Dziko la Malaŵi, Chalo cha Malawi Republic of Malaŵi
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Unity and Freedom
Anthem: Mulungu dalitsa Malaŵi  (Chichewa) "Oh God Bless Our Land of Malawi"
Capital		Lilongwe 13°57′S 33°42′E / -13.95, 33.7
Largest city		Blantyre
Official languages		English (official) Chichewa (national)
Demonym		Malawian
Government		Multi-party democracy
-	President	Bingu wa Mutharika
Independence		from the UK
-	Independence declared	July 6, 1964
-	Republic	July 6, 1966
Area
-	Total	118,484 km² (99th) 45,747 sq mi
-	Water (%)	20. The flag of Malawi was adopted on July 6, 1964. The rising Sun represents the dawn of hope and freedom for the continent of Africa The Coat of arms of Malawi is based on the earlier heraldic arms of Nyasaland. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Mlungu dalitsani Malaŵi (enGod Bless Malaŵi is the National anthem of Malaŵi. Chichewa ( Chicheŵa in Malawian English, also known as C(hinyanja) is a Language of the Bantu language family widely spoken in south-central Lilongwe, estimated population 597619 (2003 census is the Capital of Malawi. Malawi derives its name from the Maravi, a Bantu people who came from the southern Congo about 600 years ago This article is about the location in Malawi See also Blantyre South Lanarkshire. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Chichewa ( Chicheŵa in Malawian English, also known as C(hinyanja) is a Language of the Bantu language family widely spoken in south-central A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A multi-party system is a system in which three or more political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system Latest election List of Heads of State of Malawi Affiliations- MCP = Malawi Congress Party - nationalist authoritarian sole legal Bingu wa Mutharika (born February 24, 1934) is a Malawi economist politician and the current President of Malawi. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here Surface areas between 100000 km² and 1000000 km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 6%
Population
-	July 2005 estimate	12,884,000 (69th)
-	1998 census	9,933,868
-	Density	109/km² (91st) 282/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$7. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 67 billion (143rd)
-	Per capita	$596 (181st)
Gini (1997)		50. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion most prominently used as a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth 3 (high)
HDI (2007)		▼ 0. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 437 (low) (164th)
Currency		Kwacha (D) (MWK)
Time zone		CAT (UTC+2)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+2)
Internet TLD		.mw
Calling code		+265
1 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. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The kwacha ( ISO 4217: MWK has been the currency of Malawi since 1971 ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Central Africa Time, or CAT, is a time zone used in central and southern Africa. Daylight saving time ( DST A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E

The Republic of Malawi ([malaβi]; formerly Nyasaland) is a country located in southeastern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the north and Mozambique, which surrounds it on the east, south and west and is separated from Malawi by Lake Malawi (also Lake Nyasa). The Republic of Zambia (ˈzæmbɪə is a Landlocked country in Southern Africa. Tanzania ˌtænzəˈniːə officially the United Republic of Tanzania (Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique (Moçambique or República de Moçambique, ʁɛ'publikɐ d musɐ̃'bik is a country in southeastern Africa Lake Malawi (also known as Lake Nyasa, Lake Nyassa, Lake Niassa, and Lago Niassa in Mozambique) is the most southerly Lake The origin of the name Malawi remains unclear; it is held to be either derived from that of southern tribes, or noting the "glitter of the sun rising across the lake" (as seen in its flag). Malawi is a densely populated country with a democratically-elected, presidential system of government. Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system A presidential system is a System of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the term separately from the Legislature

Contents 1 History 2 Politics 3 Regions and districts 4 Geography 5 Economy 6 Humanitarian situation 6.1 Health 6.2 Nutrition 7 Foreign relations 8 Demographics 9 See also 9.1 Culture 10 References 11 External links 12 Geographic locale

History

Main article: History of Malawi

The earliest inhabitants of the area were Khoisan hunter-gatherers. The History of Malawi covers the area of present-day Malawi. The region was once part of the Maravi Empire. Khoisan (increasingly commonly spelled Khoesan or Khoe-San) is the name for two major Ethnic groups of Southern Africa. A hunter-gatherer society is one whose primary subsistence method involves the direct procurement of edible plants and animals from the wild Foraging and Hunting

