Dziko la Malaŵi, Chalo cha Malawi Republic of Malawi
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Unity and Freedom
Anthem: Mulungu dalitsa Malaŵi  (Chichewa) "Oh God Bless Our Land of Malawi"
Capital		Lilongwe 13°57′S 33°42′E / -13.95, 33.7
Largest city		Blantyre
Official languages		English (official) Chichewa (national)
Demonym		Malawian
Government		Multi-party democracy
-	President	Bingu wa Mutharika
Independence		from the UK
-	Independence declared	July 6, 1964
-	Republic	July 6, 1966
Area
-	Total	118,484 km² (99th) 45,747 sq mi
-	Water (%)	20.6%
Population
-	July 2005 estimate	12,884,000 (69th)
-	1998 census	9,933,868
-	Density	109/km² (91st) 282/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$7.67 billion (143rd)
-	Per capita	$596 (181st)
Gini (1997)		50.3 (high)
HDI (2007)		▼ 0.437 (low) (164th)
Currency		Kwacha (D) (MWK)
Time zone		CAT (UTC+2)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+2)
Internet TLD		.mw
Calling code		+265
1 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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected.

The Republic of Malawi ([malaβi]; formerly Nyasaland) is a democratic, densely populated country located in southeastern Africa. Often hyped as the "warm heart of Africa," it is bordered by Zambia to the north-west, Tanzania to the north and Mozambique, which surrounds it on the east, south and west. The origin of the name Malawi remains unclear; it is held to be either derived from that of southern tribes, or noting the "glitter of the sun rising across the lake" (as seen in its flag). Image File history File links Flag_of_Malawi. ... Image File history File links Malawi_coa. ... Flag ratio: 2:3 The flag of Malawi was adopted on July 6, 1964. ... The Coat of arms of Malawi is based on the earlier heraldic arms of Nyasaland. ... For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Mulungu dalitsa Malaŵi is the national anthem of Malaŵi. ... Chichewa (Chicheŵa in Malawian English) is one of the two official national languages of the Republic of Malawi, the other being English. ... Image File history File links LocationMalawi. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... Location of Lilongwe in Malawi. ... Blantyre is the largest city in Malawi and the capital of the countrys Southern Region as well as the Blantyre District. ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Chichewa (Chicheŵa in Malawian English) is one of the two official national languages of the Republic of Malawi, the other being English. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... A multi-party system is a type of party system. ... List of Heads of State of Malawi Affiliations:- MCP = Malawi Congress Party - nationalist, authoritarian, sole legal party 1966-1993 UDF = United Democratic Front - liberal For colonial heads prior to independence see: Colonial Heads of Malawi (Nyasaland) See also- Heads of Government of Malawi lists of incumbents Categories: Lists of office... President Bingu wa Mutharika addressing the United Nations General Assembly. ... is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here surface areas between 100,000 km² and 1,000,000 km². ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... Map of countries by population for the year 2007. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... This article includes two lists of countries of the world[1] sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year divided by the average population for the same year. ... Graphical representation of the Gini coefficient The Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth distribution. ... This page talks about Human Development Index, for other HDIs see HDI (disambiguation) World map indicating Human Development Index (2007). ... This talks about the countries in the Human Development Index, for information on the Human Development Index, please Click Here World map indicating Human Development Index (2007) (Colour-blind compliant map) For red-green color vision problems. ... ISO 4217 Code MWK User(s) Malawi Inflation 15. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... Time zones of Africa: Striped colours indicate countries observing daylight saving Central Africa Time, or CAT, is a time zone used in central and southern Africa. ... UTC redirects here. ... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... UTC redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .mw is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Malawi. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... For other uses, see AIDS (disambiguation). ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ...

