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Country profilesMalawi

Capital: Lilongwe
Currency: Kwacha (MWK)
Time zone: GMT +2
International dialling code: +265
Driving: Left
Area size: 118,480 km²

At a glance / quick facts

Common Definition: Republic of Malawi
Language: Chewa and English are the official languages, but several Bantu languages other than Chewa are also spoken.
Region: Africa
Latitude: -13.5000000
Longitude: 34.0000000
Religion: Many people follow traditional religions, but also belong to Christian (50 percent) and Muslim (20 percent) communities.
Climate: Tropical in lower regions with high temperatures throughout the year and high humidity in the rainy season from November to March; cooler in the mountains with heavier rainfall in January and February
Ethnic Group: Maravi (including Chewa, Nyanja, Tonga and Tumbuka) 58 percent, Lomwe 18 percent, Yao 13 percent, Ngoni 7 percent

Humanitarian profile

Malawi is one of the biggest recipients of aid in Africa, most of it for social programmes. Former colonial master Britain is its biggest aid donor. Malawi is prone to famine both through flooding and drought. Another big humanitarian issue facing the country is HIV/AIDS which kills nearly 70,000 people each year, according to the United Nations.

Country snapshot

Malawi is one of the world’s poorest countries and has a largely agricultural economy. The former British colony runs along the shore of Lake Malawi and is one of Africa’s most densely populated nations. Its efforts to overcome decades of underdevelopment have been hindered by corruption and HIV/AIDS which kills tens of thousands of people every year.

Government

The president is the head of state and the head of the government and is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. Cabinet members and the chief justice of the High Court are appointed by the president. The single chamber parliament has 193 members elected by popular vote for five-year terms.

Economy

Agriculture accounts for more than a third of GDP and 90 percent of export revenues. Most of the workforce is engaged in subsistence farming. The key tobacco sector accounts for more than a half of all export revenues. Tea and sugar are other major cash crops. They also farm maize, beans, rice and peanuts. Malawi’s reliance on the export of agricultural commodities leaves it vulnerable to drought, while soil erosion is a long term threat to food production. About 10 percent of the workforce is employed in the industrial sector, which accounts for about 20 percent of GDP, and in the services sector (retailing, transport, construction) which accounts for about 45 percent of GDP. A uranium mine opened in 2009, which is expected to boost exports, and significant deposits of niobium have been found. More than half the country’s roads are unpaved. High transport costs, which can amount to half the price of imports and exports, impede economic development, as do inadequate electricity, water supplies and telecommunications. The economy depends on aid and loans from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and donor countries. About 40 percent of the government’s budget is financed by external donors. President Bingu wa Mutharika began reforms after 2005 that have impressed world financial bodies, such as liberalising the economy, privatising state-run corporations and investing in transport and infrastructure. In 2006 donors agreed to cancel $2 billion of debt, allowing the government to raise development spending. Economic growth rose to nearly 10 percent in 2008 from an average of three percent in the previous ten years. The city of Blantyre is Malawi's commercial capital.

History

Waves of Bantu tribes came to present-day Malawi over the centuries, at one point forming a powerful and large confederation. Portuguese traders reached present day Malawi in the 16^th century, but the first significant western contact was not until the 1850s Scottish missionary David Livingstone's exploration of the area from 1850 opened the way for more European involvement, which led to a British protectorate by the end of the century. The country became independent from Britain in 1964 with Hastings Banda as its first prime minister and was renamed Malawi. His rule became increasingly authoritarian. In 1966 he established a one-party state and in 1971 was voted president for life. Banda exercised dictatorial power through his Malawi Congress Party and its paramilitary youth wing until 1993 when, under domestic and international pressure, he accepted a referendum that approved multi-party rule. Bakili Muluzi of the United Democratic Front (UDF) won the presidency in an election in 1994 that was generally perceived as free and fair. He was re-elected in 1999. He attempted to change the constitution so he could run for a third term but was unsuccessful. Muluzi selected Bingu wa Mutharika as his successor ahead of the 2004 elections which Mutharika won. A rift between Mutharika and Muluzi developed in 2005 after several powerful UDF politicians were arrested as part of Mutharika’s anti-corruption campaign. Mutharika resigned from the UDF and formed the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) which many members of parliament then joined. In 2006 Muluzi was arrested on corruption charges, but they were dropped after the chief anti-corruption investigator was suspended by Mutharika. The 2009 presidential and parliamentary elections were won by Mutharika and the DPP and were considered freer than those in previous years. However, the incumbents had a clear advantage from their use of state resources during the campaign and the bias of government controlled media. Malawi has suffered from an AIDS epidemic which began in 1985 and had killed 800,000 people by 2008. Britain, Malawi’s main bilateral donor, cut aid by 3 million pounds to 19 million pounds ($30m) in 2010 after Malawi bought a presidential jet for $13.26 million in 2009.

Legal snapshot

The legal system is based on English common law and customary law. During President Mutharika’s first term from 2004 to 2009 the judiciary, which is generally independent according to U.S.-based Freedomhouse, became involved in political disputes and encountered government hostility. The Bertelsmann Foundation says the courts are under constant pressure from legislators and the executive, but can still rule in opposition to the government’s interests. Due process is not always respected by the overburdened court system which lacks resources, personnel and training. Cases are often delayed and documents lost. Police brutality, arbitrary arrests and detentions are common. Prison conditions are appalling, says Freedomhouse, and many inmates die from AIDS and other diseases. The government controlled Malawi Broadcasting Corporation and TV Malawi have a significant bias in favour of the government, but independent media outlets operate without substantial interference. Freedom of association and assembly are generally respected.

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