They were largely replaced by Bantu tribes during Bantu migrations. Bantu may refer to Bantu expansion, a series of migrations of Bantu speakers Bantu languages Bantu people Human migration denotes any movement by Humans from one locality to another sometimes over long distances or What is now called Malawi was the Maravi state, founded by the Chewa people in the 16th century. Maravi was a state established by Bantu people in the area of Lake Malawi, in present-day Malawi, sometime during the 16th century. This article is about the African ethnic group for the language see Chichewa language The Chewa are a people of Central / Southern The Chewa were themselves an off-shoot of the Luba Empire. The Kingdom of Luba or Luba Empire (1585-1889 was a pre-colonial Central African state which arose in the marshy grasslands of the Upemba Depression in what is now In the early to mid 19th century, they were joined by Zulu-related Ndwandwe people from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, the Ngoni, under their king Zwangendaba. The Ndwandwe clan are a subgroup of the Nguni people who populate sections of Southern Africa The Ngoni people are an ethnic group living in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia, in east-central Africa. Zwangendaba (c 1785 – 1848 was the king of the Ngoni people for more than thirty years from approximately 1815 to his death in 1848

The first significant Western contact was the arrival of David Livingstone along the north shore of Lake Malawi in 1859, and subsequently Scottish Presbyterian churches establishing missions. Dr David Livingstone (19 March 1813 &ndash 1 May 1873 was a British Congregationalist pioneer medical Missionary with the London Missionary Society Lake Malawi (also known as Lake Nyasa, Lake Nyassa, Lake Niassa, and Lago Niassa in Mozambique) is the most southerly Lake Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity In 1883, a consul of the British Government was accredited to the "Kings and Chiefs of Central Africa," and in 1891, the British established the British Central Africa Protectorate, by 1907, the Nyasaland Protectorate. Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at The British Central Africa Protectorate existed in the area of present-day Malawi between 1891 and 1907 The History of Malawi covers the area of present-day Malawi. The region was once part of the Maravi Empire. In International law, a protectorate is a autonomous territory that is "protected" by a stronger state or entity hense the protector which engages to protect Although the British remained in control during the first half of the 20th century, this period was marked by a number of unsuccessful Malawian attempts to obtain independence. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on During the 1950s, pressure for independence increased when Nyasaland was joined with Northern and Southern Rhodesia in 1953 to form the Central African Federation. Northern Rhodesia was a territory in south central Africa initially administered under charter by the British South Africa Company and formed by it in 1911 by Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British Colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa, and known today as Zimbabwe Constitutional origins It was commonly understood that Southern Rhodesia would be the dominant territory in the federation — economically electorally and militarily In July 1958, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda returned to the country after a long absence. Hastings Kamuzu Banda (1896? – 25 November 1997) was the leader of Malawi, from 1961 to 1994 He assumed leadership of the NAC, which later became the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). The Malawi Congress Party is a Political party in Malawi. It was originally known as the Nyasaland African Congress but became the MCP under Hastings Banda In 1959, Banda was sent to Gwelo Prison in Southern Rhodesia (now Gweru) for his political activities but was released in 1960 to participate in a constitutional conference in London. Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British Colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa, and known today as Zimbabwe Gweru ( formerly Gwelo) is a city near the centre of Zimbabwe at.

On April 15, 1961 the MCP won an overwhelming victory in elections for a new Legislative Council. Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In a second constitutional conference in London in November 1962, the British Government agreed to give Nyasaland self-governing status the following year. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This announcement sealed the fate of the Central African Federation, which lost its reason for existence with an independent Nyasaland. Banda became Prime Minister on February 1, 1963, although the British still controlled Malawi's financial, security, and judicial systems. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A new constitution took effect in May 1963, providing for virtually complete internal self-government. The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was dissolved on December 31, 1963, and Malawi became a fully independent member of the British Commonwealth on July 6, 1964. Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia. Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. Two years later, Malawi became a republic with Dr. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Banda as its first President, and was also declared a one-party state. A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of Party system Government in which a single Political party In 1970 Banda was declared President for life (Ngwazi) of the MCP, and in 1971 Banda consolidated his power and was named President for Life of Malawi itself. President for Life is a Title assumed by some Dictators to remove their Term limit, in the hope that their Authority, legitimacy, and