History

Main article: History of Malawi

The earliest inhabitants of the area were Khoisan hunter-gatherers. Hominid remains and stone implements have been identified in Malawi dating back more than one million years, and early humans inhabited the vicinity of Lake Malawi 50,000 to 60,000 years ago. ... Khoisan (increasingly commonly spelled Khoesan or Khoe-San) is the name for two major ethnic groups of southern Africa. ... In anthropology, the hunter-gatherer way of life is that led by certain societies of the Neolithic Era based on the exploitation of wild plants and animals. ...

They were largely replaced by Bantu tribes during Bantu migrations. What is now called Malawi was the Maravi state, founded by the Chewa people in the 16th century. The Chewa were themselves an off-shoot of the Luba Empire. In the early to mid 19th century, they were joined by Zulu-related Ndwandwe people from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, the Ngoni, under their king Zwangendaba. Map showing the approximate distribution of Bantu (light brown) vs. ... Net migration rates for 2006: positive (blue), negative (orange) and stable (green). ... Maravi was a state established by Bantu people in the area of Lake Malawi, in present-day Malawi, sometime during the 16th century. ... The Chewa are a people of Central/Southern Africa. ... The Luba Empire (1585-1889) was a pre-colonial Central African state, which arose in the marshy grasslands of the Upemba depression in what is now southern Democratic Republic of Congo. ... The Ndwandwe clan are a subgroup of the Nguni people who populate sections of Southern Africa. ... The Ngoni people are a dispersed ethnic group living in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia, in east-central Africa. ... Zwangendaba (c. ...

The first significant Western contact was the arrival of David Livingstone along the north shore of Lake Malawi in 1859, and subsequently Scottish Presbyterian churches establishing missions. In 1883, a consul of the British Government was accredited to the "Kings and Chiefs of Central Africa," and in 1891, the British established the British Central Africa Protectorate, by 1907, the Nyasaland Protectorate. Although the British remained in control during the first half of the 20th century, this period was marked by a number of unsuccessful Malawian attempts to obtain independence. During the 1950s, pressure for independence increased when Nyasaland was joined with Northern and Southern Rhodesia in 1953 to form the Central African Federation. In July 1958, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda returned to the country after a long absence. He assumed leadership of the NAC, which later became the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). In 1959, Banda was sent to Gwelo Prison in Southern Rhodesia (now Gweru) for his political activities but was released in 1960 to participate in a constitutional conference in London. David Livingstone (19 March 1813 – 1 May 1873) was a Scottish Congregationalist pioneer medical missionary with the London Missionary Society and explorer in central Africa. ... Lake Malawi (also known as Lake Nyasa, Lake Nyassa, Lake Niassa, and Lago Niassa in Mozambique), is the most southerly lake in the Great African Rift Valley system. ... This article is about the country. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... The United Kingdom is a unitary state and a democratic constitutional monarchy. ... Flag of British Central Africa The British Central Africa Protectorate existed in the area of present-day Malawi between 1891 and 1907. ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... This article is about states protected and/or dominated by a foreign power. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Flag of Northern Rhodesia. ... Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated immediately to the north of South Africa, known today as Zimbabwe. ... Anthem God Save the Queen The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Capital Salisbury Language(s) English Government Constitutional monarchy Monarch  - 1953-1963 Elizabeth II Governor-General  - 1953-1957 Lord Llewellin  - 1957-1963 The Earl of Dalhousie  - 1963 Sir Humphrey Gibbs Prime Minister  - 1953-1956 Sir Godfrey Huggins  - 1956-1963 Sir... Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda (1898? - November 25, 1997) was the founding President and former dictator of Malawi. ... The Malawi Congress Party is a political party in Malawi, mainly strong in the central region populated by ethnic Chewa and Nyanja. ... Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated immediately to the north of South Africa, known today as Zimbabwe. ... Gweru (formerly Gwelo) is a city near the centre of Zimbabwe at . ...

