Location:
This entry identifies the country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.
Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the centroid or center point of a country expressed in degrees and minutes; it is based on the locations provided in the Geographic Names Server (GNS), maintained by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on behalf of the US Board on Geographic Names.
Map references:
This entry includes the name of the Factbook reference map on which a country may be found. Note that boundary representations on these maps are not necessarily authoritative. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be helpful in finding some smaller countries.
Area:
This entry includes three subfields. Total area is the sum of all land and water areas delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Water area is the sum of the surfaces of all inland water bodies, such as lakes, reservoirs, or rivers, as delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines.
total:
118,484 sq km
land:
94,080 sq km
water:
24,404 sq km
country comparison to the world:
101
Area - comparative:
This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:
This entry contains the total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries. When available, official lengths published by national statistical agencies are used. Because surveying methods may differ, country border lengths reported by contiguous countries may differ.
total:
2,857 km
border countries (3):
Mozambique 1498 km, Tanzania 512 km, Zambia 847 km
Coastline:
This entry gives the total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.
Maritime claims:
This entry includes the following claims, the definitions of which are excerpted from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which alone contains the full and definitive descriptions:
territorial sea - the sovereignty of a coastal state extends beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of sea, described as the territorial sea in the UNCLOS (Part II); this sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as its . . .
more
Climate:
This entry includes a brief description of typical weather regimes throughout the year.
sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
Terrain:
This entry contains a brief description of the topography.
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains
Elevation:
This entry includes both the mean elevation and the elevation extremes.
mean elevation:
779 m
elevation extremes:
37 m
lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique
3002 highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje)
Natural resources:
This entry lists a country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance, such as rare earth elements (REEs). In general, products appear only if they make a significant contribution to the economy, or are likely to do so in the future.
limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
Land use:
This entry contains the percentage shares of total land area for three different types of land use: agricultural land, forest, and other; agricultural land is further divided into arable land - land cultivated for crops like wheat, maize, and rice that are replanted after each harvest, permanent crops - land cultivated for crops like citrus, coffee, and rubber that are not replanted after each harvest, and includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, and permane . . .
more
agricultural land:
59.2%
(2011 est.)
arable land:
38.2%
(2011 est.)
/
permanent crops:
1.4%
(2011 est.)
/
permanent pasture:
19.6%
(2011 est.)
forest:
34%
(2011 est.)
other:
6.8%
(2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
This entry gives the number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water.
Population distribution:
This entry provides a summary description of the population dispersion within a country. While it may suggest population density, it does not provide density figures.
population density is highest south of Lake Nyasa
Natural hazards:
This entry lists potential natural disasters. For countries where volcanic activity is common, a volcanism subfield highlights historically active volcanoes.
flooding; droughts; earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:
Acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain).
Acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxi . . .
more
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:
This entry separates country participation in international environmental agreements into two levels - party to and signed, but not ratified. Agreements are listed in alphabetical order by the abbreviated form of the full name.
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
Geography - note:
This entry includes miscellaneous geographic information of significance not included elsewhere.
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
Population:
This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on statistics from population censuses, vital statistics registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one overall measure of the potential impact of the country on the world and within its region. Note: Starting with the 1993 Factbook, demographic estimates for some countries (mostly African) have explicitly taken into account t . . .
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19,842,560
(July 2018 est.)
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
country comparison to the world:
60
Nationality:
This entry provides the identifying terms for citizens - noun and adjective.
noun:
Malawian(s)
adjective:
Malawian
Ethnic groups:
This entry provides an ordered listing of ethnic groups starting with the largest and normally includes the percent of total population.
Chewa 35.1%, Lomwe 18.9%, Yao 13.1%, Ngoni 12%, Tumbuka 9.4%, Sena 3.5%, Mang'anja 2.5%, Tonga 1.8%, Nyanja 1%, Nkhonde 0.9%, other 1.8%
(2015-16 est.)