However, increasing domestic unrest and pressure from Malawian churches and from the international community led to a referendum in which the Malawian people were asked to vote for a new form of government. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita On June 14, 1993, the people of Malawi voted overwhelmingly in favor of multi-party democracy. Events 1276 - While taking exile in Fuzhou in southern China, away from the advancing Mongol invaders, the remnants of the Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Free and fair national elections were held on May 17, 1994. Events 1521 - Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for Treason. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Bakili Muluzi, leader of the United Democratic Front (UDF), was elected President in those elections. Elson Bakili Muluzi (born March 17, 1943) is a Malawian politician The United Democratic Front claims to be a liberal party in Malawi and is mainly strong in the southern region populated by ethnic Yao. The UDF won 82 of the 177 seats in the National Assembly and formed a coalition government with the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD). The Alliance for Democracy is a Political party in Malawi, mainly strong in the northern region populated by ethnic Tumbuka. That coalition disbanded in June 1996, but some of its members remained in the government. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Malawi's newly written constitution (1995) eliminated special powers previously reserved for the Malawi Congress Party. Accelerated economic liberalization and structural reform accompanied the political transition.

Malawi saw its first transition between democratically elected presidents in May 2004, when the UDF's presidential candidate Bingu wa Mutharika defeated MCP candidate John Tembo and Gwanda Chakuamba, who was backed by a grouping of opposition parties. Bingu wa Mutharika (born February 24, 1934) is a Malawi economist politician and the current President of Malawi. Through the politicking of party chairperson and former President Bakili Muluzi, the party successfully secured a majority by forming a "government of national unity" with several opposition parties.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Malawi

For almost thirty one years, the government of Malawi and the Malawi Congress Party were one. Politics of Malawi takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic Republic, whereby the President of Malawi is both When Malawi was declared a republic in 1966, the country was formally declared a one-party state. Under Banda, all citizens had to be members of the party. This situation changed in a 1993 referendum, which instituted a multiparty system. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) In the country's first democratic elections, Banda and the MCP were soundly defeated.

Under the 1995 constitution, the president, who is both chief of state and head of the government, is chosen through universal direct election every five years. A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity Latest election List of Heads of State of Malawi Affiliations- MCP = Malawi Congress Party - nationalist authoritarian sole legal Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State Direct election is a term describing a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the person persons or political party that they desire to Malawi has a vice president who is elected with the president who is currently Bingu wa Mutharika. __FORCETOC__ For the Vice President of the United States, their roles and other information see Vice President of the United States. Bingu wa Mutharika (born February 24, 1934) is a Malawi economist politician and the current President of Malawi. The president has the option of appointing a second vice president, who must be from a different political party. A political party is a Political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within Government, usually by participating in electoral The members of the presidentially appointed cabinet can be drawn from either within or outside of the legislature. Malawi's National Assembly has 193 seats, all directly elected to serve 5-year terms. The National Assembly is either a Legislature, or the Lower house of a Bicameral legislature in some countries The constitution also provides for a second chamber, a Senate of 80 seats, but to date no action has been taken to create the Senate. A senate is a Deliberative body, often the Upper house or chamber of a Legislature or Parliament. The Senate is intended to provide representation for traditional leaders and the different geographical districts, as well as various special interest groups, such as women, youth, and the disabled .

The constitution provides for an independent judiciary. A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity Malawi's judicial system, based on the English model, is made up of magisterial lower courts, a High Court, and a Supreme Court of Appeal. Local government is carried out in 27 districts within three regions administered by regional administrators and district commissioners who are appointed by the central government. Local elections, the first in the multi-party era, took place in on November 21, 2000. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. The UDF party won 70% of the seats in this election.

The third multi-party presidential and parliamentary elections, originally planned for May 18, 2004 were postponed by two days following a High Court appeal by the main opposition Mgwirizano (Unity) coalition. Events 1152 - Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The run-up to the poll was overshadowed by opposition claims of irregularities in the voters' roll. European Union and Commonwealth observers said although voting passed peacefully, they were concerned about "serious inadequacies" in the poll. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

Regions and districts

Main article: Districts of Malawi

Malawi is divided into three regions (the Northern, Central and Southern regions), which are further divided into twenty-seven districts, which in turn are further divided into 137 traditional authorities and 68 sub-chiefdoms. |||} Malawi is divided into 28 districts within three regions Central Region 1 Dedza 2 Dowa The article is about the geographic sense of the term For other uses including Regions and Regional, see Region (disambiguation. |||} Malawi is divided into 28 districts within three regions Central Region 1 Dedza 2 Dowa 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