On April 15, 1961 the MCP won an overwhelming victory in elections for a new Legislative Council. In a second constitutional conference in London in November 1962, the British Government agreed to give Nyasaland self-governing status the following year. This announcement sealed the fate of the Central African Federation, which lost its reason for existence with an independent Nyasaland. Banda became Prime Minister on February 1, 1963, although the British still controlled Malawi's financial, security, and judicial systems. A new constitution took effect in May 1963, providing for virtually complete internal self-government. The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was dissolved on December 31, 1963, and Malawi became a fully independent member of the British Commonwealth on July 6, 1964. Two years later, Malawi became a republic with Dr. Banda as its first President, and was also declared a one-party state. In 1970 Banda was declared President for life (Ngwazi) of the MCP, and in 1971 Banda consolidated his power and was named President for Life of Malawi itself. is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ... is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2007 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders  -  Queen Elizabeth II  -  Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma Appointed 24 November 2007 Establishment  -  Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926   -  Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931   -  London Declaration 28 April 1949  Area  -  Total... is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... Look up republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A single-party state or one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system and form of government where only a single political party dominates the government and no opposition parties are allowed. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

However, increasing domestic unrest and pressure from Malawian churches and from the international community led to a referendum in which the Malawian people were asked to vote for a new form of government. On June 14, 1993, the people of Malawi voted overwhelmingly in favor of multi-party democracy. Free and fair national elections were held on May 17, 1994. Bakili Muluzi, leader of the United Democratic Front (UDF), was elected President in those elections. The UDF won 82 of the 177 seats in the National Assembly and formed a coalition government with the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD). That coalition disbanded in June 1996, but some of its members remained in the government. Malawi's newly written constitution (1995) eliminated special powers previously reserved for the Malawi Congress Party. Accelerated economic liberalization and structural reform accompanied the political transition. Elections Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A referendum (plural referendums or referenda), ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita, originally a decree of the Concilium Plebis) is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 137th day of the year (138th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Elson Bakili Muluzi (born March 17, 1943) was the president of Malawi from 1994 until 2004. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... The Alliance for Democracy is a political party in Malawi, mainly strong in the northern region populated by ethnic Tumbuka. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

Malawi saw its first transition between democratically elected presidents in May 2004, when the UDF's presidential candidate Bingu wa Mutharika defeated MCP candidate John Tembo and Gwanda Chakuamba, who was backed by a grouping of opposition parties. Through the politicking of party chairperson and former President Bakili Muluzi, the party successfully secured a majority by forming a "government of national unity" with several opposition parties. President Bingu wa Mutharika addressing the United Nations General Assembly. ...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Malawi

For almost thirty one years, the government of Malawi and the Malawi Congress Party were one. When Malawi was declared a republic in 1966, the country was formally declared a one-party state. Under Banda, all citizens had to be members of the party. This situation changed in a 1993 referendum, which instituted a multiparty system. In the country's first democratic elections, Banda and the MCP were soundly defeated. The Government of Malawi has been a multi-party democracy since 1994. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ...

Under the 1995 constitution, the president, who is both chief of state and head of the government, is chosen through universal direct election every five years. Malawi has a vice president who is elected with the president who is currently Bingu wa Mutharika. The president has the option of appointing a second vice president, who must be from a different political party. The members of the presidentially appointed cabinet can be drawn from either within or outside of the legislature. Malawi's National Assembly has 193 seats, all directly elected to serve 5-year terms. The constitution also provides for a second chamber, a Senate of 80 seats, but to date no action has been taken to create the Senate. The Senate is intended to provide representation for traditional leaders and the different geographical districts, as well as various special interest groups, such as women, youth, and the disabled . This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A head of state or chief of state is the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions and duties granted to the head of state in the countrys... The head of government is the leader of the government or cabinet. ... Direct election is a term describing a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the person, persons or political party that they desire to see elected. ... A vice president is an officer in government or business who is next in rank below a president. ... President Bingu wa Mutharika addressing the United Nations General Assembly. ... A political party is a political organization that seeks to attain political power within a government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      The National Assembly is either a legislature, or the lower house of a bicameral legislature in some countries. ... For the band, see Senate (band). ...

