Africa > Malawi > Government

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Administrative divisions 28 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Neno, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba
Capital city > Geographic coordinates	13 59 S, 33 47 E
Constitution	18 May 1994
Corruption	2.8		[97th of 160]
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
Executive branch > Cabinet 46-member Cabinet named by the president
Executive branch > Chief of state President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band
Government type	multiparty democracy
Independence	6 July 1964 (from UK)
Judicial branch Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission); magistrate's courts
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
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Parliamentary seats > Female	8%		[87th of 143]
Political parties and leaders Alliance for Democracy or AFORD; Congress for National Unity or CONU; Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Bingu wa MUTHARIKA]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [John TEMBO]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; Malawi Forum for Unity and Development or MAFUNDE [George MNESA]; Mgwirizano Coalition or MC [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA] (coalition of MAFUNDE, MDP, MGODE, NUP, PETRA, PPM, RP); Movement for Genuine Democratic Change or MGODE [Sam Kandodo BANDA]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Brown MPINGANJIRA]; National Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party or RP [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI]
Status democracy
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal
Time required to start a business > days	37 days		[80th of 171]
Trademarks, residents	138		[62nd of 98]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

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