Languages:
This entry provides a listing of languages spoken in each country and specifies any that are official national or regional languages. When data is available, the languages spoken in each country are broken down according to the percent of the total population speaking each language as a first language. For those countries without available data, languages are listed in rank order based on prevalence, starting with the most-spoken language.
English (official), Chichewa (common), Chinyanja, Chiyao, Chitumbuka, Chilomwe, Chinkhonde, Chingoni, Chisena, Chitonga, Chinyakyusa, Chilambya
Religions:
This entry is an ordered listing of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population. The core characteristics and beliefs of the world's major religions are described below. Baha'i - Founded by Mirza Husayn-Ali (known as Baha'u'llah) in Iran in 1852, Baha'i faith emphasizes monotheism and believes in one eternal transcendent God. Its guiding focus is to encourage the unity of all peoples on the earth so that justice and peace m . . .
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Protestant 27.2% (includes Church of Central Africa Presbyterian 17.7%, Seventh Day Adventist/Baptist 6.9%, Anglican 2.6%), Catholic 18.4%, other Christian 41%, Muslim 12.1%, other 0.3%, none 1%
(2015-16 est.)
Demographic profile:
This entry describes a country’s key demographic features and trends and how they vary among regional, ethnic, and socioeconomic sub-populations. Some of the topics addressed are population age structure, fertility, health, mortality, poverty, education, and migration.
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.
Age structure:
This entry provides the distribution of the population according to age. Information is included by sex and age group as follows: 0-14 years (children), 15-24 years (early working age), 25-54 years (prime working age), 55-64 years (mature working age), 65 years and over (elderly). The age structure of a population affects a nation's key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older population . . .
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0-14 years:
46.17%
(male 4,560,940 /female 4,600,184)
15-24 years:
20.58%
(male 2,023,182 /female 2,059,765)
25-54 years:
27.57%
(male 2,717,613 /female 2,752,983)
55-64 years:
3%
(male 284,187 /female 310,393)
65 years and over:
2.69%
(male 234,776 /female 298,537)
(2018 est.)
population pyramid:
This is the population pyramid for Malawi. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
Dependency ratios:
Dependency ratios are a measure of the age structure of a population. They relate the number of individuals that are likely to be economically "dependent" on the support of others. Dependency ratios contrast the ratio of youths (ages 0-14) and the elderly (ages 65+) to the number of those in the working-age group (ages 15-64). Changes in the dependency ratio provide an indication of potential social support requirements resulting from changes in population age structures. As fertility lev . . .
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total dependency ratio:
91
(2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio:
85.3
(2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio:
5.7
(2015 est.)
potential support ratio:
17.4
(2015 est.)
Population growth rate:
The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative. The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen as . . .
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3.31%
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world:
3
Birth rate:
This entry gives the average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the rate of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility and the age structure of the population.
40.7 births/1,000 population
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world:
8
Death rate:
This entry gives the average annual number of deaths during a year per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The death rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on population growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age distribution, and most countries will eventually show a rise in the overall death rate, in spite of continued decline in mortality at all ages, as declining . . .
more
7.7 deaths/1,000 population
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world:
100
Net migration rate:
This entry includes the figure for the difference between the number of persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1,000 persons (based on midyear population). An excess of persons entering the country is referred to as net immigration (e.g., 3.56 migrants/1,000 population); an excess of persons leaving the country as net emigration (e.g., -9.26 migrants/1,000 population). The net migration rate indicates the contribution of migration to the overall level of population chan . . .
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:
91
Population distribution:
This entry provides a summary description of the population dispersion within a country. While it may suggest population density, it does not provide density figures.
population density is highest south of Lake Nyasa
Urbanization:
This entry provides two measures of the degree of urbanization of a population. The first, urban population, describes the percentage of the total population living in urban areas, as defined by the country. The second, rate of urbanization, describes the projected average rate of change of the size of the urban population over the given period of time. Additionally, the World entry includes a list of the ten largest urban agglomerations. An urban agglomeration is defined as comprising th . . .