Religions: Christians 80% (mainly Protestants), Muslims 12% (Sunni), Other Religions 8%. Balaka is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. The capital is Balaka. Blantyre is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. The capital is Blantyre, a commercial city where most Malawian industrial and business Chikwawa is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. The capital is Chikwawa. Chiradzulu is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. The capital is Chiradzulu. Chitipa District is the northernmost district in the Northern Region of Malawi. Dedza is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. The capital is Dedza. Dowa is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. The capital is Dowa. Karonga is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The district covers an area of 3355 km Kasungu is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. The capital is Kasungu. Likoma District is an Exclave of Malawi situated within Mozambique consisting of two main islands Likoma and Chizumulu in Lake Lilongwe is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. The capital is Lilongwe. Machinga is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. The capital is Machinga. Mangochi is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. The capital is Mangochi. Mchinji is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. The capital is Mchinji. Mulanje is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. The capital is Mulanje. Mwanza is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. The capital is Mwanza Mzimba is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The capital is Mzimba. Nkhata Bay is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The capital is Nkhata Bay. Nkhotakota is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. The capital is Nkhotakota. Nsanje is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. The capital is Nsanje. Ntcheu is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. It borders with the country of Mozambique. Ntchisi is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. The capital is Ntchisi. Phalombe is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. The capital is Phalombe. Rumphi is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The capital is Rumphi. Salima is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. The capital is Salima. Thyolo is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. The capital is Thyolo. Zomba is a district in the Southern Region of Malawi. The capital is Zomba, the 4th largest city in Malawi

Geography

Main article: Geography of Malawi

Malawi is situated in southeastern Africa. Malawi is situated in southeastern Africa. It is wholly within the tropics from about 9°30S at its northernmost point to about 17°S at the southernmost tip In Computer graphics, a raster graphics image or bitmap, is a Data structure representing a generally rectangular grid of Pixels The Map Library should not be confused with the Map Library of The British Museum. The Great Rift Valley runs through the country from north to south. The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the late 19th century by English explorer John Walter Gregory to the continuous geographic trough approximately in length that runs In this deep trough lies Lake Malawi (also called Lake Nyasa), the third-largest lake in Africa, and the 10th largest in the world, making about 20% of Malawi's area. Lake Malawi (also known as Lake Nyasa, Lake Nyassa, Lake Niassa, and Lago Niassa in Mozambique) is the most southerly Lake Nyasa, also spelled Nyassa or Niassa is a common word for "lake" in the languages around what is now known as Lake Malawi. A lake (from Latin lacus) is a Terrain feature (or Physical feature) a body of Liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the The Shire River flows from the south end of the lake and joins the Zambezi River 400 km (250 mi) farther south in Mozambique. The Shire is a river in Malawi and Mozambique. It is the outlet of Lake Malawi and flows into the Zambezi. The Zambezi (also spelled Zambesi) is the fourth-longest River in Africa and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique (Moçambique or República de Moçambique, ʁɛ'publikɐ d musɐ̃'bik is a country in southeastern Africa East and west of the Rift Valley are high plateaus, generally between 900 and 1,200 m (3,000–4,000 ft) above sea level. A rift valley is a linear-shaped lowland between highlands or mountain ranges created by the action of a geologic Rift or fault. In Geology and Earth science, a plateau, also called a high plateau or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting The Nyika Uplands rise as high as 2,600 m (8,500 ft) in the north; south of the lake lie the Shire Highlands, with an elevation of 600–1,600 m (2,000–5,000 ft), rising to the Zomba Plateau and the Mulanje Massif, 2,130 and 3,002 m (7,000 and 10,000 ft). The Shire Highlands are a Plateau in southern Malawi, located east of the Shire River. The Mulanje Massif, also known as Mount Mulanje, is a large Monadnock in southern Malawi near the city of Blantyre, rising sharply from the surrounding In the extreme south, the elevation is only 60–90 m (200–300 ft) above sea level.

Malawi is one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most densely populated countries. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume Lilongwe, Malawi's capital since 1971, has a population which exceeds 400,000. Lilongwe, estimated population 597619 (2003 census is the Capital of Malawi. All government ministries and the Parliament are located in Lilongwe. Lilongwe, estimated population 597619 (2003 census is the Capital of Malawi. Blantyre remains Malawi's major commercial center and largest city, having grown from an estimated 109,000 inhabitants in 1966 to nearly 500,000 in 1998. This article is about the location in Malawi See also Blantyre South Lanarkshire. Malawi's President resides in Lilongwe. Lilongwe, estimated population 597619 (2003 census is the Capital of Malawi. The Supreme Court is seated in Blantyre.