The constitution provides for an independent judiciary. Malawi's judicial system, based on the English model, is made up of magisterial lower courts, a High Court, and a Supreme Court of Appeal. Local government is carried out in 27 districts within three regions administered by regional administrators and district commissioners who are appointed by the central government. Local elections, the first in the multi-party era, took place in on November 21, 2000. The UDF party won 70% of the seats in this election. is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

The third multi-party presidential and parliamentary elections, originally planned for May 18, 2004 were postponed by two days following a High Court appeal by the main opposition Mgwirizano (Unity) coalition. The run-up to the poll was overshadowed by opposition claims of irregularities in the voters' roll. European Union and Commonwealth observers said although voting passed peacefully, they were concerned about "serious inadequacies" in the poll. is the 138th day of the year (139th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2007 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders  -  Queen Elizabeth II  -  Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma Appointed 24 November 2007 Establishment  -  Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926   -  Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931   -  London Declaration 28 April 1949  Area  -  Total...

Regions and districts

Main article: Districts of Malawi

Malawi is divided into three regions (the Northern, Central and Southern regions), which are further divided into twenty-seven districts, which in turn are further divided into 137 traditional authorities and 68 sub-chiefdoms. The districts are: Malawi is divided into 27 districts: Balaka Blantyre Chikwawa Chiradzulu Chitipa Dedza Dowa Karonga Kasungu Likoma Lilongwe Machinga Mangochi Mchinji Mulanje Mwanza Mzimba Ntcheu Nkhata Bay Nkhotakota Nsanje Ntchisi Phalombe Rumphi Salima Thyolo Zomba Categories: Lists of subnational entities | Districts of Malawi ... Look up Region in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Malawi is divided into 27 districts: Balaka Blantyre Chikwawa Chiradzulu Chitipa Dedza Dowa Karonga Kasungu Likoma Lilongwe Machinga Mangochi Mchinji Mulanje Mwanza Mzimba Ntcheu Nkhata Bay Nkhotakota Nsanje Ntchisi Phalombe Rumphi Salima Thyolo Zomba Categories: Lists of subnational entities | Districts of Malawi ...

Religions: Christians 80% (mainly Protestants), Muslims 12% (Sunni), Other Religions 8%. Balaka is a district of Malawi. ... 2,012 km. ... Chikwawa is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. ... Chiradzulu is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. ... Chitipa is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. ... Dedza is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. ... Dowa is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. ... Karonga is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. ... Kasungu is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. ... Likoma is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. ... Lilongwe is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. ... Machinga is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. ... Mangochi is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. ... Mchinji is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. ... Mulanje is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. ... Mwanza is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. ... Mzimba is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. ... Nkhata Bay is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. ... Nkhotakota is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. ... Nsanje is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. ... Ntcheu is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. ... Ntchisi is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. ... Phalombe is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. ... Rumphi is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. ... Salima is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. ... Thyolo is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. ... Zomba is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. ...

Geography

Main article: Geography of Malawi

Satellite image of Malawi, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map Library