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urban population:
16.9% of total population
(2018)
rate of urbanization:
4.19% annual rate of change
(2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
This entry provides the population of the capital and up to six major cities defined as urban agglomerations with populations of at least 750,000 people. An urban agglomeration is defined as comprising the city or town proper and also the suburban fringe or thickly settled territory lying outside of, but adjacent to, the boundaries of the city. For smaller countries, lacking urban centers of 750,000 or more, only the population of the capital is presented.
1.03 million LILONGWE (capital), 879,000 Blantyre-Limbe
(2018)
Sex ratio:
This entry includes the number of males for each female in five age groups - at birth, under 15 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over, and for the total population. Sex ratio at birth has recently emerged as an indicator of certain kinds of sex discrimination in some countries. For instance, high sex ratios at birth in some Asian countries are now attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong preference for sons. This will affect future marriage patterns and fertilit . . .
more
at birth:
1.01 male(s)/female
(2017 est.)
0-14 years:
0.99 male(s)/female
(2017 est.)
15-24 years:
0.99 male(s)/female
(2017 est.)
25-54 years:
0.99 male(s)/female
(2017 est.)
55-64 years:
0.91 male(s)/female
(2017 est.)
65 years and over:
0.79 male(s)/female
(2017 est.)
total population:
0.98 male(s)/female
(2017 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
This entry provides the mean (average) age of mothers at the birth of their first child. It is a useful indicator for gauging the success of family planning programs aiming to reduce maternal mortality, increase contraceptive use – particularly among married and unmarried adolescents – delay age at first marriage, and improve the health of newborns.
18.9 years
(2015/16 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
Maternal mortality rate:
The maternal mortality rate (MMR) is the annual number of female deaths per 100,000 live births from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management (excluding accidental or incidental causes). The MMR includes deaths during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, for a specified year.
634 deaths/100,000 live births
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
13
Infant mortality rate:
This entry gives the number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year. This rate is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a country.
total:
42.1 deaths/1,000 live births
(2018 est.)
male:
48.6 deaths/1,000 live births
(2018 est.)
female:
35.5 deaths/1,000 live births
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world:
42
Life expectancy at birth:
This entry contains the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages. It can also be thought of as indicating the potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for the calculation of various actuarial measures.
total population:
62.2 years
(2018 est.)
male:
60.2 years
(2018 est.)
female:
64.3 years
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world:
200
Total fertility rate:
This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. The total fertility rate (TFR) is a more direct measure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, since it refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potential for population change in the country. A rate of two children per woman is considered the replaceme . . .
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5.43 children born/woman
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world:
9
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
This field gives the percent of women of reproductive age (15-49) who are married or in union and are using, or whose sexual partner is using, a method of contraception according to the date of the most recent available data. The contraceptive prevalence rate is an indicator of health services, development, and women’s empowerment. It is also useful in understanding, past, present, and future fertility trends, especially in developing countries.
Health expenditures:
This entry provides the total expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP. Health expenditures are broadly defined as activities performed either by institutions or individuals through the application of medical, paramedical, and/or nursing knowledge and technology, the primary purpose of which is to promote, restore, or maintain health.
11.4% of GDP
(2014)
country comparison to the world:
9
Physicians density:
This entry gives the number of medical doctors (physicians), including generalist and specialist medical practitioners, per 1,000 of the population. Medical doctors are defined as doctors that study, diagnose, treat, and prevent illness, disease, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans through the application of modern medicine. They also plan, supervise, and evaluate care and treatment plans by other health care providers. The World Health Organization estimates that f . . .