Malawi's climate is subtropical. Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of The subtropics are the zones of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropic zone which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of A rainy season runs from November through April. There is little to no rainfall throughout most of the country from May to October. It is hot and humid from October to April along the lake and in the Lower Shire Valley. Lilongwe is also hot and humid during these months, a little less than in the south. Lilongwe, estimated population 597619 (2003 census is the Capital of Malawi. The rest of the country is warm during those months. From June through August, the lake areas and far south are comfortably warm, but the rest of Malawi can be chilly at night, with temperatures ranging from 5 °–14 °C (41°–57°F).

Lake Malawi is sometimes called the Calendar Lake as it is about 365 miles long and 52 miles wide. Lake Malawi (also known as Lake Nyasa, Lake Nyassa, Lake Niassa, and Lago Niassa in Mozambique) is the most southerly Lake

Malawi has five national parks: Cape Maclear; Kasungu; Lengwe; Liwonde; and Nyika. A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution Lake Malawi National Park is a national park located in Malawi at the southern end of Lake Malawi. Kasungu National Park is a National park in Malawi. It is located west of Kasungu, about 175 km north of Lilongwe, extending along the Liwonde National Park is a National park in Malawi. It is located on the upper Shire River plain east of the river 140 km north of Limbe For the portion of the park in Zambia see Nyika National Park Zambia Nyika National Park is Malawi ’s largest National park

Economy

Main article: Economy of Malawi

Malawi has a per capita GDP of 596 $USD. Economy' - overview Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's Least developed countries. It is a landlocked, densely populated country. A landlocked country is commonly defined as one enclosed or nearly enclosed by land Its economy is heavily dependent on agriculture. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Malawi has few exploitable mineral resources. Its three most important export crops are (in order) tobacco, tea and sugar. Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. Malawi's president recently urged farmers to consider growing other crops, such as cotton ^[1], as an alternative to the country's principal crop, tobacco, as cigarette consumption in the West continues to decline.

Traditionally Malawi has been self-sufficient in its staple food, maize, and during the 1980s exported substantial quantities to its drought-stricken neighbors. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Agriculture represents 38. 6% of the GDP, accounts for over 80% of the labor force, and represents about 80% of all exports. Nearly 90% of the population engages in subsistence farming. Smallholder farmers produce a variety of crops, including maize (corn) ^[2], beans, rice, cassava, tobacco, groundnuts (peanut) and coffee. Bean is a common name for large plant Seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae (formerly Leguminosae used for human food or animal Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many The cassava, yuca, manioc, or mandioca ( Manihot esculenta) is a woody Shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge family native Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. The peanut, or Groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea) is a species in the Legume family Fabaceae native to South America, Mexico CoFFEE is an Open source Software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL in a digital classroom The agricultural sector contributes about 63. 7% of total income for the rural population, 65% of manufacturing sector’s raw materials, and approximately 87% of total employment. Financial wealth is generally concentrated in the hands of a small elite. Malawi's manufacturing industries are situated around the city of Blantyre.

Malawi's economic reliance on the export of agricultural commodities renders it particularly vulnerable to external shocks such as declining terms of trade and drought. High transport costs, which can comprise over 30% of its total import bill, constitute a serious impediment to economic development and trade. Malawi must import all its fuel products. Paucity of skilled labor; difficulty in obtaining expatriate employment permits; bureaucratic red tape; corruption; and inadequate and deteriorating road, electricity, water, and telecommunications infrastructure further hinder economic development in Malawi. However, recent government initiatives targeting improvements in the road infrastructure, together with private sector participation in railroad and telecommunications, have begun to render the investment environment more attractive.

Malawi has undertaken economic structural adjustment programs supported by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and other donors since 1981. Lilongwe, estimated population 597619 (2003 census is the Capital of Malawi. The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic Broad reform objectives include stimulation of private sector activity and participation through the elimination of price controls and industrial licensing, liberalization of trade and foreign exchange, rationalization of taxes, privatization of state-owned enterprises, and civil service reform. Malawi qualifies for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief. Heavily Indebted Poor Countries ( HIPC) are a group of 37 Developing countries with high levels of Poverty and Debt overhang which are eligible

As of late May 2004, the IMF program (begun in 2000) was cancelled and a Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) was implemented. In the wake of questions about fiscal credibility, the SMP’s goal is to give Malawi’s newly-elected government the chance to establish a track record of fiscal discipline.

