Malawi (2002) | Turks and Caicos Islands (2004) | |
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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 | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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.) |
0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,301; female 3,184)
15-64 years: 63.8% (male 6,696; female 6,036) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 327; female 412) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; cattle, goats, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish |
Airports | 44 (2001) | 8 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002) |
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 37
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 22 (2002) |
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 118,480 sq km
land: 94,080 sq km water: 24,400 sq km |
total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Pennsylvania | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
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. | The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseas territory. |
Birth rate | 37.13 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 22.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $490 million
expenditures: $523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.) |
revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997-98 est.) |
Capital | Lilongwe | Grand Turk (Cockburn Town) |
Climate | sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November) | tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 389 km |
Constitution | 18 May 1994 | introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form: Malawi former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands |
Currency | Malawian kwacha (MWK) | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 23.2 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $2.8 billion (2001 est.) | NA (2002 est.) |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Roger A. MEECE
embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi telephone: [265] (1) 773 166 FAX: [265] (1) 770 471 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Paul Tony Steven KANDIERO
chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-1007 FAX: [1] (202) 265-0976 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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 | have received Haitians fleeing economic collapse and civil unrest |
Economic aid - recipient | $427 million (1999) (1999) | $4.1 million (1997) |
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. | The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the 93,000 visitors in the late 1990s. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. Tourism fell by 6% in 2002. |
Electricity - consumption | 767.25 million kWh (2000) | 4.65 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 825 million kWh (2000) | 5 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 3%
hydro: 97% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hills 49 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate 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 |
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Ethnic groups | Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European | black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10% |
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) | the US dollar is used |
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% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Jim POSTON (since 16 December 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August 2003) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor |
Exports | $415.5 million f.o.b. (2001) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | tobacco, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells |
Exports - partners | South Africa 18%, Germany 13%, US 13%, UK 10%, Japan 7%, Netherlands 3% (2000) | US, UK |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $7 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $231 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 40%
industry: 19% services: 41% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $660 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.7% (2001 est.) | 4.9% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 13 30 S, 34 00 E | 21 45 N, 71 35 W |
Geography - note | landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature | about 40 islands (eight inhabited) |
Government - note | the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature | - |
Highways | total: 14,594 km
paved: 2,773 km unpaved: 11,821 km (2001) |
total: 121 km
paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |
Imports | $463.6 million f.o.b. (2001) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials |
Imports - partners | South Africa 40%, UK 11%, Zimbabwe 7%, Japan 5%, Germany 2%, US 1.8%, Zambia (2000) | US, UK |
Independence | 6 July 1964 (from UK) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2.5% (2001 est.) | NA |
Industries | tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods | tourism, offshore financial services |
Infant mortality rate | 119.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 16.27 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.79 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 28.6% (2001 est.) | 4% (1995) |
International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, 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 | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 7 (2001) | - |
Irrigated land | 280 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
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 | Supreme Court |
Labor force | 4.5 million (2001 est.) | 4,848 (1990 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 86% (1997 est.) | about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services |
Land boundaries | total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 19.93%
permanent crops: 1.33% other: 78.74% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2001) |
Languages | English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important regionally | English (official) |
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 | based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas |
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 |
unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%; seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August 2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now has 5 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 36.59 years
male: 36.05 years female: 37.15 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 74.25 years
male: 72.05 years female: 76.57 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 58% male: 72.8% female: 43.4% (1999 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, east of Zambia | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti |
Map references | Africa | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | - | none |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (including paramilitary Mobile Force Unit) | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $9.5 million (FY00/01) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.76% (FY00/01) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 2,535,207 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,301,625 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964) | Constitution Day, 30 August (1976) |
Nationality | noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian |
noun: none
adjective: none |
Natural hazards | NA | frequent hurricanes |
Natural resources | limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite | spiny lobster, conch |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 11.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
People - note | - | destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US |
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 | People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | National Democratic Alliance [Brown MPINGANJIRA] | NA |
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.) |
19,956 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 54% (FY90/91 est. ) | NA |
Population growth rate | 1.39% (2002 est.) | 3.03% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba | Grand Turk, Providenciales |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a third station held in standby status) (2001) | AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Radios | 2.6 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total: 797 km
narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2001) |
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Religions | Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 3%, other 2% | Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990) |
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.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
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) |
general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services
domestic: NA international: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 38,000 (1999) | 5,700 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 49,000 (2000) | 1,700 (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (2001) | 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable television networks) (2004) |
Terrain | narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains | low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps |
Total fertility rate | 5.04 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 3.11 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 10% (1997 est.) |
Waterways | 144 km
note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire Riverall |
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