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0.02 physicians/1,000 population
(2009)
Hospital bed density:
This entry provides the number of hospital beds per 1,000 people; it serves as a general measure of inpatient service availability. Hospital beds include inpatient beds available in public, private, general, and specialized hospitals and rehabilitation centers. In most cases, beds for both acute and chronic care are included. Because the level of inpatient services required for individual countries depends on several factors - such as demographic issues and the burden of disease - there is . . .
more
1.3 beds/1,000 population
(2011)
Drinking water source:
This entry provides information about access to improved or unimproved drinking water sources available to segments of the population of a country. Improved drinking water - use of any of the following sources: piped water into dwelling, yard, or plot; public tap or standpipe; tubewell or borehole; protected dug well; protected spring; or rainwater collection. Unimproved drinking water - use of any of the following sources: unprotected dug well; unprotected spring; cart with small tank or . . .
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improved:
urban:
95.7% of population
rural:
89.1% of population
total:
90.2% of population
unimproved:
urban:
4.3% of population
rural:
10.9% of population
total:
9.8% of population
(2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
This entry provides information about access to improved or unimproved sanitation facilities available to segments of the population of a country. Improved sanitation - use of any of the following facilities: flush or pour-flush to a piped sewer system, septic tank or pit latrine; ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine; pit latrine with slab; or a composting toilet. Unimproved sanitation - use of any of the following facilities: flush or pour-flush not piped to a sewer system, septic tank . . .
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improved:
urban:
47.3% of population
(2015 est.)
rural:
39.8% of population
(2015 est.)
total:
41% of population
(2015 est.)
unimproved:
urban:
52.7% of population
(2015 est.)
rural:
60.2% of population
(2015 est.)
total:
59% of population
(2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
This entry gives an estimate of the percentage of adults (aged 15-49) living with HIV/AIDS. The adult prevalence rate is calculated by dividing the estimated number of adults living with HIV/AIDS at yearend by the total adult population at yearend.
9.6%
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:
9
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
This entry gives an estimate of all people (adults and children) alive at yearend with HIV infection, whether or not they have developed symptoms of AIDS.
1 million
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:
10
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
This entry gives an estimate of the number of adults and children who died of AIDS during a given calendar year.
17,000
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:
13
Major infectious diseases:
This entry lists major infectious diseases likely to be encountered in countries where the risk of such diseases is assessed to be very high as compared to the United States. These infectious diseases represent risks to US government personnel traveling to the specified country for a period of less than three years. The degree of risk is assessed by considering the foreign nature of these infectious diseases, their severity, and the probability of being affected by the diseases present. Th . . .
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degree of risk:
very high
(2016)
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
(2016)
vectorborne diseases:
malaria and dengue fever
(2016)
water contact diseases:
schistosomiasis
(2016)
animal contact diseases:
rabies
(2016)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
This entry gives the percent of a country's population considered to be obese. Obesity is defined as an adult having a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater to or equal to 30.0. BMI is calculated by taking a person's weight in kg and dividing it by the person's squared height in meters.
5.8%
(2016)
country comparison to the world:
173
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
This entry gives the percent of children under five considered to be underweight. Underweight means weight-for-age is approximately 2 kg below for standard at age one, 3 kg below standard for ages two and three, and 4 kg below standard for ages four and five. This statistic is an indicator of the nutritional status of a community. Children who suffer from growth retardation as a result of poor diets and/or recurrent infections tend to have a greater risk of suffering illness and death.
11.7%
(2015)
country comparison to the world:
56
4.7% of GDP
(2016)
country comparison to the world:
87
Literacy:
This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of the Factbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measu . . .
more
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
(2015 est.)
total population:
62.1%
(2015 est.)
male:
69.8%
(2015 est.)
female:
55.2%
(2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
School life expectancy (SLE) is the total number of years of schooling (primary to tertiary) that a child can expect to receive, assuming that the probability of his or her being enrolled in school at any particular future age is equal to the current enrollment ratio at that age.
Caution must be maintained when utilizing this indicator in international comparisons. For example, a year or grade completed in one country is not necessarily the same in terms of educational content or qualit . . .
