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Malawi

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Dictionary: Ma·la·wi   (mə-lä') pronunciation
Malawi
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Malawi
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A country of southeast Africa. Center of the widespread Malawi kingdom from the 15th to the late 18th century, the region became a British protectorate in 1891 and was known as Nyasaland from 1907 until 1964. It joined Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe) in a federation from 1953 to 1963 and became independent as Malawi in 1964. Lilongwe is the capital and Blantyre the largest city. Population: 13,600,000.

Malawian Ma·la'wi·an adj. & n.

 

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In currencies, this is the abbreviation for the Malawi Kwacha.

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The currency market, also known as the Foreign Exchange market, is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average volume of over US $1 trillion.



Country, southeastern Africa. Area: 45,747 sq mi (118,484 sq km). Population (2008 est.): 13,932,000. Capital: Lilongwe (judiciary meets in Blantyre). Almost the entire population consists of Bantu-speaking Africans. Languages: English (official), Chewa, Lomwe. Religions: Christianity (Protestant, Roman Catholic), Islam, traditional beliefs. Currency: Malawian kwacha. Malawi's terrain is characterized by dramatic highlands and extensive lakes, with forests occupying about one-fourth of the total land area. The Great Rift Valley runs north-south and contains Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi). Agriculture employs more than four-fifths of the workforce; staple crops include corn (maize), peanuts (groundnuts), beans, and peas, and cash crops include tobacco, tea, sugarcane, and cotton. Coal mining and limestone quarrying also contribute to the economy. Major industrial products are food products, beverages, chemicals, and textiles. Malawi is a republic with one legislative house; its head of state and government is the president. Inhabited since 8000 BCE, the region was settled by Bantu-speaking peoples between the 1st and 4th centuries CE. They established separate states, and c. 1480 they founded the Maravi confederacy, which encompassed most of central and southern Malawi. In northern Malawi the Ngonde people established a kingdom c. 1600, and in the 18th century the Chikulamayembe state was founded. The slave trade flourished during the 18th – 19th century; Islam and Christianity arrived in the region c. 1860. Britain established colonial authority in 1891, creating the Nyasaland Districts Protectorate. It became the British Central Africa Protectorate in 1893 and Nyasaland in 1907. The colonies of Northern and Southern Rhodesia and Nyasaland formed a federation (1951 – 53), which was dissolved in 1963. The next year Malawi achieved independence as a member of the British Commonwealth. In 1966 it became a republic, with Hastings Kamuzu Banda as president. In 1971 he was designated president for life, and he ruled for three decades before being defeated in multiparty presidential elections in 1994. A new constitution was adopted in 1995.

For more information on Malawi, visit Britannica.com.

British History: Malawi
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Former British central African protectorate of Nyasaland. The missionary explorer David Livingstone led the first group of Britons to the region in 1859 and after initial set-backs Nyasaland became a thriving centre of missionary activity. A British protectorate was declared in 1893. Nyasaland became independent as Malawi in 1964 and a republic in 1966.

 
Malawi (məlä'), officially Republic of Malawi, republic (2005 est. pop. 12,159,000), 45,200 sq mi (117,068 sq km), E central Africa. It borders on Zambia in the west, on Tanzania in the north, and on Mozambique in the east, south, and southwest. The capital is Lilongwe; Blantyre is its largest city and commercial capital.

Land and People

Malawi is long and narrow, and about 20% of its total area is made up of Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi). Several rivers flow into Lake Nyasa from the west, and the Shire River (a tributary of the Zambezi) drains the lake in the south. Both the lake and the Shire lie within the Great Rift Valley. Much of the rest of the country is made up of a plateau that averages 2,500 to 4,500 ft (762-1,372 m) in height, but reaches elevations of c.8,000 ft (2,440 m) in the north and almost 10,000 ft (3,050 m) in the south. In addition to the capital and Blantyre, other cities include Mzuzu and Zomba.

Almost all of the country's inhabitants are Bantu-speakers, and about 90% are rural agriculturalists. The Tumbuka, Ngoni, and Tonga (in the north) and the Chewa, Yao, Nguru, and Nyanja (in the center and south) are the main subgroups. About 80% of the population is Christian (mostly Presbyterian and Roman Catholic), and roughly 13% is Muslim; others follow traditional beliefs. Chichewa, spoken by about 60% of the people, is the official language; other languages have regional importance.

Economy

Malawi is among the world's least developed countries, with most of the population involved in subsistence agriculture. The principal crops are corn, potatoes, cassava, sorghum, pulses, peanuts, and macadamia nuts. Tobacco, tea, sugarcane, cotton, and tung oil are produced on large estates. With the aid in part of foreign investment, Malawi has instituted a variety of agricultural development programs. Large numbers of cattle, goats, poultry, and pigs are raised.

There are small fishing and forest products industries. Deforestation has become a problem as the growing population uses more wood (the major energy source) and woodland is cleared for farms. Practically no minerals are extracted, but there are unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite. Malawi's industry is limited to the processing of tobacco, tea, sugar, and lumber and the manufacture of basic comsumer goods.

Leading imports are foodstuffs, petroleum products, manufactured consumer goods, and transportation equipment; the principal exports are tobacco, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, and apparel. The chief trade partners are South Africa, the United States, and Mozambique. Most of the country's foreign trade is conducted via Salima, a port on Lake Nyasa, which is connected by rail with the seaport of Nacala in Mozambique.

Government

Malawi is governed under the constitution of 1994. The president, who is both head of state and head of government, is popularly elected for a five-year term and is eligible for a second term. The unicameral legislature consists of the 193-seat National Assembly, whose members are also elected by popular vote for five-year terms. Administratively, Malawi is divided into 27 districts.

History

Early History and Colonialism

The first inhabitants of present-day Malawi were probably related to the San (Bushmen). Between the 1st and 4th cent. A.D., Bantu-speaking peoples migrated to present-day Malawi. A new wave of Bantu-speaking peoples arrived around the 14th cent., and they soon coalesced into the Maravi kingdom (late 15th-late 18th cent.), centered in the Shire River valley. In the 18th cent. the kingdom conquered portions of modern Zimbabwe and Mozambique. However, shortly thereafter it declined as a result of internal rivalries and incursions by the Yao, who sold their Malawi captives as slaves to Arab and Swahili merchants living on the Indian Ocean coast. In the 1840s the region was thrown into further turmoil by the arrival from S Africa of the warlike Ngoni.