Mulanje Mountain in Malawi

Malawi is situated in southeastern Africa. The Great Rift Valley runs through the country from north to south. In this deep trough lies Lake Malawi (also called Lake Nyasa), the third-largest lake in Africa, and the 10th largest in the world, making about 20% of Malawi's area. The Shire River flows from the south end of the lake and joins the Zambezi River 400 km (250 mi) farther south in Mozambique. East and west of the Rift Valley are high plateaus, generally between 900 and 1,200 m (3,000–4,000 ft) above sea level. The Nyika Uplands rise as high as 2,600 m (8,500 ft) in the north; south of the lake lie the Shire Highlands, with an elevation of 600–1,600 m (2,000–5,000 ft), rising to the Zomba Plateau and the Mulanje Massif, 2,130 and 3,002 m (7,000 and 10,000 ft). In the extreme south, the elevation is only 60–90 m (200–300 ft) above sea level. Malawi is situated in southeastern Africa. ... Download high resolution version (332x717, 15 KB)The World Factbook map of Malawi. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (390x932, 429 KB) ECW to TIFF to PNG (compression level 9). ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (390x932, 429 KB) ECW to TIFF to PNG (compression level 9). ... Imagine the smiley face in the top left corner as an RGB bitmap image. ... Satellite image of Congo, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map Library. ... Northern section of the Great Rift Valley. ... Lake Malawi (also known as Lake Nyasa, Lake Nyassa, Lake Niassa, and Lago Niassa in Mozambique), is the most southerly lake in the Great African Rift Valley system. ... Nyasa, also spelled Nyassa or Niassa, is a common word for lake in the languages around what is now known as Lake Malawi. ... For other uses, see Lake (disambiguation). ... The Shire is a river in Southern Africa. ... Zambezi River in North Western Zambia The Zambezi (also spelled Zambesi) is a river in Southern Africa. ... “Miles” redirects here. ... African Rift Valley. ... For other meanings, see Plateau (disambiguation). ... The Shire Highlands are a plateau in southern Malawi, located east of the Shire River. ... The Mulanje Massif, also known as Mount Mulanje, is a large monadnock in southern Malawi near the city of Blantyre, rising sharply from the surrounding plains of the tea-growing Thyolo district. ...

Malawi is one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most densely populated countries. Lilongwe, Malawi's capital since 1971, has a population which exceeds 400,000. All government ministries and the Parliament are located in Lilongwe. Blantyre remains Malawi's major commercial center and largest city, having grown from an estimated 109,000 inhabitants in 1966 to nearly 500,000 in 1998. Malawi's President resides in Lilongwe. The Supreme Court is seated in Blantyre. Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Location of Lilongwe in Malawi. ... Location of Lilongwe in Malawi. ... Blantyre is the largest city in Malawi and the capital of the countrys Southern Region as well as the Blantyre District. ... Location of Lilongwe in Malawi. ... This article is about the location in Scotland. ...

Malawi's climate is subtropical. A rainy season runs from November through April. There is little to no rainfall throughout most of the country from May to October. It is hot and humid from October to April along the lake and in the Lower Shire Valley. Lilongwe is also hot and humid during these months, a little less than in the south. The rest of the country is warm during those months. From June through August, the lake areas and far south are comfortably warm, but the rest of Malawi can be chilly at night, with temperatures ranging from 5 °–14 °C (41°–57°F). Subtropical (or semitropical) areas are those adjacent to the tropics, usually roughly defined as the ranges 23. ... Location of Lilongwe in Malawi. ...

Lake Malawi is sometimes called the Calendar Lake as it is about 365 miles long and 52 miles wide. Lake Malawi (also known as Lake Nyasa, Lake Nyassa, Lake Niassa, and Lago Niassa in Mozambique), is the most southerly lake in the Great African Rift Valley system. ...

Malawi has five national parks: Cape Maclear; Kasungu; Lengwe; Liwonde; and Nyika. This article is about national parks. ... Kasungu National Park is a national park in Malawi. ... Liwonde National Park is a national park in Malawi. ... Nyika National Park lies in the northeast of Zambia. ...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Malawi

Malawi has a GDP per capita of 596 US dollars. It is a landlocked, densely populated country. Its economy is heavily dependent on agriculture. Malawi has few exploitable mineral resources. Its three most important export crops are (in order) tobacco, tea and sugar. Malawi's president recently urged farmers to consider growing other crops, such as cotton ^[1], as an alternative to the country's principal crop, tobacco, as cigarette consumption in the West continues to decline. Economy - overview: Landlocked Malawi ranks among the worlds least developed countries. ... Landlocked countries of the world according to The World Factbook. ... Shredded tobacco leaf for pipe smoking Tobacco can also be pressed into plugs and sliced into flakes Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. ... For other uses, see Tea (disambiguation). ... This article is about sugar as food and as an important and widely-traded commodity. ...