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total:
11 years
(2011)
male:
11 years
(2011)
female:
11 years
(2011)
total:
8%
(2013 est.)
male:
7.4%
(2013 est.)
female:
8.5%
(2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
139
Country name:
This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
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
etymology:
named for the East African Maravi Kingdom of the 16th century; the word "maravi" means "fire flames"
Government type:
This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.):
Absolute monarchy - a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i.e., without any laws, constitution, or legally organized opposition.
Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority.
Authoritarian - a form of government in whic . . .
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Capital:
This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
name:
Lilongwe
geographic coordinates:
13 58 S, 33 47 E
time difference:
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted. Geographic names conform to spellings approved by the BGN with the exception of the omission of diacritical marks and special characters.
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
Independence:
For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. For a number of countries, the establishment of statehood . . .
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6 July 1964 (from the UK)
National holiday:
This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.
Independence Day, 6 July (1964); note - also called Republic Day since 6 July 1966
Constitution:
This entry provides information on a country’s constitution and includes two subfields. The history subfield includes the dates of previous constitutions and the main steps and dates in formulating and implementing the latest constitution. For countries with 1-3 previous constitutions, the years are listed; for those with 4-9 previous, the entry is listed as “several previous,” and for those with 10 or more, the entry is “many previous.” The amendments subfield summarizes the process of am . . .
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history:
previous 1953 (preindependence), 1966; latest drafted January to May 1994, approved 16 May 1994, entered into force 18 May 1995
(2018)
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
(2018)
Legal system:
This entry provides the description of a country's legal system. A statement on judicial review of legislative acts is also included for a number of countries. The legal systems of nearly all countries are generally modeled upon elements of five main types: civil law (including French law, the Napoleonic Code, Roman law, Roman-Dutch law, and Spanish law); common law (including United State law); customary law; mixed or pluralistic law; and religious law (including Islamic law). An addition . . .
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mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal
International law organization participation:
This entry includes information on a country's acceptance of jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and of the International Criminal Court (ICCt); 59 countries have accepted ICJ jurisdiction with reservations and 11 have accepted ICJ jurisdiction without reservations; 122 countries have accepted ICCt jurisdiction. Appendix B: International Organizations and Groups explains the differing mandates of the ICJ and ICCt.
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship:
This entry provides information related to the acquisition and exercise of citizenship; it includes four subfields:
citizenship by birth describes the acquisition of citizenship based on place of birth, known as Jus soli, regardless of the citizenship of parents.
citizenship by descent only describes the acquisition of citizenship based on the principle of Jus sanguinis, or by descent, where at least one parent is a citizen of the state and being born within the territorial limits of the . . .
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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
Suffrage:
This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.
18 years of age; universal
Judicial branch:
This entry includes three subfields. The highest court(s) subfield includes the name(s) of a country's highest level court(s), the number and titles of the judges, and the types of cases heard by the court, which commonly are based on civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional law. A number of countries have separate constitutional courts. The judge selection and term of office subfield includes the organizations and associated officials responsible for nominating and appointing j . . .
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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
Executive branch:
This entry includes five subentries: chief of state; head of government; cabinet; elections/appointments; election results. Chief of state includes the name, title, and beginning date in office of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name, title of the top executive designated to manage the executive branch of the government, a . . .
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chief of state:
President Arthur Peter MUTHARIKA (since 31 May 2014); Vice President Saulos CHILIMA (since 31 May 2014); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Arthur Peter MUTHARIKA (since 31 May 2014); Vice President Saulos CHILIMA (since 31 May 2014)
cabinet:
Cabinet named by the president
elections/appointments:
president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 May 2014 (next to be held on 21 May 2019)
election results:
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%
Legislative branch:
This entry has three subfields. The description subfield provides the legislative structure (unicameral – single house; bicameral – an upper and a lower house); formal name(s); number of member seats; types of constituencies or voting districts (single seat, multi-seat, nationwide); electoral voting system(s); and member term of office. The elections subfield includes the dates of the last election and next election. The election results subfield lists percent of vote by party/coalition an . . .
