Capital | Lilongwe |
Currency | Kwacha (D) (MWK) |
Major Ethnic Groups | Chew Nyanja, Lomwe Sena, Tonga Ngoni , Tumbuka Yao, Ngonde Asian , European |
Main Languages | English (Official) , Chichewa (Official) |
Religious Breakdown | Christian 79.9% Muslim 12.8% other 3% none 4.3%. |
Population | 13,603,181 Growth Rate: 2.383% |
HIVAIDS | Adult Prevalence Rate 14.2% People Living with HIV/AIDS 900,000 (2003 est.) Deaths 84,000 (2003 est.) |
Labour Force | 4.5 million (2001 est.) |
Labour Force by Sector | Agriculture 90% Iindustry and services: 10% (2003 est.) |
Literacy: Age 15 and over that can read or write | |
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Total Population | 62.7% |
Male | 76.1% |
Female | 49.8% |
Government | Multiparty Democracy |
Constitution | 18 May 1994 |
Legal System | based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations |
Chief of State | President Bingu wa Mutharika (since 24 May 2004) |
Head of Government | President Bingu wa Mutharika |
Elections | president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009) |
Cabinet | 46-member Cabinet named by the president |
Banking & Office Hours | Mon-Fri 08h00-15h30 Sat 09h00 - 11h00 |
GDP | Purchasing Power Parity $8.272 billion (2006 est.) Real Growth Rate 8.5% (2006 est.) Per Capital $600 (2006 est.) |
Composition By Sector | Agriculture 35.4% Industry 17.6% Services 47% (2006 est.) |
Industries | Tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods |
Electricity | Electricity Production 1.293 billion kWh (2004) Fossil Fuel 3.3% Hydro 96.7% Nuclear: 0% Other: 0% (2001) Electricity Consumption 1.202 billion kWh (2004) Electricity Exports 0 kWh Electricity Imports 0 kWh |
Transportation | Railways Total 797 km Narrow Gauge 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2006) Roadways Total: 15,451 km Paved 6,956 km Unpaved 8,495 km (2003) Waterways 700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2007) |
Air Transport | Airports: 42 Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2006) |
Economy | Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 85% of the population living in rural areas. |
Exports | $513.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel |
Imports | $767.9 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment |
Major trading partners | South Africa, Germany, Egypt, Zimbabwe, US, India, Zambia, Russia, Tanzania, Netherlands |
Public Holidays |
Jan 01 New Years Day Jan 15 John Chilembwe Day March 03 Martyrs’ Day April 09-12 Easter May 01 Labour Day June 14 Freedom Day July 06 Republic Day October 11 Mothers’ Day December 25-26 Christmas |