In 1859, David Livingstone, the Scots explorer, visited Lake Nyasa and drew European attention to the effects of the slave trade there; in 1873 two Presbyterian missionary societies established bases in the region. Missionary activity, the threat of Portuguese annexation, and the influence of Cecil Rhodes led Great Britain to send a consul to the area in 1883 and to proclaim the Shire Highlands Protectorate in 1889. In 1891 the British Central African Protectorate (known from 1907 until 1964 as Nyasaland), which included most of present-day Malawi, was established. During the 1890s, British forces ended the slave trade in the protectorate. At the same time, Europeans established coffee-growing estates in the Shire region, worked by Africans. In 1915 a small-scale revolt against British rule was easily suppressed, but it was an inspiration to other Africans intent on ending foreign domination.

In 1944 the protectorate's first political movement, the moderate Nyasaland African Congress, was formed, and in 1949 the government admitted the first Africans to the legislative council. In 1953 the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (linking Nyasaland, Northern Rhodesia, and Southern Rhodesia) was formed, over the strong opposition of Nyasaland's African population, who feared that the more aggressively white-oriented policies of Southern Rhodesia (see Zimbabwe) would eventually be applied to them.

The Banda Regime and Modern Malawi

In the mid-1950s the congress, headed by H. B. M. Chipembere and Kanyama Chiume, became more radical. In 1958, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda became the leader of the movement, which was renamed the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) in 1959. Banda organized protests against British rule that led to the declaration of a state of emergency in 1959-60. The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was ended in 1963, and on July 6, 1964, Nyasaland became independent as Malawi.

Banda led the country in the era of independence, first as prime minister and, after Malawi became a republic in 1966, as president; he was made president for life in 1971. He quickly alienated other leaders by governing autocratically, by allowing Europeans to retain considerable influence within the country, and by refusing to oppose white-minority rule in South Africa. Banda crushed a revolt led by Chipembere in 1965 and one led by Yatuta Chisiza in 1967.

Arguing that the country's economic well-being depended on friendly relations with the white-run government in South Africa, Banda established diplomatic ties between Malawi and South Africa in 1967. In 1970, Prime Minister B. J. Vorster of South Africa visited Malawi, and in 1971 Banda became the first head of an independent black African nation to visit South Africa. This relationship drew heavy public criticism. Nonetheless, Malawi enjoyed considerable economic prosperity in the 1970s, attributable in large part to foreign investment.

Throughout the decade, Malawi became a refuge for antigovernment rebels from neighboring Mozambique, causing tension between the two nations, as did the influx (in the late 1980s) of more than 600,000 civil war refugees, prompting Mozambique to close its border. The border closure forced Malawi to use South African ports at great expense. In the face of intense speculation over Banda's successor, he began to eliminate powerful officials through expulsions and possibly assassinations.

In 1992, Malawi suffered the worst drought of the century. That same year there were violent protests against Banda's rule, and Western nations suspended aid to the country. In a 1993 referendum Malawians voted for an end to one-party rule, and parliament passed legislation establishing a multiparty democracy and abolishing the life presidency. In a free election in 1994, Banda was defeated by Bakili Muluzi, his former political protégé, who called for a policy of national reconciliation. Muluzi formed a coalition cabinet, with members from his own United Democratic Front (UDF) and the rival Alliance for Democracy (AFORD). Disillusioned with the coalition, AFORD pulled out of the government in 1996. When Muluzi was reelected in 1999, AFORD joined the MCP in an unsuccessful court challenge of his election.

In 2002, Muluzi began a campaign to have the constitution changed so he could run for a third term, but the move sparked political and popular opposition and was abandoned the next year. In late 2003, AFORD again formed an alliance with the UDF. Aided by a split in the opposition, the UDF candidate, Bingu wa Mutharika, won the 2004 presidential election. The UDF, however, failed to win even a plurality in parliament, but Mutharika formed a majority coalition with independents and the small National Democratic Alliance.

Mutharika launched an anticorruption campaign that alienated many in the UDF, including former president Muluzi, and in 2005 Mutharika left the UDF and established the Democratic Progressive party (DPP). Mutharika subsequently faced abortive attempts by the UDF to impeach him. A crop failure in 2005 resulted in a drastic food shortage in the country and high food prices, and led to new policies designed to increase agricultural production.

In Feb., 2006, the president dismissed Vice President Cassim Chilumpha, a Muluzi ally, but Chilumpha appealed the dismissal to Malawi's high court, on the grounds that only parliament could remove him. In March, the court suspended the dismissal pending its decision. The next month, however, the vice president was arrested and charged with treason. In July, former president Muluzi was arrested on corruption charges, but the charges were dropped a month later. A high court panel ruled in Dec., 2006, that the president did not have the right to dismiss the vice president. Subsequently, President Mutharika, in his 2007 New Year's message, accused opposition parties and the judiciary of dividing the nation; he also accused the judiciary of bias against the government. Relations between the president and opposition parties were acrimonious throughout 2007 and into 2008; in May, 2008, the government charged several opposition figures with plotting a coup.

Mutharika was reelected by a landslide in the May, 2009, elections; the DPP won a majority in parliament as well. His main opponent, John Tembo of the Malawi Congress party, accused the DPP of rigging the election; international observers said the president had monopolized state media coverage of the campaign. Muluzi, who had sought to run but was barred, supported Tembo. Malawi suffers from a high AIDS infection rate, with roughly one seventh of the population affected.

Bibliography

See R. I. Rotberg, The Rise of Nationalism in Central Africa (1966); J. G. Pike, Malawi (1968); B. Pachai, The Early History of Malawi (1972); M. Chanock, Law, Custom, and Social Order: The Colonial Experiences in Malawi and Zambia (1985); R. Sanders, Malawi (1988).


Geography: Malawi
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(muh-lah-wee)

Republic in southeast Africa, bordered by Tanzania to the north, Mozambique to the east and south, and Zambia to the west. It became independent in 1964.