Real GDP increased by an estimated 3. 9% in 2004, from 4. 3% in 2003 and 2. 4% in 2002. Inflation has been largely under control since 2003, averaging 10% in that year and 11. 1% (est. ) in 2004. Discount and commercial lending rates also declined from 40%-45% in 2003 to 25% in early 2004. The Kwacha slid from 90 to 101 against the U. S. dollar in mid-2003 and was at 108 to the U. S. dollar at the end of 2004.

Malawi has bilateral trade agreements with its two major trading partners, South Africa and Zimbabwe, both of which allow duty-free entry of Malawian products into their countries. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa See also Great Zimbabwe National Monument. For information about the March and June 2008 presidential elections see Zimbabwean presidential election

Humanitarian situation

Main article: Malawi food crisis

Health

Child mortality is 103/1,000. The Malawi food crisis is an ongoing severe Food security crisis affecting more than five million people in Malawi, especially in the south caused by the failure Child mortality refers to the death of infants and children under the age of five There are more than a million orphans, 700,000 of whom became orphans when their parents died of AIDS. An orphan (from the Greek ὀρφανός) is a child whose natural parents are absent or dead and who are not there to bring him up

The Malawi government estimates that 14. 2% of the population are HIV-positive, and that 90,000 deaths in 2003 were due to AIDS. Unofficial estimates based on private hospital entries give a HIV infection percentage of 30%. Their life expectancy is 43. 35 for men and 42. 61 for women. ^[3]

Malawi's humanitarian situation entered international news in 2007 when pop star Madonna decided to adopted a Malawian child, David Banda. Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie (born August 16 1958 known as Madonna, is an American She subsequently revealed in interviews that she decided to visit the country after seeing videos calling for aid. Since 2007, Madonna's foundation Raising Malawi has worked to build hospitals and schools in the country. Raising Malawi is a charity non-profit organisation co-founded by Madonna and Michael Berg in 2006 She recently produced and wrote a documentary about the orphans in Malawi called "I Am Because You Are". In 2008 she received an Honorary Citizenship from the Malawian government.

Nutrition

Malawi's staple food is maize but like other countries in Southern Africa, Malawi has repeatedly been affected by famines since 2002, when food was scarce for almost one third of the population. A famine is a widespread shortage of food that may apply to any Faunal species which phenomenon is usually accompanied by regional Malnutrition, Starvation In 2003, 30 percent of the population were affected.

These repeated famines are caused by different factors including:

• widespread monocultures
• poor distribution of fertilizers
• droughts
• government corruption

• widespread AIDS epidemic
• bilharzia
• malaria

Some relief organisations, such as the Community of Sant'Egidio, Catholic Relief Services and other local and international organisations try to respond to the famine by distributing food parcels. Monoculture is the agricultural practice of producing or growing one single crop over a wide area Fertilizers ( also spelt fertiliser are chemical compounds given to Plants to promote growth they are usually applied either through the soil for uptake by plant A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply Schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia, bilharziosis or snail fever) is a Parasitic disease caused by several species of fluke Malaria is a vector -borne Infectious disease caused by Protozoan Parasites It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions including The Community of Sant'Egidio is a Christian community that is officially recognized by the Catholic Church as a "Church public lay association" Catholic Relief Services (CRS is the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States The government also had a starter pack farm input programme for maize seed and fertilizer. The scheme was however subject to gross abuses and sometimes the poorest people did not receive any of the items that were purportedly earmarked for them. This programme was discontinued by the Bingu wa Mutharika administration, which instead subsidised fertilizer for the local subsistence farmers.

It has been reported that Mutharika's program is radically improving Malawi's agriculture, and causing Malawi to become a net exporter of food to nearby countries. ^[2]

The government of Taiwan has also donated millions of bags of rice each year and has a permanent agricultural and medical technical aid mission in Malawi.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Malawi

Malawi has continued the pro-Western foreign policy established by former President Banda. Malawi 's Former President Muluzi continued the pro-Western foreign policy established by former President Banda It maintains excellent diplomatic relations with principal Western countries. Malawi's close relations with South Africa throughout the apartheid era strained its relations with other African nations. Following the collapse of apartheid in 1990-94, Malawi developed and currently maintains strong diplomatic relations with all African countries.