A rural market in Malawi

Traditionally Malawi has been self-sufficient in its staple food, maize, and during the 1980s exported substantial quantities to its drought-stricken neighbors. Agriculture represents 38.6% of the GDP, accounts for over 80% of the labor force, and represents about 80% of all exports. Nearly 90% of the population engages in subsistence farming. Smallholder farmers produce a variety of crops, including maize (corn) ^[2], beans, rice, cassava, tobacco, groundnuts (peanut) and coffee. The agricultural sector contributes about 63.7% of total income for the rural population, 65% of manufacturing sector’s raw materials, and approximately 87% of total employment.^{[citation needed]} Financial wealth is generally concentrated in the hands of a small elite. Malawi's manufacturing industries are situated around the city of Blantyre. This article is about the maize plant. ... GDP redirects here. ... This article is on the plant. ... For other uses, see Rice (disambiguation). ... Yuca redirects here. ... Shredded tobacco leaf for pipe smoking Tobacco can also be pressed into plugs and sliced into flakes Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. ... This article is about the legume. ... For other uses, see Coffee (disambiguation). ... This article is about the location in Scotland. ...

Malawi's economic reliance on the export of agricultural commodities renders it particularly vulnerable to external shocks such as declining terms of trade and drought. High transport costs, which can comprise over 30% of its total import bill, constitute a serious impediment to economic development and trade. Malawi must import all its fuel products. Paucity of skilled labor; difficulty in obtaining expatriate employment permits; bureaucratic red tape; corruption; and inadequate and deteriorating road, electricity, water, and telecommunications infrastructure further hinder economic development in Malawi. However, recent government initiatives targeting improvements in the road infrastructure, together with private sector participation in railroad and telecommunications, have begun to render the investment environment more attractive.

Crafts market in Lilongwe

Malawi has undertaken economic structural adjustment programs supported by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and other donors since 1981. Broad reform objectives include stimulation of private sector activity and participation through the elimination of price controls and industrial licensing, liberalization of trade and foreign exchange, rationalization of taxes, privatization of state-owned enterprises, and civil service reform. Malawi qualifies for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 332 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Crafts market in Lilongwe, Malawi. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 332 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Crafts market in Lilongwe, Malawi. ... Location of Lilongwe in Malawi. ... The World Bank logo The World Bank (the Bank) is a part of the World Bank Group (WBG), is a bank that makes loans to developing countries for development programs with the stated goal of reducing poverty. ... IMF redirects here. ... The 38 states recognized as the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC). ...

As of late May 2004, the IMF program (begun in 2000) was cancelled and a Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) was implemented. In the wake of questions about fiscal credibility, the SMP’s goal is to give Malawi’s newly-elected government the chance to establish a track record of fiscal discipline.

Real GDP increased by an estimated 3.9% in 2004, from 4.3% in 2003 and 2.4% in 2002. Inflation has been largely under control since 2003, averaging 10% in that year and 11.1% (est.) in 2004. Discount and commercial lending rates also declined from 40%-45% in 2003 to 25% in early 2004. The Kwacha slid from 90 to 101 against the U.S. dollar in mid-2003 and was at 108 to the U.S. dollar at the end of 2004. The kwacha is the name of the monetary unit of Zambia (since 1968) and of Malawi (since 1970). ...

Malawi has bilateral trade agreements with its two major trading partners, South Africa and Zimbabwe, both of which allow duty-free entry of Malawian products into their countries.

Humanitarian situation

People collecting water in Malawi

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Main article: Malawi food crisis

Some of the more significant problems facing Malawians include: Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... The Malawi food crisis is an ongoing severe food security crisis affecting more than five million people in Malawi, especially in the south, caused by the failure to harvest sufficient staple maize due to a drought. ...