Dialing Code: Malawi
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The international dialing code for Malawi is:   265


Local Time: Malawi
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It is 11:12 PM, November 8, in Malawi.

Currency: Nyasaland
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Statistics: Malawi
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Click to enlarge flag of Malawi
Introduction
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 elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. Current President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 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 (DPP) in 2005. As president, MUTHARIKA has overseen substantial economic improvement but because of political deadlock in the legislature, his minority party has been unable to pass significant legislation, and anti-corruption measures have stalled. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.
Geography
Map of Malawi
Location:Southern Africa, east of Zambia
Geographic coordinates:13 30 S, 34 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 118,480 sq km
land: 94,080 sq km
water: 24,400 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
Coastline:0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:none (landlocked)
Climate:sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
Terrain:narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m
Natural resources:limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
Land use:arable land: 20.68%
permanent crops: 1.18%
other: 78.14% (2005)
Irrigated land:560 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:17.3 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):total: 1.01 cu km/yr (15%/5%/80%)
per capita: 78 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature
People
Population:14,268,711
note: 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 45.8% (male 3,272,790/female 3,258,893)
15-64 years: 51.5% (male 3,696,857/female 3,656,918)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 162,863/female 220,390) (2009 est.)
Median age:total: 16.8 years
male: 16.8 years
female: 16.9 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:2.388% (2009 est.)
Birth rate:41.48 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Death rate:17.89 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:urban population: 19% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 5.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 89.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 93.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 84.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 43.82 years
male: 44.07 years
female: 43.57 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.59 children born/woman (2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:11.9% (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:930,000 (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:68,000 (2007 est.)
Major infectious diseases:degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian
Ethnic groups:Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European
Religions:Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census)
Languages:Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%, Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other 3.6% (1998 census)
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62.7%
male: 76.1%
female: 49.8% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):total: 9 years
male: 10 years
female: 9 years (2004)
Education expenditures:5.8% of GDP (2003)
Government
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form: Malawi
local long form: Dziko la Malawi
local short form: Malawi
former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland
Government type:multiparty democracy
Capital:name: Lilongwe
geographic coordinates: 13 59 S, 33 47 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
Independence:6 July 1964 (from the UK)
National holiday:Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)
Constitution:18 May 1994
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
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
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
head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004)
cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president
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 19 May 2009)
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%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held on 19 May 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MCP 56, UDF 49, independents 39, RP 15, others 25, vacancies 8
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
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Dindi NYASULU]; Congress of Democrats or CODE [Ralph KASAMBARA]; 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]; Maravi People's Party [Uladi MUSSA]; National Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; New Rainbow Coalition Party [Beatrice MWALE]; New Republican Party [Gwanda CHAKUWAMBA]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party or RP [Stanley MASAULI]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI]; United Democratic Party [Kenedy KALAMBO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Agri-Ecology Media (agriculture and environmental group); Council for NGOs in Malawi or CONGOMA (human rights, democracy, and development); Human Rights Consultative Committee or HRCC (human rights); Malawi Law Society (human rights and law reform); Malawi Movement for the Restoration of Democracy or MMRD (acts to restore and maintain democracy); Public Affairs Committee or PAC (promotes democracy, development, peace and unity)
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
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Hawa NDILOWE
chancery: 1029 Vermont Avenue, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270
FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Peter W. BODDE
embassy: 16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3
mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
telephone: [265] (1) 773 166
FAX: [265] (1) 770 471
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band
Government - note:no party has a majority in the fractured legislature
Economy
Economy - overview:Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's most densely populated and least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural with about 85% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for more than one-third of GDP and 90% of export revenues. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for more than half of exports. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In December 2007, the US granted Malawi eligibility status to receive financial support within the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) initiative. Malawi will now begin a consultative process to develop a five-year program before funding can begin. In 2006, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. The government faces many challenges including developing a market economy, improving educational facilities, facing up to environmental problems, dealing with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors that fiscal discipline is being tightened. In 2005, President MUTHARIKA championed an anticorruption campaign. Since 2005 President MUTHARIKA'S government has exhibited improved financial discipline under the guidance of Finance Minister Goodall GONDWE and signed a three year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility worth $56 million with the IMF. Improved relations with the IMF lead other international donors to resume aid as well.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$11.56 billion (2008 est.)
$10.85 billion (2007)
$10.05 billion (2006)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):$4.082 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6.5% (2008 est.)
8% (2007 est.)
7.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$800 (2008 est.)
$800 (2007 est.)
$800 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 38.1%
industry: 17.7%
services: 44.2% (2008 est.)
Labor force:4.5 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: 90%
industry and services: 10% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA%
Population below poverty line:53% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 31.8% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:39 (2004)
Investment (gross fixed):8.6% of GDP (2008 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.227 billion
expenditures: $1.337 billion (2008 est.)
Fiscal year:1 July - 30 June
Public debt:49.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):9% (2008 est.)
Central bank discount rate:15% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:27.72% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:$361.5 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:$250.4 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:$406.2 million (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:$NA
Agriculture - products:tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats
Industries:tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate:6% (2008 est.)
Electricity - production:1.13 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:1.051 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:fossil fuel: 3.3%
hydro: 96.7%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:6,160 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:6,788 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:-$420 million (2008 est.)
Exports:$679 million f.o.b. (2008 est.)
Exports - commodities:tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel
Exports - partners:Germany 11.7%, South Africa 10%, Egypt 9.2%, Zimbabwe 8.2%, US 7.3%, Russia 5.8%, Netherlands 4.5% (2007)
Imports:$1.023 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.)
Imports - commodities:food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment
Imports - partners:South Africa 36.1%, India 8.5%, Tanzania 6.1%, US 6.1%, China 4.9% (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$221 million (31 December 2008 est.)
Debt - external:$974 million (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:$NA
Currency (code):Malawian kwacha (MWK)
Currency code:MWK
Exchange rates:Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar - 142.41 (2008 est.), 141.12 (2007), 135.96 (2006), 108.894 (2005), 108.898 (2004)
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use:175,200 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:1.051 million (2007)
Telephone system:general assessment: rudimentary
domestic: fixed-line subscribership about 1 per 100 persons; privatization of Malawi Telecommunications (MTL), a necessary step in bringing improvement to telecommunications services, completed in 2006; mobile-cellular services are expanding but cellular network coverage is limited and is based around the main urban areas; mobile cellular subscribership roughly 8 per 100 persons
international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus one shortwave station on standby) (2001)
Radios:2.6 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (2001)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.mw
Internet hosts:107 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (2002)
Internet users:139,500 (2007)
Transportation
Airports:34 (2008)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2008)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 13 (2008)
Railways:total: 797 km
narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:total: 15,451 km
paved: 6,956 km
unpaved: 8,495 km (2003)
Waterways:700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2008)
Ports and terminals:Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba
Military
Military branches:Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service; standard obligation is 2 years of active duty and 5 years of reserve service (2007)
Manpower available for military service:males age 16-49: 3,050,444 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 16-49: 1,732,621
females age 16-49: 1,562,107 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:male: 174,044
female: 173,828 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:1.3% of GDP (2006)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international:disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant


National Anthem: National Anthem of: Malawi
Top

Mlungu dalitsani Malawi,
Mumsunge m'mtendere.
Gonjetsani adani onse,
Njala, nthenda, nsanje.
Lunzitsani mitima yathu,
Kuti tisaope.
Mdalitse Mtsogo leri na fe,
Ndi Mai Malawi.

Malawi ndziko lokongola,
La chonde ndi ufulu,
Nyanja ndi mphepo ya m'mapiri,
Ndithudi tadala.
Zigwa, mapiri, nthaka, dzinthu,
N'mphatso zaulere.
Nkhalango, madambo abwino.
Ngwokoma Malawi.

O! Ufulu tigwirizane,
Kukweza Malawi.
Ndi chikondi, khama, kumvera,
Timutumikire.
Pa nkhondo nkana pa mtendere,
Cholinga n'chimodzi.
Mai, bambo, tidzipereke,
Pokweza Malawi.

Wikipedia: Malawi
Top
Republic of Malaŵi
Chalo cha Malawi, Dziko la Malawi
Flag Coat of arms
MottoUnity and Freedom[1]
AnthemMulungu dalitsa Malaŵi  (Chichewa)
"Oh God Bless Our Land of Malawi"
[2]
Capital Lilongwe
13°57′S 33°42′E / 13.95°S 33.7°E / -13.95; 33.7
Largest city Blantyre[3]
Official languages English[4]
Recognised regional languages Chichewa[4]
Demonym Malawian
Government Multi-party democracy
 -  President Bingu wa Mutharika
 -  Vice President Joyce Banda
Independence from the UK 
 -  Independence declared July 6, 1964 
Area
 -  Total 118,484 km2 (99th)
45,747 sq mi 
 -  Water (%) 20.6%
Population
 -  2009 estimate 15,263,000[5] 
 -  1998 census 9,933,868[6] 
 -  Density 128.8/km2 (94th)
333.6/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2008 estimate
 -  Total $11.412 billion[7] 
 -  Per capita $835[7] 
GDP (nominal) 2008 estimate
 -  Total $4.268 billion[7] 
 -  Per capita $312[7] 
Gini (2008) 38 (low[8]
HDI (2008) 0.457[9] (low) (162nd)
Currency Kwacha (D) (MWK)
Time zone CAT (UTC+2)
 -  Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+2)
Drives on the left
Internet TLD .mw[4]
Calling code +265[4]
1 Population 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.
2Information is drawn from the CIA Factbook unless otherwise noted.

The Republic of Malawi (pronounced /məˈlɑːwi/; Chichewa [malaβi][need tone]) is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and it borders Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size is over 118,000 km² with an estimated population of more than 13,900,000. Its capital is Lilongwe, the biggest city is Blantyre. The name Malawi comes from the Maravi, an old name of the Nyanja people that inhabit the area.

Malawi was first settled during the 10th century and remained under native rule until 1891 when it was colonized by the British, who ruled the country until 1964. Upon gaining independence it became a single-party state under the presidency of Hastings Banda, who remained president until 1994, when he was ousted from power. Bingu Mutharika, elected in 2004, is the current president. Malawi has a democratic, multi-party government. Malawi has a small military force that includes an army, a navy and an air wing. Malawi's foreign policy is pro-Western and includes positive diplomatic relations with most countries and participation in several international organizations.

Malawi is among the world's least developed and most densely populated countries. The economy is heavily based in agriculture, with a largely rural population. The Malawian government depends heavily on outside aid to meet development needs, although this need (and the aid offered) has decreased since 2000. The Malawian government faces challenges in growing the economy, improving education, health care and the environmental protection and becoming financially independent. Malawi has several programs developed since 2005 that focus on these issues, and the country's outlook appears to be improving, with improvements in economic growth, education and healthcare seen in 2007 and 2008.

Malawi has a low life expectancy and high infant mortality. There is a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, which is a drain on the labor force and government expenditures, and is expected to have a significant impact on gross domestic product (GDP) by 2010. There is a diverse population of native peoples, Asians and Europeans, with several languages spoken and an array of religious beliefs. Although there was tribal conflict in the past, by 2008 it had diminished considerably and the concept of a Malawian nationality had begun to form. Malawi has a culture combining native and colonial aspects, including sports, art, dance and music.

Contents

History

The area of Africa now known as Malawi had a very small population of hunter gatherers before waves of Bantus began emigrating from the north around the 10th century. Although most of the Bantus continued south, some remained permanently and founded tribes based on common ancestry.[3] By 1500 AD, the tribes had established a kingdom that reached from north of what is now Nkhotakota to the Zambezi River and from Lake Malawi to the Luangwa River in what is now Zambia.[10] Soon after 1600, with the area mostly united under one native ruler, native tribesmen began encountering, trading with and making alliances with Portuguese traders and members of the military. By 1700, however, the empire had broken up into areas controlled by many individual tribes, which was noted by the Portuguese in their information gathering.[11]

David Livingstone reached Lake Malawi (then Lake Nyasa) in 1859,[12] and Malawi was originally known as Nyasaland under the rule of the British.[13] In a prime example of what is sometimes called the "Thin White Line" of colonial authority in Africa, the colonial government of Nyasaland was formed in 1891. The administrators were given a budget of £10,000 per year, which was enough to employ ten European civilians, two military officers, seventy Punjab Sikhs, and eighty-five Zanzibar porters. These few employees were then expected to administer and police a territory of around 94,000 square kilometers with between one and two million people.[14]

