Malawi (2007) | Macau (2001) | |
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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 (special administrative region of China) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 46.1% (male 3,143,724/female 3,130,937)
15-64 years: 51.2% (male 3,491,114/female 3,474,209) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 155,954/female 207,243) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years:
22.68% (male 53,291; female 49,615) 15-64 years: 70.08% (male 150,538; female 167,431) 65 years and over: 7.24% (male 13,287; female 19,571) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats | rice, vegetables |
Airports | 39 (2007) | 1 (2000 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 (2007) |
total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 33
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 16 (2007) |
- |
Area | total: 118,480 sq km
land: 94,080 sq km water: 24,400 sq km |
total:
21 sq km land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Pennsylvania | about 0.1 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 under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution which 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, culminating in MUTHARIKA quitting the political party on whose ticket he was elected into office. MUTHARIKA subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and has continued with a halting anti-corruption campaign against abuses carried out under the previous regime. Increasing corruption, population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country. | Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in Macau and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs. |
Birth rate | 42.09 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 12.36 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $1.016 billion
expenditures: $1.097 billion (2006 est.) |
revenues:
$1.26 billion expenditures: $1.22 billion, including capital expenditures of $175 million (1999 est.) |
Capital | name: Lilongwe
geographic coordinates: 13 59 S, 33 47 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
- |
Climate | sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November) | subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 40 km |
Constitution | 18 May 1994 | Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution" |
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 |
conventional long form:
Macau Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Macau local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese) local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese) |
Currency | - | pataca (MOP) |
Death rate | 18.25 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 3.71 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $468 million (2006 est.) | $1.7 billion (1997) |
Dependency status | - | special administrative region of China |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Alan EASTHAM
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 |
the US has no offices in Macau, and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Hawa NDILOWE
chancery: 1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 320, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270 FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288 |
none (special administrative region of China) |
Disputes - international | disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $575.3 million (2005) | $NA |
Economy - overview | Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 85% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for about one-third of GDP and four-fifths 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 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. | The economy is based largely on tourism (including gambling) and textile and fireworks manufacturing. Efforts to diversify have spawned other small industries - toys, artificial flowers, and electronics. The tourist sector has accounted for roughly 25% of GDP, and the clothing industry has provided about three-fourths of export earnings; the gambling industry probably represents over 40% of GDP. More than 8 million tourists visited Macau in 2000. Macau depends on China for most of its food, fresh water, and energy imports. Japan and Hong Kong are the main suppliers of raw materials and capital goods. Output dropped 5% in 1998 and 3% in 1999, with a small 2% gain in 2000. Macau reverted to Chinese administration on 20 December 1999. Gang violence, a dark spot in the economy, probably will be reduced in 2000-01 to the advantage of the tourism sector. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.299 billion kWh (2005) | 1.422 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 3 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 165 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 1.397 billion kWh (2005) | 1.355 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
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:
South China Sea 0 m highest point: Coloane Alto 174 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations | NA |
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 |
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Ethnic groups | Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European | Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry), Portuguese, other |
Exchange rates | Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 135.96 (2006), 108.894 (2005), 108.898 (2004), 97.433 (2003), 76.687 (2002) | patacas per US dollar - 8.033 (January 2001), 8.025 (2000), 7.990 (1999), 7.978 (1998), 7.974 (1997), 7.966 (1996); note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar |
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 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% |
chief of state:
President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of all five government secretaries, three legislators, and two businessmen elections: NA |
Exports | NA bbl/day | $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel | textiles, clothing, toys, electronics, cement, footwear, machinery |
Exports - partners | South Africa 12.6%, Germany 9.7%, Egypt 9.6%, US 9.5%, Zimbabwe 8.5%, Russia 5.4%, Netherlands 4.4% (2006) | US 47%, EU 30%, China 9.2%, Hong Kong 6.7% (1999) |
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 | light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in center of arc and four smaller |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $7.82 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 36.1%
industry: 18.8% services: 45.1% (2006 est.) |
agriculture:
1% industry: 25% services: 74% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 8.5% (2006 est.) | 2% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 13 30 S, 34 00 E | 22 10 N, 113 33 E |
Geography - note | landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature | essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland |
Government - note | no party has a majority in the fractured legislature | - |
Highways | - | total:
50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% (2004) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA bbl/day | $2.4 billion (c.i.f., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment | raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods, fuels, consumer goods |
Imports - partners | South Africa 34.6%, India 8.1%, Zambia 7.8%, US 6.4%, Tanzania 5.8%, Germany 4.6%, China 4.3% (2006) | China 36%, Hong Kong 18%, EU 13%, Taiwan 10%, Japan 7% (1999) |
Independence | 6 July 1964 (from UK) | none (special administrative region of China) |
Industrial production growth rate | 6.4% (2006 est.) | NA% |
Industries | tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods | clothing, textiles, toys, electronics, footwear, tourism, gambling |
Infant mortality rate | total: 92.1 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 96.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 87.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 14% (2006 est.) | -1.8% (2000 est.) |
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, ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | CCC, ESCAP (associate), IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), UNESCO (associate), WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 560 sq km (2003) | 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 | The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative Region |
Labor force | 4.5 million (2001 est.) | 283,450 (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 90%
industry and services: 10% (2003 est.) |
restaurants and hotels 26%, manufacturing 22%, other services 52% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km |
total:
0.34 km border countries: China 0.34 km |
Land use | arable land: 20.68%
permanent crops: 1.18% other: 78.14% (2005) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.) |
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) | Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese) |
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 | based on Portuguese civil law system |
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 in May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDF 74, MCP 60, independents 24, RP 16, others 18, vacancies 1 |
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (23 seats; 8 elected by popular vote, 8 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held by 15 October 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - APPEM 2, UNIPRO 2, CODEM 1, UDM 1, UPD 1, ANMD 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 42.98 years
male: 43.35 years female: 42.61 years (2007 est.) |
total population:
81.69 years male: 78.88 years female: 84.64 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62.7% male: 76.1% female: 49.8% (2003 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 93% female: 86% (1981 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, east of Zambia | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China |
Map references | Africa | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | not specified |
Merchant marine | - | none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999 |
Military branches | Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment) (2007) | Macau garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes about 500 troops |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.3% (2006) | - |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
125,737 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
69,191 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964) | National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day |
Nationality | noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian |
noun:
Chinese adjective: Chinese |
Natural hazards | NA | typhoons |
Natural resources | limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite | NEGL |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 9.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Alliance for Democracy or AFORD; Congress for National Unity or CONU; Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Bingu wa MUTHARIKA]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [John TEMBO]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; Malawi Forum for Unity and Development or MAFUNDE [George MNESA]; Mgwirizano Coalition or MC [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA] (coalition of MAFUNDE, MDP, MGODE, NUP, PETRA, PPM, RP); Movement for Genuine Democratic Change or MGODE [Sam Kandodo BANDA]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Brown MPINGANJIRA]; National Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party or RP [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA]; United Democratic Front or UDF | the following is a listing of those associations that participated in the last legislative elections: Associacao de Novo Macau Democratico or ANMD [leader NA]; Associacao Promotora para a Economia de Macau or APPEM [leader NA]; Convergencia para o Desenvolvimento or CODEM [leader NA]; Uniao Geral para o Desenvolvimento de Macau or UDM [leader NA]; Uniao para o Desenvolvimento or UPD [leader NA]; Uniao Promotora para o Progresso or UNIPRO [leader NA]
note: there are no formal political parties, but civic associations are used instead |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Catholic Church [Domingos LAM, bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director]; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader] |
Population | 13,603,181
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 2007 est.) |
453,733 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 53% (2004) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.383% (2007 est.) | 1.79% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Macau |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus one shortwave station on standby) (2001) | AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 160,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 797 km
narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2006) |
0 km |
Religions | Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census) | Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.004 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.005 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.753 male(s)/female total population: 0.997 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment:
fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services domestic: NA international: HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 102,700 (2005) | 176,837 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 429,300 (2005) | 120,957 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (2001) | 0 (receives Hong Kong broadcasts) (1997) |
Terrain | narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains | generally flat |
Total fertility rate | 5.74 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 1.31 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 6.6% (2000) |
Waterways | 700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2007) | none |