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description:
unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
elections:
last held on 20-22 May 2014 (next to be held on 21 May 2019)
election results:
percent of vote by party - DPP 22%, MCP 17.4%, PP 18.5%, UDF 9.6%, other 2.8%, independent 29.7%; seats by party - DPP 51, MCP 48, PP 26, UDF 14, other 2, independent 52
Political parties and leaders:
This entry includes a listing of significant political parties, coalitions, and electoral lists as of each country's last legislative election, unless otherwise noted.
Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Enoch CHIHANA]
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 UDF [Atupele MULUZI]
International organization participation:
This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
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
Diplomatic representation in the US:
This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery address, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations. The use of the annotated title Appointed Ambassador refers to a new ambassador who has presented his/her credentials to the secretary of state but not the US president. Such ambassadors fulfill all diplomatic functions except meeting with or appearing at functions attended by the president until such time as they formally present their credentials at a White Hou . . .
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Edward Yakobe SAWERENGERA (since 16 September 2016)
chancery:
2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 721-0270
FAX:
[1] (202) 721-0288
Diplomatic representation from the US:
This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
chief of mission:
Ambassador Virginia E. PALMER (since 5 February 2015)
embassy:
16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3
mailing address:
P.O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
telephone:
265 (0) 1773166
FAX:
265 (0) 1770471
Flag description:
This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
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
National symbol(s):
A national symbol is a faunal, floral, or other abstract representation - or some distinctive object - that over time has come to be closely identified with a country or entity. Not all countries have national symbols; a few countries have more than one.
lion; national colors: black, red, green
National anthem:
A generally patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.
name:
"Mulungu dalitsa Malawi" (Oh God Bless Our Land of Malawi)
lyrics/music:
Michael-Fredrick Paul SAUKA
Economy - overview:
This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.
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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States in the year noted. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measur . . .
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$22.42 billion
(2017 est.)
$21.56 billion
(2016 est.)
$21.08 billion
(2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world:
145
GDP (official exchange rate):
This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at official exchange rates (OER) is the home-currency-denominated annual GDP figure divided by the bilateral average US exchange rate with that country in that year. The measure is simple to compute and gives a precise measure of the value of output. Many economists prefer this measure when gauging the economic power an economy maintains vis- . . .
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$6.24 billion
(2017 est.)
(2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
This entry gives GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percent. The growth rates are year-over-year, and not compounded.
4%
(2017 est.)
2.3%
(2016 est.)
3%
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
79
GDP - per capita (PPP):
This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year.
$1,200
(2017 est.)
$1,200
(2016 est.)
$1,200
(2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world:
223
Gross national saving:
Gross national saving is derived by deducting final consumption expenditure (household plus government) from Gross national disposable income, and consists of personal saving, plus business saving (the sum of the capital consumption allowance and retained business profits), plus government saving (the excess of tax revenues over expenditures), but excludes foreign saving (the excess of imports of goods and services over exports). The figures are presented as a percent of GDP. A negative . . .
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3.9% of GDP
(2017 est.)
-2.8% of GDP
(2016 est.)
2.8% of GDP
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
178
GDP - composition, by end use:
This entry shows who does the spending in an economy: consumers, businesses, government, and foreigners. The distribution gives the percentage contribution to total GDP of household consumption, government consumption, investment in fixed capital, investment in inventories, exports of goods and services, and imports of goods and services, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete. household consumption consists of expenditures by resident households, and by nonprofit insti . . .