In 1944, the Nyasaland African Congress (NAC) was formed by the Africans of Nyasaland to promote local interests to the British government.[15] In 1953, Britain linked Nyasaland with Northern and Southern Rhodesia in what was known as the Central African Federation (CAF),[13] for mainly political reasons.[16] The linking provoked opposition from African nationalists, and the NAC gained popular support. An influential opponent of the CAF was Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, a European-trained doctor working in Ghana who was persuaded to return to Nyasaland in 1958 to assist the nationalist cause. Banda was elected president of the NAC and worked to mobilize nationalist sentiment before being jailed by colonial authorities in 1959. He was released in 1960 and asked to help draft a new constitution for Nyasaland, with a clause granting Africans the majority in the colony's Legislative Counsel.[3]

In 1961, Banda's Malawi Congress Party (MCP) gained the majority in the Legislative Counsel and Banda was elected prime minister in 1963. The Federation was dissolved in 1963, and on July 6, 1964, Nyasaland became independent from British rule and renamed itself Malawi. Under a new constitution, Malawi became a single-party state under MCP rule and Banda declared himself president-for-life in 1970. For almost 30 years, Banda ruled firmly, suppressing opposition to his party and ensuring that he had no personal opposition.[17] Despite his political severity, however, Malawi's economy while Banda was president was often cited as an example of how a poor, landlocked, heavily populated, mineral-poor country could achieve progress in both agriculture and industrial development.[18] While in office, and using his control of the country, Banda constructed a business empire that eventually produced one-third of the country's GDP and employed 10% of the wage-earning workforce.[19]

Under pressure for increased political freedom, Banda agreed to a referendum in 1993, where the populace voted for a multiparty democracy. Following the elections, in late 1993, a presidential council was formed, the life presidency was abolished and a new constitution was put into place, effectively ending the MCP's rule.[17] In 1994 the first multi-party elections were held in Malawi, and Bakili Muluzi became president. Muluzi remained president until 2004, when Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika was elected. Although the political environment is described as "challenging", as of 2009, the multi-party system still exists in Malawi.[8] Multiparty parliamentary and presidential elections were held for the fourth time in Malawi in May 2009, and President Bingu wa Mutharika was successfully re-elected, despite charges of election fraud from his rival.[20]

Politics

Malawi is a democratic, multi-party government, currently under the leadership of President Bingu wa Mutharika.[17] The current constitution was put into place on May 18, 1995. The branches of the government consist of executive, legislative and judicial. The executive includes a president who is both chief of state and head of government, first and second vice presidents and a cabinet. The president is elected every five years, and the vice president is elected with the president. A second vice president may be appointed by the president if he so chooses, although he must be from a different party. The members of the cabinet are appointed by the president and can be from either inside or outside of the legislature.[10]

The legislative branch consists of a unicameral National Assembly of 193 members who are elected every five years, and although the Malawian constitution provides for a Senate of 80 seats, one does not exist in practice. If created, the Senate would provide representation for traditional leaders and a variety of geographic districts, as well as special interest groups including the disabled, youth and women. The independent judicial branch is based upon the English model and consists of a constitutional court, a High Court, a Supreme Court of Appeal and subordinate Magistrate Courts. There are currently nine political parties, with the Democratic Progressive Party acting as the ruling party and the Malawi Congress Party and the United Democratic Front acting as the main opposition parties in the National Assembly. Suffrage is universal at 18 years of age, and the central government budget for 2007/2008 is $1.24 billion dollars.[10]

Malawi is composed of three regions (the Northern, Central and Southern regions),[6] which are divided into 28 districts,[21] and further into approximately 250 traditional authorities and 110 administrative wards.[6] Local government is administered by central government-appointed regional administrators and district commissioners. For the first time in the multi-party era, local elections took place on November 21, 2000, with the UDF party winning 70% of the available seats. There was scheduled to be a second round of constitutionally-mandated local elections in May 2005, but these were canceled by the government.[10] In February 2005, President Mutharika split with the United Democratic Front and began his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party, which has attracted reform-minded officials from other parties and is winning elections across the country as of 2006. As of 2008, President Mutharika has implemented reforms to address the country's major corruption problem, with at least five senior UDF party members facing criminal charges.[22] In 2008, Malawi was ranked 11th of all countries in sub-Saharan Africa in the 2008 Ibrahim Index of African Governance, an index that measures several variables to provide a comprehensive view of the governance of African countries.[23]

The military of Malawi consists of an army, a navy and an air wing, all considered to form different sections of the Malawian Army. Between the three forces there are approximately 5,500 military personnel, 1,500 paramilitary police and 80 aircraft, none of which are combat aircraft. The navy division is based out of Monkey Bay on Lake Malawi.[24]

Administrative divisions

The districts of Malawi, with Lilongwe (the capital) marked in red

Malawi is divided into 28 districts within three regions:

Central Region

Northern Region

Southern Region

Foreign relations

Former President Banda established a pro-Western foreign policy that is continued into 2008 and includes good diplomatic relationships with many Western countries. The transition from a one-party state to a multi-party democracy strengthened Malawian ties with the United States. Significant numbers of students from Malawi travel to the US for schooling, and the US has active branches of the Peace Corps, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Agency for International Development in Malawi. Malawi maintained close relations with South Africa throughout the apartheid era, which strained Malawi's relationships with other African countries, but following the collapse of apartheid in 1994, strong diplomatic relationships were made and maintained into 2008 between Malawi and all other African countries.[10]

President Bingu wa Mutharika.

