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Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

1. a landlocked republic in southern central Africa; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1964;
[syn: Malawi, Republic of Malawi, Nyasaland]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

Malawi n 1: a landlocked republic in southern central Africa; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1964 [syn: Malawi, Republic of Malawi, Nyasaland]
CIA World Factbook 2002:

Malawi Introduction Malawi ------------------- Background: Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one- party rule, the country held multiparty elections in 1994 under a provisional constitution, which took full effect the following year. National multiparty elections were held again in 1999. Geography Malawi ---------------- Location: Southern Africa, east of Zambia Geographic coordinates: 13 30 S, 34 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 118,480 sq km water: 24,400 sq km land: 94,080 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: 19.93% permanent crops: 1.33% other: 78.74% (1998 est.) Irrigated land: 280 sq km (1998 est.) 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 party to: Biodiversity, Climate agreements: Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, 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 Malawi ------------- Population: 10,701,824 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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 44% (male 2,358,730; female 2,347,017) 15-64 years: 53.2% (male 2,810,478; female 2,884,601) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 120,761; female 180,237) (2002 est.) Population growth rate: 1.39% (2002 est.) Birth rate: 37.13 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) Death rate: 23.2 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/ female total population: 0.98 male(s)/ female (2002 est.) Infant mortality rate: 119.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 36.59 years female: 37.15 years (2002 est.) male: 36.05 years Total fertility rate: 5.04 children born/woman (2002 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 15.96% (1999 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 800,000 (1999 est.) AIDS: HIV/AIDS - deaths: 70,000 (1999 est.) Nationality: noun: Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian Ethnic groups: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European Religions: Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 3%, other 2% Languages: English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important regionally Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58% male: 72.8% female: 43.4% (1999 est.) Government Malawi ----------------- Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Malawi conventional short form: Malawi former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland Government type: multiparty democracy Capital: Lilongwe Administrative divisions: 27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba Independence: 6 July 1964 (from 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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: 38-member Cabinet named by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Bakili MULUZI reelected president; percent of vote - Bakili MULUZI (UDF) 51.4%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MCP-AFORD) 44.3% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - UDF 48%, MCP 34%, AFORD 15%, others 3%; seats by party - UDF 96, MCP 61, AFORD 30, others 6 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 [Chakufwa CHIHANA, president]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [Gwanda CHAKUAMBA, president, John TEMBO, vice president]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA, president]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI] - governing party Political pressure groups and National Democratic Alliance [Brown leaders: MPINGANJIRA] International organization ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, participation: IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Paul Tony Steven KANDIERO FAX: [1] (202) 265-0976 telephone: [1] (202) 797-1007 chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Roger US: A. MEECE embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi telephone: [265] 773 166 FAX: [265] 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: the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature Economy Malawi -------------- Economy - overview: Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to fully develop a market economy, to improve educational facilities, to face up to environmental problems, and to deal with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth. GDP: purchasing power parity - $7 billion (2001 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 1.7% (2001 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $660 (2001 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 19% services: 41% (2000 est.) Population below poverty line: 54% (FY90/91 est.) Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA% percentage share: highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 28.6% (2001 est.) Labor force: 4.5 million (2001 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 86% (1997 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues: $490 million expenditures: $523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.) Industries: tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (2001 est.) Electricity - production: 825 million kWh (2000) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 3.03% hydro: 96.97% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% Electricity - consumption: 767.25 million kWh (2000) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000) Agriculture - products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; cattle, goats, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts Exports: $415.5 million (f.o.b., 2001) Exports - commodities: tobacco, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel Exports - partners: South Africa 18%, Germany 13%, US 13%, UK 10%, Japan 7%, Netherlands 3% (2000) Imports: $463.6 million (f.o.b., 2001) Imports - commodities: food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment Imports - partners: South Africa 40%, UK 11%, Zimbabwe 7%, Japan 5%, Germany 2%, US 1.8%, Zambia (2000) Debt - external: $2.8 billion (2001 est.) Economic aid - recipient: $427 million (1999) Currency: Malawian kwacha (MWK) Currency code: MWK Exchange rates: Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 67.3111 (December 2001), 72.1973 (2001), 59.5438 (2000), 44.0881 (1999), 31.0727 (1998), 16.4442 (1997) Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June Communications Malawi --------------------- Telephones - main lines in use: 38,000 (1999) Telephones - mobile cellular: 49,000 (2000) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a third station held in standby status) (2001) Radios: 2.6 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001) Televisions: NA Internet country code: .mw Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7 (2001) Internet users: 15,000 (2000) Transportation Malawi --------------------- Railways: total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2001) Highways: total: 14,594 km paved: 2,773 km unpaved: 11,821 km (2001) Waterways: 144 km note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire Riverall Ports and harbors: Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba Airports: 44 (2001) Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2001) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 23 (2001) Military Malawi --------------- Military branches: Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (including paramilitary Mobile Force Unit) Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,535,207 (2002 est.) Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 1,301,625 (2002 service: est.) Military expenditures - dollar $9.5 million (FY00/01) figure: Military expenditures - percent of 0.76% (FY00/01) GDP: Transnational Issues Malawi --------------------------- Disputes - international: Malawi and Tanzania maintain a largely dormant dispute over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and current location of historical boundary in meandering Songwe River