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household consumption:
84.3%
(2017 est.)
government consumption:
16.3%
(2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital:
15.3%
(2017 est.)
investment in inventories:
0%
(2017 est.)
exports of goods and services:
27.9%
(2017 est.)
imports of goods and services:
-43.8%
(2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
This entry shows where production takes place in an economy. The distribution gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete. Agriculture includes farming, fishing, and forestry. Industry includes mining, manufacturing, energy production, and construction. Services cover government activities, communications, transportation, finance, and all other private economic activities that do not prod . . .
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agriculture:
28.6%
(2017 est.)
industry:
15.4%
(2017 est.)
services:
56%
(2017 est.)
Agriculture - products:
This entry is an ordered listing of major crops and products starting with the most important.
tobacco, sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sorghum, pulses, cotton, groundnuts, macadamia nuts, coffee; cattle, goats
Industries:
This entry provides a rank ordering of industries starting with the largest by value of annual output.
tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
1.2%
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:
150
Labor force:
This entry contains the total labor force figure.
7 million
(2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
66
Labor force - by occupation:
This entry lists the percentage distribution of the labor force by sector of occupation. Agriculture includes farming, fishing, and forestry. Industry includes mining, manufacturing, energy production, and construction. Services cover government activities, communications, transportation, finance, and all other economic activities that do not produce material goods. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete and may range from 99-101 percent due to rounding.
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agriculture:
76.9%
industry:
4.1%
services:
19%
(2013 est.)
Unemployment rate:
This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.
20.4%
(2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
187
Population below poverty line:
National estimates of the percentage of the population falling below the poverty line are based on surveys of sub-groups, with the results weighted by the number of people in each group. Definitions of poverty vary considerably among nations. For example, rich nations generally employ more generous standards of poverty than poor nations.
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Data on household income or consumption come from household surveys, the results adjusted for household size. Nations use different standards and procedures in collecting and adjusting the data. Surveys based on income will normally show a more unequal distribution than surveys based on consumption. The quality of surveys is improving with time, yet caution is still necessary in making inter-country comparisons.
lowest 10%:
37.5%
(2010 est.)
highest 10%:
37.5%
(2010)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the number of families arranged from the poorest to the richest. The index is the ratio of (a) the area between a country's Lorenz curve and the 45 degree helping line to (b) the entire triangular area under the 45 degree line. The more nearly equal a country's income distribution, the closer its . . .
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46.1
(2010)
39
(2004)
country comparison to the world:
33
Budget:
This entry includes revenues, expenditures, and capital expenditures. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
revenues:
1.356 billion
(2017 est.)
expenditures:
1.567 billion
(2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
This entry records total taxes and other revenues received by the national government during the time period indicated, expressed as a percent of GDP. Taxes include personal and corporate income taxes, value added taxes, excise taxes, and tariffs. Other revenues include social contributions - such as payments for social security and hospital insurance - grants, and net revenues from public enterprises. Normalizing the data, by dividing total revenues by GDP, enables easy comparisons acr . . .
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21.7% (of GDP)
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:
135
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
This entry records the difference between national government revenues and expenditures, expressed as a percent of GDP. A positive (+) number indicates that revenues exceeded expenditures (a budget surplus), while a negative (-) number indicates the reverse (a budget deficit). Normalizing the data, by dividing the budget balance by GDP, enables easy comparisons across countries and indicates whether a national government saves or borrows money. Countries with high budget deficits (relat . . .
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-3.4% (of GDP)
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:
144
Public debt:
This entry records the cumulative total of all government borrowings less repayments that are denominated in a country's home currency. Public debt should not be confused with external debt, which reflects the foreign currency liabilities of both the private and public sector and must be financed out of foreign exchange earnings.
59.2% of GDP
(2017 est.)
60.3% of GDP
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:
75
Fiscal year:
This entry identifies the beginning and ending months for a country's accounting period of 12 months, which often is the calendar year but which may begin in any month. All yearly references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as a noncalendar fiscal year (FY).
12.2%
(2017 est.)