Malawi has been seen as a haven for refugees from other African countries, including Mozambique and Rwanda, since 1985. These influxes of refugees have placed a strain on the Malawian economy but have also drawn significant inflows of aid from other countries. Donors to Malawi include the United States, Canada, Germany, Iceland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Ireland and the UK, as well as international institutions such as the World Bank, the IMF, the European Union, the African Development Bank and UN organizations. Malawi is a member of several international organizations including the UN and some of its child agencies, the IMF, the World Bank, the African Union and the World Health Organization. Malawi tends to view economic and political stability in southern Africa as a necessity, and advocates peaceful solutions through negotiation. The country was the first in southern Africa to receive peacekeeping training under the African Crisis Response Initiative.[10]

Geography

The Golomoti escarpment

Malawi is a landlocked country in southeastern Africa, bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast and Mozambique to the south, southwest and southeast. The Great Rift Valley runs through the country from north to south, and to the east of the valley lies Lake Malawi (also called Lake Nyasa), making up over three-quarters of Malawi's eastern boundary.[3] Lake Malawi is sometimes called the Calendar Lake as it is about 365 miles (587 km) long and 52 miles (84 km) wide.[25] The Shire River flows from the south end of the lake and joins the Zambezi River 250 miles (400 km) farther south in Mozambique. The surface of Lake Malawi is located at 1,500 feet (457 m) above sea level, with a maximum depth of 2,300 feet (701 m), which means the lake floor is over 700 feet (213 m) below sea level at some points. In the mountainous sections of Malawi surrounding the Rift Valley, plateaus rise generally 3,000 to 4,000 feet (914 to 1,219 m) above sea level, although some rise as high as 8,000 feet (2,438 m) in the north. To the south of Lake Malawi lie the Shire Highlands, gently rolling land at approximately 3,000 feet (914 m) above sea level. In this area, the Zomba and Mlanje mountain peaks rise to respective heights of 7,000 feet (2,134 m) and 10,000 feet (3,048 m).[3]

Malawi's climate is hot in the low-lying areas in the south of the country and temperate in the northern highlands. The altitude moderates what would be an otherwise equatorial climate. Between November and April the temperature is warm with equatorial rains and thunderstorms, with the storms reaching their peak severity in late March. After March, the rainfall rapidly diminishes and from May to September wet mists float from the highlands into the plateaus, with almost no rainfall during these months.[3]

Malawi's capital is Lilongwe, and its commercial center and largest city is Blantyre with a population of over 500,000 people.[3] Malawi has two sites listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Lake Malawi National Park was first listed in 1984 and the Chongoni Rock Art Area was listed in 2006.[26]

Economy

Crafts market in Lilongwe

Malawi is among the world's least developed and most densely populated countries. The economy is heavily agriculture-based, with around 85% of the population living in rural areas. More than one-third of GDP and 90% of export revenues come from agriculture. The economy of Malawi has in the past been dependent on substantial economic aid from the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and individual nations.[21] In December 2000, the IMF stopped aid disbursements due to corruption concerns, and many individual donors followed suit, resulting in an almost 80% drop in Malawi's development budget.[22] However, in 2005, Malawi was the recipient of over US$575 million in aid. The Malawian government faces challenges in developing a market economy, improving environmental protection, dealing with the rapidly growing HIV/AIDS problem, improving the education system and satisfying its foreign donors that it is working to become financially independent. Improved financial discipline has been seen since 2005 under the leadership of President Mutharika and Financial Minister Gondwe.[21] As of 2008, it was estimated that Malawi had a GDP of $4.082 billion, with a per capita GDP of $299[7] and inflation estimated at around 7.9%. Agriculture accounts for 35% of GDP, industry for 19% and services for the remaining 46%.[8] Malawi has one of the lowest per capita incomes in the world,[22] although economic growth was estimated at 9.7% in 2008 and strong growth is predicted by the International Monetary Fund for 2009.[27] The poverty rate in Malawi is decreasing through the work of the government and supporting organizations, with people living under the poverty line decreasing from 54% in 1990 to 40% in 2006, and the percentage of "ultra-poor" decreasing from 24% in 1990 to 15% in 2007.[28]

A typical road in Malawi

The main agricultural products of Malawi include tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, sorghum, cattle and goats. The main industries are tobacco, tea and sugar processing, sawmill products, cement and consumer goods. The industrial production growth rate is estimated at 4.4% (2007). The electricity of the country is 96.7% hydroelectric and 3.3% fossil fuels (2001). The country makes no significant use of natural gas. As of 2005, Malawi does not import or export any electricity, but does import all its petroleum, with no production in country.[21] Beginning in 2006, the country began mixing unleaded petrol with 10% ethanol, produced in-country at two plants, to reduce dependence on imported fuel. In 2008, Malawi began testing cars that ran solely on ethanol, and initial results are promising, and the country is continuing to increase its use of ethanol.[29]

As of 2007, Malawi exports an estimated US$604 million in goods per year. The country's heavy reliance on tobacco (it accounts for about 70% of export revenues) places a heavy burden on the economy as world prices decline and the international community increases pressure to limit tobacco production. The country also relies heavily on tea, sugar and coffee, with these three plus tobacco making up more than 90% of Malawi's export revenue. Malawi's dependence on tobacco is growing, with the product jumping from 53% to 70% of export revenues between 2007 and 2008.[21][22] Other exported goods are cotton, peanuts, wood products and apparel. The main destination locations for the country's exports are South Africa, Germany, Egypt, Zimbabwe, the United States, Russia and the Netherlands. Malawi currently imports an estimated US$866 million in goods per year, with the main commodities being food, petroleum products, consumer goods and transportation equipment. The main countries that Malawi imports from are South Africa, India, Zambia, Tanzania, the US and China.[21]

In 2006, in response to disastrously low agricultural harvests, Malawi began a program of fertilizer subsidies that were designed to re-energize the land and boost crop production. It has been reported that this program, championed by the country's president, is radically improving Malawi's agriculture, and causing Malawi to become a net exporter of food to nearby countries.[30] Also in 2006, international superstar Madonna started a foundation, known as Raising Malawi, that focuses on raising money and building infrastructure to help AIDS orphans in Malawi. The organization built an orphan-care center, and Madonna financed a documentary about the hardships experienced by Malawian orphans.[31] Raising Malawi also works with the Millennium Villages Project to improve education, health care, infrastructure and agriculture in Malawi.[32]

Infrastructure

Malawi has 39 airports, 6 with paved runways and 33 with unpaved runways. The country has 495 miles (797 km) of railways, all narrow-gauge, and 9,601 miles (15,451 km) of roadways, 4,322 miles (6,956 km) paved and 5,279 miles (8,496 km) unpaved. Malawi also has 435 miles (700 km) of waterways on Lake Malawi and along the Shire River.[21]

As of 2007, there were 175,200 land line telephones in Malawi, and 1.051 million cell phones, which is approximately 8 cell phones per 100 people. The telephone system overall is described as rudimentary. There were 139,500 Internet users as of 2007, and 3 Internet service providers as of 2002. As of 2001 there were 14 radio stations and 1 TV station.[21] In the past, Malawi's telecommunications system has been named as some of the poorest in Africa, but conditions are improving, with 130,000 land line telephones being connected between 2000 and 2007. Telephones are much more accessible in urban areas, with less than a quarter of land lines being in rural areas.[33]

Demographics

Population of Malawi from 1961 to 2003 (in thousands)

Malawi has a population of almost 14 million, with a growth rate of 2.39%, according to 2008 estimates.

