Malawi

Not to be confused withMarawi,Mallawi,MawlawiorMali.

Malawi(/məˈlɑːwi/;lit. 'flames'inChichewaandChitumbuka),officially theRepublic of Malawiand formerly known asNyasaland,is alandlocked countryin SoutheasternAfrica.It is bordered byZambiato the west,Tanzaniato the north and northeast, andMozambiqueto the east, south and southwest. Malawi spans over 118,484 km²(45,747 sq mi) and has an estimated population of 19,431,566 (as of January 2021).Malawi's capital and largest city isLilongwe.Its second-largest isBlantyre,its third-largest isMzuzuand its fourth-largest is its former capital,Zomba.It was the first capital city of Malawi before being changed to Lilongwe.

Republic of Malawi Dziko la Malaŵi(Chichewa) Charu cha Malaŵi(Chitumbuka)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:"Unity and Freedom"
Anthem:Mlungu dalitsani Malaŵi(Chichewa) (English:"O God Bless Our Land of Malawi")
Location of Malawi (dark green) in southeastAfrica
Capital and largest city	Lilongwe 13°57′S33°42′E
Official languages	English
Recognised regional languages	Chewa Tumbuka Yao Tonga Sena Lomwe Ngonde Lambya
Ethnic groups (2018 census)	25.2%Chewa 20.4%Tumbuka 17.9%Lomwe 15.3%Yao 5.4%Ngoni 4.8%Sena 3.2%Mang'anja 1.9%Nyanja 1.8%Tonga 1.0%Ngonde 0.6%Lambya 0.5%Sukwa 1.1% other
Religion (2018 census)	82.3%Christianity 58.5%Protestantism 17.2%Catholicism 6.6% otherChristian 13.8%Islam 2.1%none 1.2%traditional faiths 0.6% other
Demonym(s)	Malawian
Government	Unitarypresidential republic
•President	Lazarus Chakwera
•Vice-President	Michael Usi
•House Speaker	Catherine Gotani Hara
•Chief Justice	Rizine Mzikamanda
Legislature	National Assembly
Independence from theUnited Kingdom
• Dominion	6 July 1964
• Republic	6 July 1966
Area
• Total	118,484 km2(45,747 sq mi) (99th)
• Water (%)	20.6%
Population
• 2024 estimate	21,240,689(62nd)
• 2018 census	17,563,749
• Density	153.1/km2(396.5/sq mi) (56th)
GDP(PPP)	2023 estimate
• Total	$37.919 billion(137th)
• Per capita	$1,668(186th)
GDP(nominal)	2023 estimate
• Total	$13.176 billion(149th)
• Per capita	$579(190th)
Gini(2016)	44.7 medium
HDI(2022)	0.508 low(172nd)
Currency	Malawian kwacha(D) (MWK)
Time zone	UTC+2(CAT)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Driving side	left
Calling code	+265
ISO 3166 code	MW
Internet TLD	.mw
* Population estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due toAIDS;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. Information is drawn from the CIAWorld Factbookunless otherwise noted.

Various scenes around the country, 2018

The part of Africa now known as Malawi was settled around the 10th century bymigrating Bantugroups.Centuries later, in 1891, the area was colonised by the British as theBritish Central African Protectorate,and it was renamed asNyasalandin 1907. In 1953, it became a protectorate within the semi-independentFederation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.The Federation was dissolved in 1963. In 1964, the protectorate was ended: Nyasaland became an independent country as aCommonwealth realmunder Prime MinisterHastings Banda,and was renamedMalawi.Two years later, Banda became president by converting the country into aone-partypresidential republic. Banda was declaredPresident for lifein 1971, and Malawi's next few decades of independence were characterized by Banda's highly repressive dictatorship.Following the introduction of a multiparty system in 1993, Banda was defeated in the1994 general election.Today, Malawi has ademocratic,multi-partyrepublic headed by an elected president and has continued to experience peaceful transitions of power. According to the 2024V-Dem Democracy indicesMalawi is ranked 74th electoral democracy worldwide and 11thelectoral democracy in Africa.The country's military, theMalawian Defence Force,includes an army, a navy, and an air wing. Malawi's foreign policy ispro-Western.It maintains positive diplomatic relations with most countries, and participates in severalinternational organisations,including theUnited Nations,theCommonwealth of Nations,theSouthern African Development Community(SADC), theCommon Market for Eastern and Southern Africa(COMESA), and theAfrican Union(AU).