Between 1985 and 1995 Malawi accommodated more than a million refugees from Mozambique. The refugee crisis placed a substantial strain on Malawi's government but also drew significant inflows of international assistance. The accommodation and eventual repatriation of the Mozambicans is considered a major success by international organizations. In 1996, Malawi received a number of Rwandan and Congolese refugees seeking asylum. The Republic of Rwanda (ruːˈændə or /rəˈwɑːndə/ in English ɾwanda or in Kinyarwanda is a small Landlocked country in the The Democratic Republic of the Congo (République démocratique du Congo often referred to as DR Congo, DRC or RDC, and formerly known or referred to The government did not turn away refugees, but it did invoke the principle of "first country of asylum. " Under this principle, refugees who requested asylum in another country first, or who had the opportunity to do so, would not subsequently be granted asylum in Malawi. There were no reports of the forcible repatriation of refugees.

Important bilateral donors, in addition to the U.S., include Canada, Germany, Iceland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Sweden, the Republic of China, Flanders and the United Kingdom. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Flanders (Vlaanderen Flandre Flandern is a geographical region located in parts of present day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Multilateral donors include the World Bank, the IMF, the European Union, the African Development Bank, and the United Nations organizations.

Malawi is a member of the following international organizations: UN and some of its specialized and related agencies (i. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security e. UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO), the Commonwealth,IMF, World Bank, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Berne Convention, Universal Copyright Convention, African Union, Lome Convention, African Development Bank (AFDB), Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Non-Aligned Movement, G-77, and the World Health Organization (WHO). The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development ( UNCTAD) was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO, French/Spanish acronym ONUDI, is a specialized agency in the United Nations system headquartered The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA is a member of the World Bank group. The World Intellectual Property Organization ( WIPO) is one of the 16 specialized agencies of the United Nations. The Universal Copyright Convention (or UCC) adopted at Geneva in 1952, is one of the two principal international conventions protecting Copyright The African Union (abbreviated AU in English, and UA in its other working languages is a Confederation consisting of 53  African The Lomé Convention is a trade and aid agreement between the European Union (EU and 71 African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP countries, first signed in February The African Development Bank ( ADB) is a development bank established in 1964 with the intention of promoting economic and social development in Africa. The Southern African Development Community ( SADC) is an Inter-governmental organization. The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, is a Preferential trading area with nineteen member states stretching from Libya to Zimbabwe. The Non-Aligned Movement ( NAM) is an International organization of states considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc The Group of 77 at the United Nations is a loose coalition of Developing nations designed to promote its members' collective Economic interests and create

Malawi is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98). The International Criminal Court ( ICC or ICCt) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for Genocide, crimes against The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (often referred to as the International Criminal Court Statute or the Rome Statute) is the Treaty

Malawi and the People's Republic of China (Chinese Mainland) established diplomatic relations secretly on December 28, 2007. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Events 1065 - Westminster Abbey is Consecrated. 1308 - The reign of Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. On January 14, 2008, Malawi broke ties with the Republic of China (Taiwan) in public. Events 1129 - Formal approval of the Order of the Templar at the Council of Troyes. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Malawi also opened its Diplomatic Mission in New Delhi, India and HE. Mr. Brian Granthen Bowler, as first High Commissioner of this mission.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Malawi

Malawi derives its name from the Maravi, a Bantu people who came from the southern Congo basin circa 1400. Malawi derives its name from the Maravi, a Bantu people who came from the southern Congo about 600 years ago Maravi was a state established by Bantu people in the area of Lake Malawi, in present-day Malawi, sometime during the 16th century. Bantu may refer to Bantu expansion, a series of migrations of Bantu speakers Bantu languages Bantu people The Congo River (for a time known as the Zaire River) is the largest River in Western Central Africa. On reaching the area north of Lake Malawi, the Maravi divided. One branch, the ancestors of the present-day Chewas, moved south to the west bank of the lake. This article is about the African ethnic group for the language see Chichewa language The Chewa are a people of Central / Southern The other, the ancestors of the Nyanjas, moved down the east bank to the southern part of the country. Chichewa ( Chicheŵa in Malawian English, also known as C(hinyanja) is a Language of the Bantu language family widely spoken in south-central By 1500, the two divisions of the tribe had established a kingdom stretching from north of the present-day city of Nkhotakota to the Zambezi River in the south, and from Lake Malawi in the east, to the Luangwa River in Zambia in the west. Nkhotakota (formerly Kota Kota) is a Town in the Central Region of Malawi. The Zambezi (also spelled Zambesi) is the fourth-longest River in Africa and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa Luangwa River is one of the major tributaries of the Zambezi River and one of the four biggest rivers of Zambia. The Republic of Zambia (ˈzæmbɪə is a Landlocked country in Southern Africa.

