Malawi

Republic of Malaŵi [Dziko la Malaŵi] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)
Flag Coat of arms of Malawi Coat of arms
Motto: Unity and Freedom
Anthem: [Mulungu dalitsa Malaŵi] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)  (Chichewa) "Oh God Bless Our Land of Malawi"
Capital	Lilongwe
Largest city	Blantyre
Official languages	English (official) Chichewa (national)
Demonym(s)	Malawian
Government	Multi-party democracy
• President	Bingu wa Mutharika
Independence  from the UK
• Independence declared	July 6 1964
Area
• Total	118,484 km2 (45,747 sq mi) (99th)
• Water (%)	20.6%
Population
• 2008 estimate	13,931,831
• 1998 census	9,933,868
• Density	118/km2 (305.6/sq mi) (91st)
GDP (PPP)	2007 estimate
• Total	$10.610 billion
• Per capita	$792
GDP (nominal)	2007 estimate
• Total	$3.561 billion
• Per capita	$266
Gini (2005)	62 very high inequality
HDI (2007)	0.404  (166th)
Currency	Kwacha (D) (MWK)
Time zone	UTC+2 (CAT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (not observed)
Calling code	265
ISO 3166 code	MW
Internet TLD	.mw
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 (IPA: [məˈlɑːwi] or ; formerly Nyasaland) is a landlocked country in southeast Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast and Mozambique, which surrounds it on the east, south and west and it is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. The name Malawi comes from the Maravi, one of the original Bantu tribes to inhabit the area.

Malawi was first populated during the 10th century and remained under native rule until 1891 when it was colonized by the British. The country remained under British rule until 1964, when it became an independent, single-party state under the presidency of Hastings Banda. Banda remained president until 1994, when he was ousted from power. Bingu Mutharika, elected in 2004, is the current president, and as of 2008, 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 good 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.

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 are spoken and an array of religious beliefs. Although there was tribal conflict in the past, by 2008 it had diminished to almost nothing and the concept of a Malawian nationality had begun to form. Malawi has a strong culture combining native and colonial aspects.

History

Main article: History of Malawi

The area of Africa now known as Malawi was almost completely unpopulated before waves of Bantu immigrants began entering the area from the north around the 10th century. Although most of the Bantu continued south, some stayed as permanent settlers, founding tribes based on common ancestry. 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. 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 reverted to the control of many individual tribes, which was noted by the Portuguese in their information gathering.

David Livingstone reached Lake Malawi (then Lake Nyasa) in 1859, and Malawi was originally known as Nyasaland under the rule of the British. 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.

In 1944 the Nyasaland African Congress (NAC) was formed to promote African interests that normally played a subordinate role to the interests of European settlers. In 1953 Britain linked Nyasaland with Northern and Southern Rhodesia in what was known as the Central African Federation (CAF), in order to create a larger economic entity. 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.

President Bingu wa Mutharika

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. 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. 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.

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. In 1994 the first multi-party elections were held in Malawi, and Bakili Muluzi became president. As of 2008, the multi-party system still exists in Malawi, although there have been accusations of unfair election practices and suppression of opposition leveled against various parties in several elections. The current president is Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika, an economist elected in 2004.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Malawi

See also: Military of Malawi

Malawi is a democratic, multi-party government, currently under the leadership of President Bingu wa Mutharika. 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.

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.

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. 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.

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.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Malawi

The districts of Malawi

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.

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 Force Initiative.

Regions and districts

Main article: Districts of Malawi

Malawi is composed of three regions (the Northern, Central and Southern regions), which are divided into 28 districts, and further into approximately 250 traditional authorities and 110 administrative wards. The districts are:

• Balaka
• Blantyre
• Chikwawa
• Chiradzulu
• Chitipa
• Dedza
• Dowa

• Karonga
• Kasungu
• Likoma
• Lilongwe
• Machinga
• Mangochi
• Mchinji

• Mulanje
• Mwanza
• Mzimba
• Neno
• Nkhata Bay
• Nkhotakota
• Nsanje
• Ntcheu

• Ntchisi
• Phalombe
• Rumphi
• Salima
• Thyolo
• Zomba

Geography

Satellite image of Malawi

Main article: Geography of Malawi

See also: List of cities in Malawi

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. Lake Malawi is sometimes called the Calendar Lake as it is about 365 miles (587 km) long and 52 miles (84 km) wide. 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 (460 m) above sea level, with a maximum depth of 2,300 feet (700 m), which means the lake floor is over 700 feet (210 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 (910 to 1,220 m) above sea level, although some rise as high as 8,000 feet (2,400 m) in the north. To the south of Lake Malawi lies the Shire Highlands, gently rolling land at approximately 3,000 feet (910 m) above sea level. In this area, the Zomba and Mlanje mountain peaks rise to respective heights of 7,000 feet (2,100 m) and 10,000 feet (3,000 m).

