*Malawi, Geography Location: Southern Africa, between Mozambique and Zambia Map references: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 118,480 km2 land area: 94,080 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Pennsylvania Land boundaries: total 2,881 km, Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none; landlocked International disputes: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) Climate: tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November) Terrain: narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains Natural resources: limestone, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 50% other: 5% Irrigated land: 200 km2 (1989 est.) Environment: deforestation Note: landlocked *Malawi, People Population: 9,831,935 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: -0.95% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 51.1 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 22.87 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -37.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 141.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 40.48 years male: 39.61 years female: 41.37 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 7.5 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian Ethnic divisions: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European Religions: Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, traditional indigenous beliefs Languages: English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important regionally Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1966) total population: 22% male: 34% female: 12% Labor force: 428,000 wage earners by occupation: agriculture 43%, manufacturing 16%, personal services 15%, commerce 9%, construction 7%, miscellaneous services 4%, other permanently employed 6% (1986) *Malawi, Government Names: conventional long form: Republic of Malawi conventional short form: Malawi former: Nyasaland Digraph: MI Type: one-party republic note: a referendum to determine whether Malawi should remain a one-party state is scheduled to be held on 14 June 1993 Capital: Lilongwe Administrative divisions: 24 districts; Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba Independence: 6 July 1964 (from UK) Constitution: 6 July 1964; republished as amended January 1974 Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1964) Political parties and leaders: only party - Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Wadson DELEZA, administrative secretary; John TEMBO, treasurer general; top party position of secretary general vacant since 1983 Other political or pressure groups: Alliance for Democracy (AFORD), Chakufwa CHIHANA; United Democratic Front (UDF) Bakili MULUZI; Malawi Democratic People (MDP), leader NA Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Elections: President: President BANDA sworn in as President for Life on 6 July 1971 National Assembly: last held 26-27 June 1987 (next to be held by June 1997); results - MCP is the only party; seats - (141 total, 136 elected) MCP 141 Executive branch: president, Cabinet Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly Judicial branch: High Court, Supreme Court of Appeal Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Dr. Hastings Kamuzu BANDA (since 6 July 1966; sworn in as President for Life 6 July 1971) *Malawi, Government Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert B. MBAYA chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 797-1007 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael T. F. PISTOR embassy: address NA, in new capital city development area in Lilongwe mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe telephone: [265] 730-166 FAX: [265] 732-282 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band; similar to the flag of Afghanistan, which is longer and has the national coat of arms superimposed on the hoist side of the black and red bands *Malawi, Economy Overview: Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for 40% of GDP and 90% of export revenues. After two years of weak performance, economic growth improved significantly in 1988-91 as a result of good weather and a broadly based economic adjustment effort by the government. Drought cut overall output sharply in 1992. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.9 billion (1992 est.) National product real growth rate: -7.7% (1992 est.) National product per capita: $200 (1992 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 21% (1992 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $398 million; expenditures $510 million, including capital expenditures of $154 million (FY91 est.) Exports: $400 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: tobacco, tea, sugar, coffee, peanuts, wood products partners: US, UK, Zambia, South Africa, Germany Imports: $660 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment partners: South Africa, Japan, US, UK, Zimbabwe External debt: $1.8 billion (December 1991 est.) Industrial production: growth rate 4.0% (1990 est.); accounts for about 18% of GDP (1988) Electricity: 190,000 kW capacity; 620 million kWh produced, 65 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: agricultural processing (tea, tobacco, sugar), sawmilling, cement, consumer goods Agriculture: accounts for 40% of GDP; cash crops - tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, and corn; subsistence crops - potatoes, cassava, sorghum, pulses; livestock - cattle, goats Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $215 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2,150 million Currency: 1 Malawian kwacha (MK) = 100 tambala Exchange rates: Malawian kwacha (MK) per US$1 - 4.3418 (November 1992), 2.8033 (1991), 2.7289 (1990), 2.7595 (1989), 2.5613 (1988), 2.2087 (1987) Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March *Malawi, Communications Railroads: 789 km 1.067-meter gauge Highways: 13,135 km total; 2,364 km paved; 251 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil; 10,520 km earth and improved earth Inland waterways: Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi); Shire River, 144 km Ports: Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, and Nkotakota - all on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) Airports: total: 47 usable: 41 with permanent-surface runways: 5 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 10 Telecommunications: fair system of open-wire lines, radio relay links, and radio communications stations; 42,250 telephones; broadcast stations - 10 AM, 17 FM, no TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT Note: a majority of exports would normally go through Mozambique on the Beira, Nacala, and Limgogo railroads, but now most go through South Africa because of insurgent activity and damage to rail lines *Malawi, Defense Forces Branches: Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (including paramilitary Mobile Force Unit), paramilitary Malawi Young Pioneers Manpower availability: males age 15-49 2,059,509; fit for military service 1,048,986 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $22 million, 1.6% of GDP (1989 est.)