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
Ambassadors from Finland > Current Finnish Ambassadors > Ambassador	Markku Kauppinen
Capital city	Lilongwe
Capital city > Geographic coordinates	13 59 S, 33 47 E
Capital city > Name	Lilongwe
Capital city > Time difference UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Commonwealth Heads of Government > Current Heads > Head of Government	Bingu wa Mutharika
Commonwealth Heads of Government > Current Heads > Title	President
Constitution	18 May 1994
Copyright > Reference	s. 13,
Corruption	2.8		[97th of 160]
countries' copyright length > Usual term of copyright protection	50 pma
CPIA equity of public resource use rating	3.5		[42nd of 75]
CPIA quality of public administration rating	3.5		[16th of 75]
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission	Ambassador Peter W. BODDE
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy 16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX	[265] (1) 770 471
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone	[265] (1) 773 166
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery 1029 Vermont Avenue, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission	Ambassador Hawa NDILOWE
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX	[1] (202) 721-0288
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone	[1] (202) 721-0270
Elections > Head of state	Direct election
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
Executive branch > Election results Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA 35.9%, John TEMBO 27.1%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA 25.7%, Brown MPINGANJIRA 8.7%, Justin MALEWEZI 2.5%
Executive branch > 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)
Executive branch > Head of government President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004)
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band
Flag modification	6		[158th of 197]
Foreign relations of Western Sahara > States recognizing the SADR > Date of recognition	November 16, 1994
General government final consumption expenditure > annual % growth	1.53 %		[78th of 147]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$	369,351,900 constant 2000 US$		[93rd of 145]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ (per capita)	28.668 constant 2000 US$ per c		[105th of 146]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant LCU	2980170000
General government final consumption expenditure > current LCU	40982590000
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$	346,133,500 $		[123rd of 169]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per $ GDP)	0.167 $ per $1 of GDP		[56th of 184]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per capita)	26.866 $ per capita		[135th of 184]
Government type	multiparty democracy
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom	Richard Wildash
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom > Resident Heads of Missions > Type	High Commission
Independence	6 July 1964 (from UK)
Independence Day > Date	July 6
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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 origin English
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)
Legislative branch > Election results percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MCP 56, UDF 49, independents 39, RP 15, others 25, vacancies 8
Legislative branch > Elections last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009)
Management time dealing with officials > % of management time	5.83 %		[11th of 38]
National holiday Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July
Parliamentary seats > Female	8%		[87th of 143]
Policy uncertainty > % of managers surveyed ranking this as a major business constraint	5.77 %		[33rd of 38]
political parties > Multi party	•
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]
Political pressure groups and leaders Agri-Ecology Media (agriculture and environmental group); Malawi Law Society (human rights); Malawi Movement for the Restoration of Democracy or MMRD (acts to restore and maintain democracy); National Democratic Alliance or NDA (acts to restore democracy; Public Affairs Committee or PAC (promotes democracy, development, peace and unity)
Procedures to build a warehouse > number	22		[34th of 168]
Procedures to build a warehouse > number (per capita)	1.708 per 1 million people		[101st of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number	40		[55th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number (per capita)	3.105 per 1 million people		[91st of 171]
Procedures to register property > number	6		[90th of 167]
Procedures to register property > number (per capita)	465.696 per 1 billion people		[100th of 167]
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament > %	13.6 %		[90th of 174]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number	10		[76th of 171]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number (per capita)	0.776 per 1 million people		[103rd of 171]
Status democracy
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal
Time required to build a warehouse > days	185 days		[84th of 168]
Time required to enforce a contract > days	337 days		[128th of 171]
Time required to register property > days	118 days		[36th of 167]
Time required to start a business > days	37 days		[80th of 171]
Time to prepare and pay taxes > hours	878 hours		[11th of 169]
Time to resolve insolvency > years	2.6 years		[93rd of 151]
Total businesses registered > number	74,308		[51st of 71]
Total businesses registered > number (per capita)	6.022 per 1 million people		[52nd of 83]
Trademarks, nonresidents	440		[58th of 99]
Trademarks, nonresidents (per capita)	0.036 per 1 million people		[77th of 146]
Trademarks, residents	138		[62nd of 98]
Trademarks, residents (per capita)	11.433 per 1 million people		[76th of 142]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant
UN membership date	1 Dec. 1964
United Nations mission http://www.geographyiq.com/countries/mi/Malawi_relations_summary.htm
Washington, D.C. embassies > Neighborhood	Embassy Row

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