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.

Malawi's capital is Lilongwe, and its commercial center and largest city is Blantyre with a population of over 500,000 people. 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.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Malawi

See also: Malawian food crisis

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. 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. 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. Malawi has one of the lowest per capita incomes in the world, with 65% of the population living below the poverty line and economic growth a sluggish 3%.

Crafts market in Lilongwe

The country has a GDP that is estimated at $3.538 billion, with a per capita GDP of $800 and a real growth rate of 7.4% (2007 estimates). Agriculture accounts for 37.8% of GDP, industry for 18.1% and services for the remaining 44.1% (2007 estimates). The country has a labor force of 4.5 million (2001 estimate), composed of 90% agriculture and 10% industry and services (2003 estimate). The inflation rate is 8.1% (2007 estimate), while 53% of the population live below the poverty line (2004).

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), and as of 2005, Malawi does not import or export any electricity. They are a net importer of oil, with no production in country, and use no significant amount of natural gas. Malawi'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 currently exports an estimated US$604 million in goods per year (2007), with 53% of this being accounted for by tobacco, and the remaining goods being mainly tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, 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.

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. 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. Raising Malawi also works with the Millennium Villages Project to improve education, healthcare, infrastructure and agriculture in Malawi.

Infrastructure

Main articles: Transportation in Malawi and Communications in Malawi

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.

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. In the past, Malawi's telecommunications system has been called one 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.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Malawi

Population of Malawi (in thousands)

Malawi has a population of almost 14 million, with a growth rate of 2.39%, according to 2008 estimates. 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). Approximately 250 new victims 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. 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.

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. Languages spoken include Chichewa, an official language spoken by over 57% of the population, Chinyanja (12.8%), Chiyao (10.1%), Chitumbuka (9.5%) and other native languages. According to 2001 estimates, there are approximately 2,600,000 Roman Catholics, 2,070,000 Protestants (mainly Presbyterian), 1,700,000 African Christians, 1,560,000 Muslims, 820,000 who follow traditional beliefs. The remainder of the population follows other religions, or are atheistic.

Education

Main article: Education in Malawi

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, and as of 2004 girls stay in school an average of 9 years and boys an average of 10 years. As of a 2003 estimate, literacy rates were 49.8% for girls and 76.1% for boys.

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, tribal and ethnic distinctions have diminished to the point where there is no significant tribal 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.

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.

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. 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.

See also

• List of Malawi-related articles

References

• Cutter, Charles H. (2006). Africa 2006 (41st edition ed.). Harpers Ferry, WV: Stryker-Post Publications. ISBN 1887985727. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)
• Davidson, Basil (1991). Africa in History: Themes and Outlines (Revised and Expanded Edition ed.). New York, NY: Collier Books, MacMillan Publishing Company. ISBN 0020427913. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)
• Dickovick, J. Tyler (2008). Africa 2008 (43rd edition ed.). Harpers Ferry, WV: Stryker-Post Publications. ISBN 9781887985901. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)
• Gall, Timothy L. (ed.) (1998). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life. Vol. Volume 1 - Africa. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development Inc. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help); |volume= has extra text (help); Text "isbn-0787605530" ignored (help)
• 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.
• Reader, John (1999). Africa: A Biography of the Continent (First Vintage Books Edition ed.). New York, NY: Vintage Books. ISBN 067973869X. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)
• Turner, Barry (ed.) (2008). The Statesman's Yearbook 2009: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of the World. Macmillan Publishers Ltd. ISBN 1403992789. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)

External links

• Government of the Republic of Malawi - Official site of the Malawi government

Directories

• Malawi at Curlie
• Malawi - Stanford University - African South of the Sahara directory category
• Malawi - University of Pennsylvania - African Studies Center directory category

News

• The Daily Times daily Blantyre-based newspaper
• Nation Malawi daily Blantyre-based newspaper
• Nyasa Times

Tourism

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