastings KACHALI (since 11 April 2012)
cabinet: 36-member Cabinet named by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 19 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014)
election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA 66%, John TEMBO 30.7%, other 3.3%; note - MUTHARIKA passed away on 5 April 2012 and was succeeded by then vice president Joyce BANDA
unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 19 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPP 114, MCP 26, UDF 17, independents 32, other 4
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 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
Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Godfrey SHAWA]
Council for NGOs in Malawi or CONGOMA (human rights, democracy, and development)
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Dick Tennyson MATENSE (since 10 September 2010)
chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270
FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288
chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanine E. JACKSON (since 11 September 2011)
embassy: 16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3
mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
telephone: [265] (1) 773-166
FAX: [265] (1) 770-471
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
name: "Mulungu dalitsa Malawi" (Oh God Bless Our Land of Malawi)
lyrics/music: Michael-Fredrick Paul SAUKA
note: adopted 1964
Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's most densely populated and least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural with about 80% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture, which has benefited from fertilizer subsidies since 2006, accounts for one-third of GDP and 90% of export revenues. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for more than half of exports. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In 2006, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. In December 2007, the US granted Malawi eligibility status to receive financial support within the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) initiative. The government faces many challenges including developing a market economy, improving educational facilities, facing up to environmental problems, dealing with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors that fiscal discipline is being tightened. Since 2005 President BANDA'S government has exhibited improved financial discipline under the guidance of Finance Minister Goodall GONDWE and signed a three year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility worth $56 million with the IMF. The government has announced infrastructure projects that could yield improvements, such as a new oil pipeline for better fuel access, and the potential for a waterway link through Mozambican rivers to the ocean for better transportation options. Since 2009, however, Malawi has experienced some setbacks, including a general shortage of foreign exchange, which has damaged its ability to pay for imports, and fuel shortages that hinder transportation and productivity. Investment fell 23% in 2009, and continued to decline in 2010. The government has failed to address barriers to investment such as unreliable power, water shortages, poor telecommunications infrastructure, and the high costs of services. Donors, who provided an average of 36% of government revenue in the past five years, suspended general budget support for Malawi in 2011 due to a negative IMF review and governance issues.
$14.11 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$4.118 billion (2012 est.)
1.9% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
$800 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 220
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
8.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
household consumption: 75.9%
government consumption: 21%
investment in fixed capital: 13.6%
investment in inventories: 2%
exports of goods and services: 29.1%
imports of goods and services: -41.6%
agriculture: 29%
industry: 19.2%
services: 51.8% (2012 est.)
tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats
tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
0.6% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
5.747 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
agriculture: 90%
industry and services: 10% (2003 est.)
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 31.9% (2004)
39 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 70
revenues: $1.032 billion
expenditures: $1.358 billion (2012 est.)
25.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
-7.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
62.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
21.4% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 218
15% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 9
32.4% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
$457.6 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
$1.382 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
$1.128 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
$1.384 billion (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 104
$-315.1 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
$1.224 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel
Canada 10.6%, Zimbabwe 9.3%, Germany 7.3%, South Africa 6.6%, Russia 6.5%, US 6.1%, China 4.2% (2012)
$2.151 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
food, petroleum products, semi-manufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment
South Africa 27%, China 16.6%, India 8.7%, Zambia 8.5%, Tanzania 5.1%, US 4.3% (2012)
$246 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
$1.354 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar -
1.973 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
1.835 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 212
287,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
0.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
99.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
200 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 160
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
12,060 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
6,059 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 167
956,900 Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
227,300 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 126
4.42 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 117
general assessment: rudimentary; privatization of Malawi Telecommunications (MTL), a necessary step in bringing improvement to telecommunications services, completed in 2006
domestic: limited fixed-line subscribership of about 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services are expanding but network coverage is limited and is based around the main urban areas; mobile-cellular subscribership about 25 per 100 persons
international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2010)
radio is the main broadcast medium; state-run radio has the widest geographic broadcasting reach, but about a dozen privately owned radio stations broadcast in major urban areas; the single TV network is government-owned; relays of multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)
1,099 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 171
716,400 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 109
32 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 113
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2013)
total: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m:
total: 797 km
country comparison to the world: 99
narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
total: 15,450 km
country comparison to the world: 120
paved: 6,951 km
unpaved: 8,499 km (2011)
700 km (on Lake Nyasa [Lake Malawi] and Shire River) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 76
lake port(s): Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba
Malawi Defense Forces (MDF): Army (includes Air Wing, Marine Unit) (2012)
18 years of age for voluntary military service; standard obligation is 2 years of active duty and 5 years reserve service (2012)
males age 16-49: 3,514,809 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 2,132,909
females age 16-49: 2,043,925 (2010 est.)
male: 183,683
female: 183,028 (2010 est.)
0.93% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 321