21.7%
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:
205
Central bank discount rate:
This entry provides the annualized interest rate a country's central bank charges commercial, depository banks for loans to meet temporary shortages of funds.
16%
(31 December 2017 est.)
24%
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:
9
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
This entry provides a simple average of annualized interest rates commercial banks charge on new loans, denominated in the national currency, to their most credit-worthy customers.
38.1%
(31 December 2017 est.)
44.11%
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:
3
Stock of narrow money:
This entry, also known as "M1," comprises the total quantity of currency in circulation (notes and coins) plus demand deposits denominated in the national currency held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy, measured at a specific point in time. National currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate for the date of the information. Because of exchange rate moveme . . .
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$632.4 million
(31 December 2017 est.)
$534 million
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:
164
Stock of broad money:
This entry covers all of "Narrow money," plus the total quantity of time and savings deposits, credit union deposits, institutional money market funds, short-term repurchase agreements between the central bank and commercial deposit banks, and other large liquid assets held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. National currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange r . . .
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$632.4 million
(31 December 2017 est.)
$534 million
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:
168
Stock of domestic credit:
This entry is the total quantity of credit, denominated in the domestic currency, provided by financial institutions to the central bank, state and local governments, public non-financial corporations, and the private sector. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.
$1.161 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$1.049 billion
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:
165
Market value of publicly traded shares:
This entry gives the value of shares issued by publicly traded companies at a price determined in the national stock markets on the final day of the period indicated. It is simply the latest price per share multiplied by the total number of outstanding shares, cumulated over all companies listed on the particular exchange.
$18.97 million
(31 December 2017 est.)
$8.643 million
(31 December 2016 est.)
$101.9 million
(31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
122
Current account balance:
This entry records a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remittances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
-$591 million
(2017 est.)
-$744 million
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:
122
Exports:
This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
$1.42 billion
(2017 est.)
$1.361 billion
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:
150
Exports - partners:
This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
Zimbabwe 13.1%, Mozambique 11.8%, Belgium 10.7%, South Africa 6.3%, Netherlands 5%, UK 4.7%, Germany 4.3%, US 4.2%
(2017)
Exports - commodities:
This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued exported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
tobacco (55%), dried legumes (8.8%), sugar (6.7%), tea (5.7%), cotton (2%), peanuts, coffee, soy
(2015 est.)
Imports:
This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
$2.312 billion
(2017 est.)
$2.277 billion
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:
161
Imports - commodities:
This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued imported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
food, petroleum products, semi-manufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment
Imports - partners:
This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
South Africa 20.7%, China 14.2%, India 11.6%, UAE 7%, Netherlands 4.4%
(2017)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
This entry gives the dollar value for the stock of all financial assets that are available to the central monetary authority for use in meeting a country's balance of payments needs as of the end-date of the period specified. This category includes not only foreign currency and gold, but also a country's holdings of Special Drawing Rights in the International Monetary Fund, and its reserve position in the Fund.
$780.2 million
(31 December 2017 est.)
$585.7 million
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:
140
Debt - external:
This entry gives the total public and private debt owed to nonresidents repayable in internationally accepted currencies, goods, or services. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
$2.102 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$1.5 billion
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:
152
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in the home country made directly by residents - primarily companies - of other countries as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.
$142.5 million
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
136
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in foreign countries made directly by residents - primarily companies - of the home country, as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.
Exchange rates:
This entry provides the average annual price of a country's monetary unit for the time period specified, expressed in units of local currency per US dollar, as determined by international market forces or by official fiat. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4217 alphabetic currency code for the national medium of exchange is presented in parenthesis. Closing daily exchange rates are not presented in The World Factbook, but are used to convert stock values - e.g., the . . .
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Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar -
731.69
(2017 est.)
720.1
(2016 est.)
713.85
(2015 est.)
499.6
(2014 est.)
424.9
(2013 est.)
Image DescriptionThis is the population pyramid for Malawi. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.