• insufficient nutrition
• poor access to medical treatment
• extreme lack of foresight by Government
• Mis-use of international donations
• insufficient school education
• spread of HIV/AIDS
• government economic restrictions
• corruption
• climate change

Health

Livingstonia, Malawi

Child mortality is 103/1,000. There are more than a million orphans, 700,000 of whom became orphans when their parents died of AIDS. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 406 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1053 × 1553 pixel, file size: 445 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The bell commemorating the synod in Livingstonia, Malawi. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 406 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1053 × 1553 pixel, file size: 445 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The bell commemorating the synod in Livingstonia, Malawi. ... Child mortality is the death of children in their first 5 years of life. ... For other uses, see Orphan (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see AIDS (disambiguation). ...

The Malawi government estimates that 14.2% of the population are HIV-positive, and that 90,000 deaths in 2003 were due to AIDS. Unofficial estimates based on private hospital entries give a HIV infection percentage of 30%. Their life expectancy is 43.35 for men and 42.61 for women. ^[3]

Nutrition

Malawi's staple food is maize but like other countries in Southern Africa, Malawi has repeatedly been affected by famines since 2002, when food was scarce for almost one third of the population. In 2003, 30 percent of the population were affected. <nowiki>Insert non-formatted text hereBold text</nowiki>A famine is a social and economic crisis that is commonly accompanied by widespread malnutrition, starvation, epidemic and increased mortality. ...

These repeated famines are caused by different factors including:

• widespread monocultures
• poor distribution of fertilizers
• droughts
• government corruption

• widespread AIDS epidemic
• bilharzia
• malaria

Some relief organisations, such as the Community of Sant'Egidio, Catholic Relief Services and other local and international organisations try to respond to the famine by distributing food parcels. The government also had a starter pack farm input programme for maize seed and fertilizer. The scheme was however subject to gross abuses and sometimes the poorest people did not receive any of the items that were purportedly earmarked for them. This programme was discontinued by the Bingu wa Mutharika administration, which instead subsidised fertilizer for the local subsistence farmers. Monoculture describes systems that have very low diversity. ... Spreading manure, an organic fertilizer Fertilizers (also spelled fertilisers) are compounds given to plants to promote growth; they are usually applied either via the soil, for uptake by plant roots, or by foliar feeding, for uptake through leaves. ... Fields outside Benambra, Victoria, Australia suffering from drought conditions A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. ... Schistosomiasis Schistosomiasis or bilharzia is a disease affecting many people in developing countries. ... Malaria is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites. ... The church of SantEgidio, seat of the community of SantEgidio The Community of SantEgidio is a Christian community that is officially recognized by the Catholic Church as a Church public lay association. It claims 50,000 members in more than 70 countries. ... Catholic Relief Services is a non-governmental organisation (NGO), which attempts to assist the poor and disadvantaged ([1]). It is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, while operating numerours field offices on 5 continentsince 1943, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has held the privilege of serving poor and disadvantaged people overseas. ...

It has been reported that Mutharika's program is radically improving Malawi's agriculture, and causing Malawi to become a net exporter of food to nearby countries. ^[2]

The government of Taiwan has also donated millions of bags of rice each year and has a permanent agricultural and medical technical aid mission in Malawi.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Malawi

Malawi has continued the pro-Western foreign policy established by former President Banda. It maintains excellent diplomatic relations with principal Western countries. Malawi's close relations with South Africa throughout the apartheid era strained its relations with other African nations. Following the collapse of apartheid in 1990-94, Malawi developed and currently maintains strong diplomatic relations with all African countries. Malawis President Muluzi has continued the pro-Western foreign policy established by former President Banda. ...

Between 1985 and 1995 Malawi accommodated more than a million refugees from Mozambique. The refugee crisis placed a substantial strain on Malawi's government but also drew significant inflows of international assistance. The accommodation and eventual repatriation of the Mozambicans is considered a major success by international organizations. In 1996, Malawi received a number of Rwandan and Congolese refugees seeking asylum. The government did not turn away refugees, but it did invoke the principle of "first country of asylum." Under this principle, refugees who requested asylum in another country first, or who had the opportunity to do so, would not subsequently be granted asylum in Malawi. There were no reports of the forcible repatriation of refugees. Motto: Justice – Paix – Travail(French) Justice – Peace – Work Anthem: Debout Congolais Capital (and largest city) Kinshasaa Official languages French Recognised regional languages Lingala, Kongo/Kituba, Swahili, Tshiluba Demonym Congolese Government Semi-Presidential Republic  -  President Joseph Kabila  -  Prime Minister Antoine Gizenga Independence  -  from Belgium June 30, 1960  Area  -  Total 2,344...

