Malawi
Country Guide

Explore Malawi

Malawi with its capital Lilongwe is located in Africa (Southern Africa, east of Zambia). It covers some 118,485 square kilometers (slightly smaller than Pennsylvania) with a population of 19,196,200. Nyanja is the official language spoken by people in Malawi. Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia are bordering countries.

Malawi is a country in Africa, bordered by Mozambique to the south and east, Tanzania to the north, Zambia to the west. Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa, runs along most of its eastern border. It's described as the Warm Heart of Africa, referring to the friendliness of the people. Much of Malawi is plateau, often reaching to 1,000 m (3,000 ft), and the temperature in these highlands is moderate, with the hottest period occurring during the autumn rainy season and the coolest and chilliest in winter. Malawi has a massive diversity of beautiful landscapes. The highest peaks in Malawi touch 10,000ft (3,000m) while the lowest point is barely above sea level. This range of altitudes in a small area help to make the landscape of Malawi one of the most varied in all Africa. It is generally a green, lush country, with plateaux, highlands, forests, mountains, plains, escarpments and dramatic river valleys.

Popular Destinations in Malawi

Administrative regions of Malawi

• Central Region
• Northern Region
• Southern Region

About the country

The topography is narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains. The average density of population is about 162 per km². The climate in Malawi can be described as sub-tropicalrainy season (November to May), dry season (May to November). Potential natural disasters are droughts, earthquakes and flooding.

To reach someone Malawi dial +265 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".mw". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: G). The sign for the locally used currency Kwacha is MWK.

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.

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 presidential and parliamentary elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in 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 in 2005. MUTHARIKA was reelected to a second term in 2009. 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 2012 and was succeeded by vice president, Joyce BANDA, who had earlier started her own party, the People's Party. MUTHARIKA's brother, Peter MUTHARIKA, defeated BANDA in the 2014 election. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the scourge of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 101)	118,484	sq km
Land (World Rank: 108)	94,080	sq km
Water (World Rank: 23)	24,404	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 92)	19.60	%
Comparative	slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Landborder
2857
Elevation
Lowest point (World Rank: 35)	37	m
Highest point (World Rank: 68)	3,002	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 46)	59.20	%
Arable (World Rank: 19)	38.20	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 110)	1.40	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 92)	19.60	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 108)	740	sq km
Map reference
Africa
Environment
Issues	- deforestation - industrial wastes - land degradation - sewage - siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations - water pollution from agricultural runoff
Agreement party	- Biodiversity - Climate Change - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol - Desertification - Endangered Species - Environmental Modification - Hazardous Wastes - Marine Life Conservation - Ozone Layer Protection - Ship Pollution - Wetlands
Agreement signed	Law of the Sea
Hazzards	- droughts - earthquakes - flooding
Location
Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique
Climate
sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
Terrain
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 61)	19,196,200
Deathrate (World Rank: 92)	0.79	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 8)	4.10	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 4)	3.31	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 9)	5.49	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 221)	16.40
Female (World Rank: 221)	16.70
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 46)	4,427,400
0 14 female (World Rank: 42)	4,468,120
15 24 male (World Rank: 56)	1,956,360
15 24 female (World Rank: 55)	1,988,120
25 54 male (World Rank: 67)	2,612,840
25 54 female (World Rank: 67)	2,649,000
55 64 male (World Rank: 95)	275,998
55 64 female (World Rank: 96)	302,286
65 x male (World Rank: 98)	227,582
65 x female (World Rank: 98)	288,537
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 43)	4.34	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 197)	62	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 196)	64	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 197)	60	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 181)	0.02
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 135)	1.30
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 169)	41.00	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 173)	5.80	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 135)	90.20	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 138)	2,120,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 143)	1,972,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 211)	0.50	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 8)	93.30	%
Source renew (World Rank: 85)	6.10	%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 163)	7,000	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 150)	6,843	bbl / day
Natural gas
Consumption (World Rank: 138)	17	m³
Carbon footprint
1900000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 42)	6	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 139)	1	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 9)	11	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 156)	-6	% of GDP
National symbol
lion
National colours
red
Adjective
Malawian
Noun
Malawian(s)
Background
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 presidential and parliamentary elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in 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 in 2005. MUTHARIKA was reelected to a second term in 2009. 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 2012 and was succeeded by vice president, Joyce BANDA, who had earlier started her own party, the People's Party. MUTHARIKA's brother, Peter MUTHARIKA, defeated BANDA in the 2014 election. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the scourge of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.
Flag description
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

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 145)	21,130,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 122)	2.30	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 221)	1,100	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 20)	28.30	%
Source industry (World Rank: 170)	16.00	%
Source service (World Rank: 149)	55.80	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 66)	7,000,000
In poverty (World Rank: 19)	50.70	%
Products
Industries	- cement - consumer goods - sawmill products - sugar - tea - tobacco
Agriculture	- cassava - cattle - coffee - corn - cotton - goats - groundnuts - macadamia nuts - manioc - potatoes - pulses - sorghum - sugarcane - sweet potatoes - tapioca - tea - tobacco
Exports	- coffee - cotton (2%) - dried legumes (8.8%) - peanuts - soy - sugar (6.7%) - tea (5.7%) - tobacco
Imports	- consumer goods - food - petroleum products - semi-manufactures - transportation equipment

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 190)	11,234
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 219)	1.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 207)	39.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 116)	1,785,370
Population (World Rank: 210)	9.60	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 130)	7.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 91)	25.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 99)	767
Road
Total length (World Rank: 123)	15,450
Paved length (World Rank: 88)	6,951
Unpaved length (World Rank: 91)	8,499
Water
Total length (World Rank: 77)	700

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