Malawi is one of the world'sleast-developed countries.Theeconomyis heavily based on agriculture, and it has a largely rural and rapidly growing population. The Malawian government depends heavily on outside aid to meet itsdevelopmentneeds, although the amount needed (and the aid offered) has decreased since 2000. The Malawian government faces challenges in its efforts to build and expand the economy, to improve education, healthcare, andenvironmental protection,and to become financially independent despite widespread unemployment. Since 2005, Malawi has developed several policies that focus on addressing these issues, and the country's outlook appears to be improving: key indicators of progress in the economy, education, and healthcare were seen in 2007 and 2008.

Malawi has a lowlife expectancyand highinfant mortality.HIV/AIDSis highly prevalent, which both reduces the labour force and requires increased government expenditures. The country has a diverse population that includesnative peoples,Asians,andEuropeans.Several languages are spoken, and there is an array of religious beliefs. Although in the past there was a periodic regional conflict fuelled in part by ethnic divisions, by 2008 this internal conflict had considerably diminished, and the idea of identifying with one's Malawian nationality had reemerged.

Etymology

The first name given to what is known now asMalawiwasNyasaland,a combination of theLomwewordnyasa"lake" and the English word "land". The combined name was formed byDavid Livingstone,a Scottish explorer and missionary who led the legendary Zambezi Expedition through the area in the mid-1800s.The current nameMalawi,meaning  "flames" inChichewaandChitumbuka,was chosen by the firstpresident of Malawi,Kamuzu Banda,after the country achieved its independence from Great Britain in 1964.

History

Main article:History of Malawi

Pre-colonial history

Chongoni Rock Art Area

The area of Africa now known as Malawi had a very small population ofhunter-gatherersbefore waves ofBantu peoplesbegan emigrating from the north around the 10th century CE.Although most of the Bantu peoples continued south, some remained and foundedethnic groupsbased on common ancestry.By 1500, the tribes had established theKingdom of Maravithat reached from north of what is nowNkhotakotato theZambezi Riverand fromLake Malawito theLuangwa Riverin what is nowZambia.

Soon after 1600, with the area mostly united under one native ruler, native tribesmen began encountering, trading with and making alliances withPortuguesetraders and members of the military. By 1700, however, the empire had broken up into areas controlled by many individual ethnic groups.TheIndian Ocean slave tradereached its height in the mid-1800s, when approximately 20,000 people per year were believed to have been enslaved and transported fromNkhotakotatoKilwawhere they were sold.

Colonialisation (1859–1960)

Missionary and explorerDavid Livingstonereached Lake Malawi (thenLake Nyasa) in 1859 and identified theShire Highlandssouth of the lake as an area suitable for European settlement. As the result of Livingstone's visit, severalAnglicanandPresbyterianmissions were established in the area in the 1860s and 1870s, theAfrican LakesCompany Limited was established in 1878 to set up a trade and transport concern working closely with the missions, and a small mission and trading settlement were established atBlantyrein 1876 and a BritishConsultook up residence there in 1883. The Portuguese government was also interested in the area so, to prevent Portuguese occupation, the British government sentHarry Johnstonas British consul with instructions to make treaties with local rulers beyond Portuguese jurisdiction.

1897British Central Africastamp issued by the United Kingdom

In 1889, a Britishprotectoratewas proclaimed over the Shire Highlands, which was extended in 1891 to include the whole of present-day Malawi as theBritish Central Africa Protectorate.In 1907, the protectorate was renamedNyasaland,a name it retained for the remainder of its time under British rule.

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 (1891 nominal value) per year, which was enough to employ ten European civilians, two military officers, seventyPunjabiSikhsand eighty-fiveZanzibarporters.These few employees were then expected to administer and police a territory of around 94,000 square kilometres with between one and two million people.That same year, slavery came to its complete cessation.

In 1944, theNyasaland African Congress(NAC) was formed by the Africans of Nyasaland to promote local interests to the British government.In 1953, Britain linked Nyasaland with Northern and SouthernRhodesiain what was theFederation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland,often called the Central African Federation (CAF),for mainly political reasons.Even though the Federation was semi-independent, the linking provoked opposition from African nationalists, and the NAC gained popular support. An influential opponent of the CAF wasHastings Banda,a European-trained doctor working inGhanawho 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 Council.

