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Malawi
Malawi
 
Capital: Lilongwe
Area size: 94080 sq. km Slightly larger than Hungary
Time zone: GMT +2
Currency: Kwacha
Area code: (+) 265
Driving: Left
Climate description: 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
 

People
Standard of living
Economy & aid
Health
Disasters, conflict & migration
Language
Chewa and English are the official languages, but several Bantu languages other than Chewa are also spoken.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population
2007 13.5 million U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006 13.4 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2005 13.2 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2004 12.9 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2003 12.6 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2002 12.3 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2001 11.9 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2000 11.6 million U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
19.4 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2006)

Ethnic groups
Maravi (including Chewa, Nyanja, Tonga and Tumbuka) 58 percent, Lomwe 18 percent, Yao 13 percent, Ngoni 7 percent
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Many people follow traditional religions, but also belong to Christian (50 percent) and Muslim (20 percent) communities.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population
2007 18.1 percent U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006 17.6 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2005 17.2 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2004 16.7 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2003 16.3 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2002 15.9 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2001 15.5 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2000 15.1 percent U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1961
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available (2006)

Percentage of population under 15
2005 47.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 47.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 47.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 46.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 45.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 46.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002


Average life expectancy
2005 46.3 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 39.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 39.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 37.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 38.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 40.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male
2005 46.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 40.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 39.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 37.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 37.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 40.2 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female
2005 46.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 39.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 39.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 38.2 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 39.1 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 39.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality
2006 76 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 79 per 1,000 live births U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 110 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 112 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 114 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 114 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 117 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
2006 120 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 125 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 175 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 178 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 330 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000 188 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Births attended by skilled personnel
1997-2005 56 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004 61 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003 61 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002 56 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001 56 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000 56 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality
2005 1100 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000 1800 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)
2005 164 UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 166 UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 165 UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 165 UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 162 UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 163 UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
2000-2006 19 percent UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005 22 percent UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004 22 percent UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
1995-2003 22 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002 25 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001 25 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000 25 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of undernourished population
2002-2004 average 35 percent U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average 34 percent FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water
2004 73 percent UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002 67 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000 57 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation
2004 61 percent UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002 46 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000 76 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Literacy - average
2004 No data available percent
2003 64.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 61.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 61.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 60.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male
2004 No data available percent
2003 74.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 75.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 75.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 74.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female
2004 No data available percent
2003 54.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 48.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 47.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 46.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones
2006 8 per 1,000 people International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2007
2005 8 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 8 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 8 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 7 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 5 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 5 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Cellular telephone subscribers
2006 33 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2005 33 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 18 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 13 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 8 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 5 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 5 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Internet users
2006 5 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2005 4 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 4 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 3 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 3 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 2 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 2 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Transparency International corruption ranking (1=least corrupt, 179=most corrupt)
2007 118 (joint) Transparency International 2007
2006 105 (joint) Transparency International
2005 97 (joint) Transparency International
2004 90 (joint) Transparency International
2003 83 (joint) Transparency International
2002 68 (joint) Transparency International
2001 61 (joint) Transparency International
2000 43 (joint) Transparency International

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
No (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

International humanitarian aid flows
Access the Financial Tracking Service, a global real-time database which records all reported humanitarian aid - including that for NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent Movement, bilateral aid, in-kind aid and private donations - searchable by country.
Source: Financial Tracking Service, ReliefWeb

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
1990-2005 20.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004 41.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003 41.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1990-2002 No data available percent
1990-2001 41.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

GNI per capita, Atlas method
2006 230  current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 220 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 220 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 180 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 150 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 140 current US$ WorldBankDataProfileTables2008
2000 150 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country’s exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP
2006 3.2 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 2.9 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 2.6 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 2.4 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 2.7 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 1.7 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000 1.7 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual GDP growth
2005 2.6 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2004 7.1 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2003 6.1 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2002 2.9 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2001 -5 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2000 1.6 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007

Annual inflation
2005 15.5 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2004 12.5 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2003 9.2 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2002 16.4 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2001 25.6 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2000 30.5 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
2.9 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
31.8 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Physicians
2000-2004 2 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004 2 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003 No data available per 100,000 people
1990-2002 No data available per 100,000 people

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
2005 14.1 percent U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2006
2003 14.2 percent UNAIDS 2006

Malaria
Risk from P.falciparum throughout the year in the whole country. Resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine reported.
Source: WHO

TB cases
2006 377 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2005 391 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2004 405 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2003 410 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2002 416 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2001 414 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2000 425 per 100,000 people WHO 2008

Chronology of natural disasters
Access EM-DAT, a database of natural disasters from 1900 to the present - death tolls and numbers of affected people - searchable by country.
Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium

Number of refugees originating here
2006 113 Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005 101 UNHCR
2004 94 UNHCR
2003 59 UNHCR
2002 48 UNHCR
2001 25 UNHCR
2000 33 UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here
2006 3943 UNHCR
2005 4240 UNHCR
2004 3682 UNHCR
2003 3202 UNHCR
2002 2166 UNHCR
2001 6200 UNHCR
2000 3900 UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
No data available

Landmine casualties per year
2004 0 Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003 4 Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military
No data available percent (2004)

Percentage of GDP spent on education
2002-2005 5.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004 6.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002 6.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001 4.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000 4.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health
2004 9.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004 3.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002 4.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001 2.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000 3.6 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003


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