Malawi's population is made up of the Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni and Ngonde native ethnic groups, as well as populations of Asians and Europeans. Major languages include Chichewa, an official language spoken by over 57% of the population, Chinyanja (12.8%), Chiyao (10.1%) and Chitumbuka (9.5%).[21] Other native languages are Malawian Lomwe, spoken by around 250,000 in the southeast of the country; Kokola, spoken by around 200,000 people also in the southeast; Lambya, spoken by around 45,000 in the northwestern tip; Ndali, spoken by around 70,000; Nyakyusa-Ngonde, spoken by around 300,000 in northern Malawi; Malawian Sena, spoken by around 270,000 in southern Malawi; and Tonga, spoken by around 170,000 in the north.[34]

According to 2007 estimates, approximately 80% of the population is Christian, with the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian making up the largest Christian groups. There are also smaller numbers of Anglicans, Baptists, evangelicals and Seventh-day Adventists. Around 13% of the population is Muslim, with most of the Muslim population being Sunni, of either the Qadriya or Sukkutu groups. Other religious groups within the country include Jews, Rastafarians, Hindus and Baha'is. Atheists make up around 4% of the population, although this number includes people who practice traditional African religions.[35]

Health

Infant mortality rates are high, and life expectancy at birth is 43.45 years. There is a high adult prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS, with an estimated 900,000 adults (or 14.2% of the population) living with the disease in 2003. There are approximately 84,000 deaths a year from HIV/AIDS (2003).[21] Approximately 250 new people are infected each day, and at least 70% of Malawi's hospital beds are occupied by HIV/AIDS patients. The high rate of infection has resulted in an estimated 5.8% of the farm labor force dying of the disease, and HIV/AIDS is expected to lower the country's GDP by at least 10% by the year 2010. The government spends over $120,000 each year on funerals for civil servants who die of the disease.[22] There is a very high degree of risk for major infectious diseases, including bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, malaria, plague and schistosomiasis.[21] Malawi has been making progress on decreasing child mortality and reducing the incidences of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; however, the country has been "[performing] dismally" on reducing maternal mortality and promoting gender equality.[28]

Education

In Malawi, primary education is not compulsory, but the Constitution requires that all people are entitled to at least five years of primary education. In 1994, free primary education for all children was established by the government, which increased attendance rates. Dropout rates are higher for girls than boys,[36] attributed to security problems during the long travel to school, as girls face a higher prevalence of gender-based violence. However, attendance rates for all children are improving, with enrollment rates for primary schools increased from 58% in 1992 to 75% in 2007, while the number of students who begin in grade one and complete grade five has increased from 64% in 1992 to 86% in 2006. Youth literacy has also increased, moving from 68% in 2000 to 82% in 2007. This increase is primarily attributed to improved learning materials in schools, better infrastructure and feeding programs that have been implemented throughout the school system.[28]

Culture

A man in Malawi playing a traditional musical instrument.

The name "Malawi" comes from the Maravi, a Bantu people who immigrated from the southern Congo around 1400 AD. Upon reaching northern Lake Malawi, the group divided, with one group moving south down the west bank of the lake to become the tribe known as the Chewa, while the other group, the ancestors of today's Nyanja tribe, moved along the east side of the lake to the southern section of Malawi. Tribal conflict and continuing migration prevented the formation of a society that was uniquely and cohesively Malawian until the dawn of the 20th century. Over the past century, ethnic distinctions have diminished to the point where there is no significant inter-ethnic friction, although regional divisions still occur. The concept of a Malawian nationality has begun to form around a predominantly rural people who are generally conservative and traditionally nonviolent.[10]

The Malawian flag is made up of three equal horizontal stripes of black, red and green with a red rising sun superimposed in the center of the black stripe. The black stripe represents the African people, the red represents the blood of martyrs for African freedom, green represents Malawi's ever-green nature and the rising sun represents the dawn of freedom and hope for Africa.[1]