Hastings Kamuzu Banda era (1961–1993)

Malawi's first Prime Minister and later the firstPresident,Hastings Banda(left), with Tanzania's PresidentJulius Nyerere

In 1961, Banda'sMalawi Congress Party(MCP) gained a majority in theLegislative Council electionsand Banda becamePrime Ministerin 1963. The Federation was dissolved in 1963, and on 6 July 1964, Nyasaland became independent from British rule and renamed itself Malawi, and that is commemorated as the nation's Independence Day, apublic holiday.Under a new constitution, Malawi became a republic with Banda as its first president. The new document also formally made Malawi aone-party statewith the MCP as the only legal party. In 1971, Banda was declaredpresident-for-life.For almost 30 years, Banda presided over a rigidlytotalitarianregime, which ensured that Malawi did not suffer armed conflict.Opposition parties, including the Malawi Freedom Movement ofOrton Chirwaand theSocialist League of Malawi,were founded in exile.

Malawi's economy, while Banda was president, was often cited as an example of how a poor, landlocked, and heavily populated country deficient in mineral resources 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.

Multi-party democracy (1993–present)

Under pressure for increasedpolitical freedom,Banda agreed to areferendumin 1993, where the populace voted for amulti-party democracy.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 thefirst multi-party electionswere held in Malawi, and Banda was defeated byBakili Muluzi(a former Secretary General of the MCP and former Banda Cabinet Minister). Re-elected in 1999, Muluzi remained president until 2004, whenBingu wa Mutharikawaselected.Although the political environment was described as "challenging", it was stated in 2009 that a multi-party system still existed in Malawi.Multiparty parliamentary and presidentialelectionswere held for the fourth time in Malawi in May 2009, and President Mutharika was successfully re-elected, despite charges of election fraud from his rival.

President Mutharika was seen by some as increasingly autocratic and dismissive of human rights,and in July 2011protestsover high costs of living, devolving foreign relations, poor governance and a lack of foreign exchange reserves erupted.The protests left 18 people dead and at least 44 others suffering from gunshot wounds.

TheMalawian flagwas modified in 2010, altering three colored stripes with the white sun. It existed for a short while until 2012 when the colors of black-red-green of the old flag were restored.

In April 2012, Mutharika died of a heart attack. Over a period of 48 hours, his death was kept secret, including an elaborate flight with the body to South Africa, where the ambulance drivers refused to move the body, saying they were not licensed to move a corpse.After the South African government threatened to reveal the information, the presidential title was taken over by Vice-PresidentJoyce Banda(no relation to Hastings Banda).

In the2014 Malawian general election,Joyce Banda lost the elections (coming third) and was replaced byPeter Mutharika,the brother of ex-President Mutharika.In the2019 Malawian general electionpresident Peter Mutharika was narrowly re-elected. In February 2020 Malawi Constitutional Court overturned the result because of irregularities and widespread fraud.In May 2020 Malawi Supreme Court upheld the decision and announced a new election was held on July 2. This was the first time an election in the country was legally challenged.Opposition leaderLazarus Chakwerawon the2020 Malawian presidential electionand he was sworn in as the new president of Malawi.

Government and politics

Main article:Politics of Malawi

See also:Elections in Malawi,Judiciary of Malawi,andMalawian Defence Force

Malawi is aunitarypresidentialrepublic under the leadership of PresidentLazarus ChakweraThe current constitution was put into place on 18 May 1995. Thebranchesof the government consist ofexecutive,legislativeandjudicial.The executive includes a President who is bothHead of StateandHead of Government,first and second Vice Presidents and theCabinet of Malawi.The President and Vice President are elected together every five years. A second Vice President may be appointed by the President if so chosen, although they must be from a different party. The members of theCabinet of Malawiare appointed by the President and can be from either inside or outside of the legislature.

National Assembly building in Lilongwe

The legislative branch consists of aunicameralNational Assemblyof 193 members who are elected every five years,and although the Malawian constitution provides for aSenateof 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. TheMalawi Congress Partyis the ruling party together with several other parties in the Tonse Alliance led by Lazarus Chakwera while the Democratic Progressive Party is the main opposition party.Suffrageis universal at 18 years of age, and the central government budget for 2021/2022 is $2.4 billion from $2.8 billion for the 2020/2021 financial year.