Migrations and tribal conflicts precluded the formation of a cohesive Malawian society until the turn of the 20th century. In more recent years, ethnic and tribal distinctions have diminished, although regional distinctions and rivalries persist. Despite some clear differences, no significant friction currently exists between tribal groups, and the concept of a Malawian nationality has begun to take hold. Predominantly a rural people, Malawians are generally traditionalist, which includes nonviolence.

The Chewas constitute 90% of the population of the central region; the Nyanja tribe predominates in the south and the Tumbuka in the north. The Tumbuka are a Bantu ethnic group living in Northern Malawi, Eastern Zambia and Southern Tanzania. In addition, significant numbers of the Tongas live in the north; Ngonis—an offshoot of the Zulus who came from South Africa in the early 1800s—live in the lower northern and lower central regions; and the Yao, who are mostly Muslim, live along the southeastern border with Mozambique. For the related ethnic group see Tonga people of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Ngoni people are an ethnic group living in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia, in east-central Africa. The Zulu ( IsiZulu: amaZulu) are the largest South African ethnic group of an estimated 10-11 million people who live mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa For other uses see Yao. The waYao, or Yao, is a major ethnic and linguistic group based at the southern end of Lake Malawi A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique (Moçambique or República de Moçambique, ʁɛ'publikɐ d musɐ̃'bik is a country in southeastern Africa Bantus of other tribes came from Mozambique as refugees.

Europeans and Asians also live in Malawi. Most Europeans are British and Portuguese from Mozambique, and Asians are mostly Indians. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Portuguese people (os Portugueses literally the Portuguese) are the Ethnic group or Nation native to the country of Portugal, in the west The Demographics of India are overall remarkably diverse India's population of approximately 1

See also

• List of cities in Malawi
• Transport in Malawi
• Malawi national football team
• Malawian food crisis
• Military of Malawi
• Raising Malawi

Culture

• African Baptist Assembly of Malawi
• Malawian English
• Music of Malawi
• Athletics in Malawi

References

• Owen J. M. Kalinga and Cynthia A. Crosby, Historical Dictionary of Malawi, 3rd ed. (Scarecrow Press, 2001) ISBN 0-8108-3481-2
• Mitchell, Maura. "Living Our Faith:" The Lenten Pastoral Letter of the Bishops of Malawi and the Shift to Multiparty Democracy, 1992–1993. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. 2002 Mar; 41(1):5–18. (This article looks in depth at the role religion played in the transition to democracy in Malawi. )

External links

• Malawi In Figures (Zomba: National Statistical Office, 2005)
• CIA World Factbook entry
• BBC News profile
• Raising Malawi

Directories

• Stanford University - Africa South of the Sahara: Malawi directory category
• The Index on Africa - Malawi directory category
• - Meet Malawi Where the world MeetsMalawi
• University of Pennsylvania - African Studies Center: Malawi directory category
• Open Directory Project - Malawi directory category

Government

• Government of the Republic of Malawi official site
• Embassy of the Republic of Malawi to Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland and France official site

News

• The Daily Times daily Blantyre-based newspaper
• Nation Malawi daily Blantyre-based newspaper
• allAfrica.com - Malawi news headline links
• "Did Malawi Defeat Famine by Defying the World Bank ? findingDulcinea, 12/13/07

Tourism

• Malawi travel guide from Wikitravel

Other

• Utviklingsprosjekter i Malawi
• The Malawi Project
• Water Wells for Africa-Malawi
• Raising Malawi

Geographic locale

This article is about the location in Malawi See also Blantyre South Lanarkshire. This article is about the location in Malawi See also Blantyre South Lanarkshire. Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide.

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