A strong part of Malawi's culture is its dances, and the National Dance Troupe (formerly the Kwacha Cultural Troupe) was formed in November 1987 by the government.[26] Traditional music and dances can be seen at initiation rites, rituals, marriage ceremonies and celebrations. Soccer is the most common sport in Malawi, introduced there during British colonial rule. Basketball is also growing in popularity. The native tribes of Malawi have a rich tradition of basketry and mask carving, and some of these goods are used in traditional ceremonies still performed by native peoples. Wood carving and oil painting are also popular in more urban centers, with many of the items produced being sold to tourists. There are several internationally recognized literary figures from Malawi, including poet Jack Mapanje, history and fiction writer Paul Zeleza and authors Legson Kayira, Felix Mnthali, Frank Chipasula and David Rubadiri.[37]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Berry, Bruce (February 6, 2005). "Malawi". Flags of the World Website. Flags of the World. http://www.fotw.us/Flags/mw.html. Retrieved 2008-08-23. 
  2. ^ "Malawi National Anthem Lyrics". National Anthem Lyrics. Lyrics on Demand. http://www.lyricsondemand.com/miscellaneouslyrics/nationalanthemslyrics/malawinationalanthemlyrics.html. Retrieved 2008-08-24. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Cutter, Africa 2006, p. 142
  4. ^ a b c d "Country profile: Malawi". BBC News Online. BBC. March 13, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1068913.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-17. 
  5. ^ Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2009) (.PDF). World Population Prospects, Table A.1. 2008 revision. United Nations. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008_text_tables.pdf. Retrieved 2009-03-12. 
  6. ^ a b c Benson, Todd. "Chapter 1: An Introduction" (PDF). Malawi: An Atlas of Social Statistics. National Statistical Office, Government of Malawi. p. 2. http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/cp/malawiatlas/malawiatlas_01.pdf. Retrieved 2008-08-24. 
  7. ^ a b c d e "Malawi". International Monetary Fund. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2006&ey=2009&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=676&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=41&pr.y=11. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
  8. ^ a b c "Country Brief - Malawi". The World Bank. September 2008. http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/MALAWIEXTN/0,,menuPK:355882~pagePK:141132~piPK:141107~theSitePK:355870,00.html. Retrieved 2009-01-03. 
  9. ^ "2008 Statistical Update: Malawi". United Nations Development Programme. http://hdrstats.undp.org/2008/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_MWI.html. Retrieved 2009-04-19. 
  10. ^ a b c d e f g "Background Note: Malawi". Bureau of African Affairs. U.S. Department of State. May 2008. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/7231.htm. Retrieved 2008-08-24. 
  11. ^ Davidson, Africa in History, pp. 164–165
  12. ^ Turner, The Statesman's Yearbook, p.821
  13. ^ a b Murphy, Central Africa, p. xxvii
  14. ^ Reader, Africa, p. 579
  15. ^ Murphy, Central Africa, p. 28
  16. ^ Murphy, Central Africa, p. li
  17. ^ a b c Cutter, Africa 2006, p. 143
  18. ^ Meredith, The Fate of Africa, p. 285
  19. ^ Meredith, The Fate of Africa, p. 380
  20. ^ "Malawi president wins re-election". BBC News. May 22, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8062740.stm. Retrieved 2009-08-06. 
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Malawi". The World Factbook. CIA. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/mi.html. Retrieved 2008-08-15. 
  22. ^ a b c d e Dickovick, Africa 2008, p. 278
  23. ^ "Ibrahim Index of African Governance". Mo Ibrahim Foundation. http://www.moibrahimfoundation.org/index-2008/index.asp. Retrieved 2009-07-17. 
  24. ^ Turner, The Statesman's Yearbook, p. 822
  25. ^ Douglas, John (Summer 1998). "Malawi: The Lake of Stars". Travel Africa (Issue 4). http://www.travelafricamag.com/content/view/231/56/. Retrieved 2008-08-22. 
  26. ^ a b Turner, The Statesman's Yearbook, p. 824
  27. ^ Banda, Mabvuto (April 1, 2009). "Malawi economy grew by around 9.7 pct in 2008: IMF". Reuters Africa. http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE53008220090401. Retrieved 2009-04-07. 
  28. ^ a b c "Malawi releases the 2008 MDGs Report". United Nations Development Programme Malawi. December 23, 2008. http://www.undp.org.mw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=74:malawi-releases-the-2008-mdgs-report&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50. Retrieved 2009-01-03. 
  29. ^ Chimwala, Marcel (October 10, 2008). "Malawi's ethanol-fuel tests show promise". Engineering News. http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/malawi-s-ethanol-fuel-tests-show-promise-2008-10-10. Retrieved 2009-01-03. 
  30. ^ Dugger, Celia W. (December 2, 2007). "Ending Famine, Simply by Ignoring the Experts". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/world/africa/02malawi.html. Retrieved 2008-08-05. 
  31. ^ Luscombe, Belinda (August 6, 2006). "Madonna Finds a Cause". Time. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1223372,00.html. Retrieved 2008-10-24. 
  32. ^ Hutton, Punch (July 2007). "Raising Malawi". Vanity Fair. http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/07/madonna200707. Retrieved 2008-10-24. 
  33. ^ "Malawi". NICI in Africa. Economic Commission for Africa. http://www.uneca.org/aisi/NICI/country_profiles/malawi/malab.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-06. 
  34. ^ "Languages of Malawi". Ethnologue. SIL International. http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=Malawi. Retrieved 2008-11-21. 
  35. ^ "Malawi". International Religious Freedom Report 2007. U.S. Department of State. 2007-09-14. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2007/90107.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-18. 
  36. ^ "Malawi". Bureau of International Labor Affairs, US Dept. of Labor. http://www.dol.gov/ilab/media/reports/iclp/tda2001/Malawi.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-06. 
  37. ^ Gall, Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life, pp. 101–102

References

  • Cutter, Charles H. (2006). Africa 2006 (41st ed.). Harpers Ferry, WV: Stryker-Post Publications. ISBN 1887985727. 
  • Davidson, Basil (1991). Africa in History: Themes and Outlines (Revised and Expanded ed.). New York, NY: Collier Books, MacMillan Publishing Company. ISBN 0020427913. 
  • Dickovick, J. Tyler (2008). Africa 2008 (43rd ed.). Harpers Ferry, WV: Stryker-Post Publications. ISBN 9781887985901. 
  • Gall, Timothy L. (ed.) (1998). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life. Volume 1 - Africa. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development Inc.. ISBN 0787605530. 
  • Meredith, Martin (2005). The Fate of Africa - From the Hopes of Freedom to the Heart of Despair: A History of 50 Years of Independence. New York, NY: Public Affairs. ISBN 1586482467. 
  • Murphy, Philip (editor) (2005). Central Africa: Closer Association 1945-1958. London, UK: The Stationary Office. ISBN 0112905862. 
  • Reader, John (1999). Africa: A Biography of the Continent (First Vintage Books ed.). New York, NY: Vintage Books. ISBN 067973869X. 
  • Turner, Barry (ed.) (2008). The Statesman's Yearbook 2009: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of the World. Macmillan Publishers Ltd.. ISBN 1403992789. 

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Translations: Malawi
Top

Dansk (Danish)
n. - Malawi

Français (French)
n. - Malawi

Deutsch (German)
n. - Malawi

Português (Portuguese)
n. - Malawi

Español (Spanish)
n. - Malawi

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
马拉维

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 馬拉威

한국어 (Korean)
말라위 (동남 아프리카의 공화국; 1964년 독립; 수도 Lilongwe)

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מאלווי‬


 
 
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