The independent judicial branch is based upon theEnglishmodel and consists of a Supreme Court of Appeal, a High Court divided into three sections (general, constitutional, and commercial), an Industrial Relations Court and Magistrates Courts, the last of which is divided into five grades and includes Child Justice Courts.The judicial system has been changed several times since Malawi gained independence in 1964. Conventional courts andtraditional courtshave been used in varying combinations, with varying degrees of success and corruption.

Malawi is composed of three regions (the Northern, Central, and Southern regions),which are divided into 28districts,and further into approximately 250 traditional authorities and 110 administrative wards.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 21 November 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 cancelled by the government.

In February 2005, President Mutharika split with the United Democratic Front and began his own party, theDemocratic Progressive Party,which had attracted reform-minded officials from other parties and won by-elections across the country in 2006. In 2008, President Mutharika had implemented reforms to address the country's major corruption problem, with at least five senior UDF party members facing criminal charges.

In 2012, Malawi was ranked 7th of all countries insub-Saharan Africain theIbrahim Index of African Governance,an index that measures several variables to provide a comprehensive view of the governance of African countries. Although the country's governance score was higher than the continental average, it was lower than the regional average for southern Africa. Its highest scores were for safety and rule of law, and its lowest scores were for sustainable economic opportunity, with a ranking of 47th on the continent for educational opportunities. Malawi's governance score had improved between 2000 and 2011.Malawi heldelectionsin May 2019, with President Peter Mutharika winning re-election over challengers Lazarus Chakwera, Atupele Muluzi, and Saulos Chilima.In 2020 Malawi Constitutional Court annulled President Peter Mutharika's narrow election victory last year because of widespread fraud and irregularities. Opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera won2020 Malawian presidential electionand he became the new president.

Administrative divisions

A clickable map of Malawi exhibiting its 28 districts.

Main articles:Regions of MalawiandDistricts of Malawi

Malawi is divided into 28 districts within three regions:

Central Region 1 –Dedza 2 –Dowa 3 –Kasungu 4 –Lilongwe 5 –Mchinji 6 –Nkhotakhota 7 –Ntcheu 8 –Ntchisi 9 –Salima	Northern Region 10 –Chitipa 11 –Karonga 12 –Likoma 13 –Mzimba 14 –Nkhata Bay 15 –Rumphi	Southern Region 16 –Balaka 17 –Blantyre 18 –Chikwawa 19 –Chiradzulu 20 –Machinga 21 –Mangochi 22 –Mulanje 23 –Mwanza 24 –Nsanje 25 –Thyolo 26 –Phalombe 27 –Zomba 28 –Neno

Foreign relations

Main article:Foreign relations of Malawi

Former PresidentHastings Bandaestablished apro-Westernforeign policythat continued into early 2011. It included 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 thePeace Corps,theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention,theDepartment of Health and Human Servicesand theAgency for International Developmentin Malawi. Malawi maintained closerelations with South Africathroughout theApartheidera, which strained Malawi's relationships with other African countries. Following the collapse of apartheid in 1994, diplomatic relationships were made and maintained into 2011 between Malawi and all other African countries. In 2010, however, Malawi's relationship with Mozambique became strained, partially due to disputes over the use of the Zambezi River and an inter-country electrical grid.In 2007, Malawi established diplomatic ties with China, and Chinese investment in the country has continued to increase since then, despite concerns regarding the treatment of workers by Chinese companies and competition of Chinese business with local companies.In 2011, relations between Malawi and the United Kingdom were damaged when a document was released in which the British ambassador to Malawi criticised President Mutharika. Mutharika expelled the ambassador from Malawi, and in July 2011, the UK announced that it was suspending all budgetary aid because of Mutharika's lack of response to criticisms of his government and economic mismanagement.On 26 July 2011, the United States followed suit, freezing a US$350 million grant, citing concerns regarding the government's suppression and intimidation of demonstrators and civic groups, as well as restriction of the press and police violence.

Locations of Malawian diplomatic embassies or high commissions as of 2012

Malawi has been seen as a haven for refugees from other African countries, including Mozambique andRwanda,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, the UK and Flanders (Belgium), as well as international institutions such as theWorld Bank,theInternational Monetary Fund,theEuropean Union,theAfrican Development Bankand UN organizations.

Malawi is a member of several international organizations including theCommonwealth,the UN and some of its child agencies, the IMF, the World Bank, theAfrican Unionand theWorld 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 receivepeacekeepingtraining under theAfrican Crisis Response Initiative.

