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Country:
Republic of Malawi (formerly
Nyasaland) :
(click here for Mozambique country
facts)
Geography:
Malawi is in Southeast Africa and shares borders with Tanzania to
the north and northeast; Mozambique to the east and southwest; and
Zambia to the west. Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) is the country’s most
prominent physical feature. It is the third largest lake in Africa
and is approximately 580 km long. Malawi has many plateaus,
mountains, and hills.
Area:
118,484 sq km
(45,747 sq miles); slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Background/History:
“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,
which came into full effect the following year. Current President
Bakili MULUZI came to power in the 1994 elections and was reelected
to office in 1999. His attempts to amend the constitution to allow
for a third term have been unsuccessful. Increasing corruption,
population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, and
HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country.” (CIA-World Fact Book
2004)
Population:
11,906,855 (July 2004 est.)
Population
Growth Rate:
2.14%
(2004 est.)
Fertility Rate:
6.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Infant Mortality
Rate:
104.23
deaths/1,000 live births
Life Expectancy
at Birth:
37.48
years
HIV/AIDS Adult
Prevalence Rate:
14.2%
(2003 est.)
Language:
Chichewa is the national language and most widely spoken although
English
is the official language.
Capital:
Lilongwe.
Blantyre is the largest city in the country.
Government:
Multiparty democracy. Established in
1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent
nation of Malawi in 1964.
Climate:
Sub-tropical; It is cool in the highlands and warm around Lake
Malawi. rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
Religion:
Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs
3%, other 2%
Currency:
Malawian
kwacha (MWK)
Labor Force:
90%
agriculture (2003 est.)
Natural
Resources:
limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium,
coal, and bauxite
Agriculture
Products:
tobacco,
sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum,
pulses; groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats
Economy:
Malawi ranks
among the world’s least developed countries. The economy is
predominately agricultural with about 90% of the population living
in rural areas. The economy is very dependent upon economic
assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and other donor nations.
Tobacco accounts for over 50% of exports.
Embassy
of the Republic of Malawi
1156 15th
Street, Suite 320, NW, Washington, DC 20005, USA
Tel: (202) 721 0288. Fax: (202) 721 0270.
Embassy of the
United States of America
Street address:
Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe, Malawi
Postal address: PO Box 30016,
Lilongwe 3, Malawi
Tel: (0) 177 3166 or 177 3342. Fax:
(0) 177 0471.
Website:
http://usembassy.state.gov/malawi
(Information
obtained from the World Fact Book 2004 and other sources) |