Important bilateral donors, in addition to the U.S., include Canada, Germany, Iceland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Sweden, the Republic of China, Flanders and the United Kingdom. Multilateral donors include the World Bank, the IMF, the European Union, the African Development Bank, and the United Nations organizations. For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... Motto: Je Maintiendrai (Dutch: Ik zal handhaven, English: I Shall Uphold) Anthem: Wilhelmus van Nassouwe Capital Amsterdam1 Largest city Amsterdam Official language(s) Dutch2 Government Parliamentary democracy Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Beatrix  - Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende Independence Eighty Years War   - Declared July 26, 1581   - Recognised January 30, 1648 (by Spain... National motto: None Official language Mandarin Chinese Capital and largest city Taipei President Chen Shui-bian Vice President Annette Lu Premier Su Tseng-chang Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 138th 35,980 km² 2. ... For other uses, see Flanders (disambiguation). ...

Malawi is a member of the following international organizations: UN and some of its specialized and related agencies (i.e. UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO), the Commonwealth,IMF, World Bank, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Berne Convention, Universal Copyright Convention, African Union, Lome Convention, African Development Bank (AFDB), Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Non-Aligned Movement, G-77, and the World Health Organization (WHO). UN and U.N. redirect here. ... The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body, UNCTAD is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment and development issues. ... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is an agency of the United Nations with the mission of helping countries pursue sustainable industrial development, it is a specialist in industrial affairs. ... The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2007 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders  -  Queen Elizabeth II  -  Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma Appointed 24 November 2007 Establishment  -  Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926   -  Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931   -  London Declaration 28 April 1949  Area  -  Total... The flag of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is the international organization entrusted with overseeing the global financial system by monitoring foreign exchange rates and balance of payments, as well as offering technical and financial assistance when asked. ... The World Bank logo The World Bank (the Bank) is a part of the World Bank Group (WBG), is a bank that makes loans to developing countries for development programs with the stated goal of reducing poverty. ... The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) is a member of the World Bank group. ... The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (French: Organisation mondiale de la propriété intellectuelle or OMPI) is one of the specialized agencies of the United Nations. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Universal Copyright Convention (UCC), adopted at Geneva in 1952, is one of the two principal international conventions protecting copyright; the other is the Berne Convention. ... Anthem Let Us All Unite and Celebrate Together [1] Administrative Centre Working languages Arabic English Spanish French Portuguese Swahili Membership 53 African states Leaders  -  Chairman Jakaya Kikwete  -  Jean Ping Establishment  -  as the OAU May 25, 1963   -  as the African Union July 9, 2002  Area  -  Total 29,757,900 km² (1st1... The Lomé Convention is a treaty that regulated trade between the European Union and 71 (later 77) African, Caribbean and Pacific states (collectively known as the ACP countries) between 1975 and 2000. ... The African Development Bank (ADB) is a development bank established in 1964 with the intention of States dollar|$]]47. ... SADC-only (yellow) and SADC+SACU members Headquarters Gaborone, Botswana Working languages Membership 15 African states Leaders  -  Secretary General Establishment  -  as the SADCC April 1, 1980   -  as the SADC August 17, 1992  Website http://www. ... The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, is a preferential trading area with twenty member states stretching from Libya to Zimbabwe. ... Member states of the Non-Aligned Movement (2005). ... link titlelink titlelink titlelink titlelink title--210. ... WHO redirects here. ...

Malawi is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98). The official logo of the ICC The International Criminal Court (ICC or ICCt)[1] was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, although it cannot currently exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American...