Human rights

See also:Human rights in Malawi

As of 2017,international observers noted issues in several human rights areas. Excessive force was seen to be used by police forces, security forces were able to act with impunity, mob violence was occasionally seen, and prison conditions continued to be harsh and sometimes life-threatening. However, the government was seen to make some effort to prosecute security forces who used excessive force. Other legal issues included limits onfree speechandfreedom of the press,lengthy pretrial detentions, andarbitrary arrestsand detentions. Societal issues found includedviolence against women,human trafficking,andchild labour.Corruption within the government is seen as a major issue, despite the Malawi Anti-Corruption Bureau's (ACB) attempts to reduce it. The ACB appears to be successful at finding and prosecuting low level corruption, but higher level officials appear to be able to act with impunity. Corruption within security forces is also an issue.Malawi had one of the highest rates ofchild marriagein the world.In 2015 Malawi raised the legal age for marriage from 15 to 18.Other issues that have been raised are lack of adequate legal protection of women from sexual abuse and harassment, very highmaternal mortalityrate, and abuse related to accusations ofwitchcraft.

As of 2010,homosexualityhas been illegal in Malawi. In one 2010 case, a couple perceived as homosexual (acis manand atrans woman) faced extensive jail time when convicted.The convicted pair, sentenced to the maximum of 14 years of hard labour each, were pardoned two weeks later following the intervention ofUnited Nations Secretary GeneralBan Ki-moon.In May 2012, then-PresidentJoyce Bandapledged to repeal laws criminalising homosexuality.It was her successor,Peter Mutharika,who imposed a moratorium in 2015 that suspended the country's anti-gay laws pending further review of the same laws.On 26 June 2021, the country'sLGBTcommunity held the firstPride paradein Lilongwe.

Geography

Main article:Geography of Malawi

Mountains in Northern Malawi during the rainy season

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. It lies between latitudes9°and18°S,and longitudes32°and36°E.

TheGreat Rift Valleyruns through the country from north to south, and to the east of the valley liesLake Malawi(also called LakeNyasa), 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.TheShire Riverflows from the south end of the lake and joins theZambezi River400 kilometres (250 mi) farther south inMozambique.The surface of Lake Malawi is at 457 metres (1,500 ft) above sea level, with a maximum depth of 701 metres (2,300 ft), which means the lake bottom is over 213 metres (700 ft) below sea level at some points.

Lake Malawi

In the mountainous sections of Malawi surrounding the Rift Valley, plateaus rise generally 914 to 1,219 metres (3,000 to 4,000 ft) above sea level, although some rise as high as 2,438 metres (8,000 ft) in the north. To the south of Lake Malawi lie theShire Highlands,gently rolling land at approximately 914 metres (3,000 ft) above sea level. In this area, the Zomba andMulanjemountain peaks rise to respective heights of 2,134 and 3,048 metres (7,000 and 10,000 ft).

Malawi's capital isLilongwe,and its commercial centre isBlantyrewith a population of over 500,000 people.Malawi has two sites listed on theUNESCO World Heritage List.Lake Malawi National Parkwas first listed in 1984 and theChongoni Rock Art Areawas listed in 2006.

Malawi's climateis hot in the low-lying areas in the south of the country and temperate in the northern highlands. The altitude moderates what would otherwise be an 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.

Flora and fauna

Main article:Wildlife of Malawi

Elephant inMajete Wildlife Reserve

Animal life indigenous to Malawi includesmammalssuch as elephants, hippos, antelopes, buffaloes, big cats, monkeys, rhinos, and bats; a great variety ofbirdsincluding birds of prey, parrots and falcons, waterfowl and large waders, owls and songbirds. Lake Malawi has been described as havingone of the richest lake fish faunas in the world,being the home for some 200 mammals, 650 birds, 30+ mollusk, and 5,500+ plant species.

Seven terrestrial ecoregions lie within Malawi's borders:Central Zambezian miombo woodlands,Eastern miombo woodlands,Southern miombo woodlands,Zambezian and mopane woodlands,Zambezian flooded grasslands,South Malawi montane forest-grassland mosaic,andSouthern Rift montane forest-grassland mosaic.

There are fivenational parks,fourwildlife and game reservesand two otherprotected areasin Malawi.The country had a 2019Forest Landscape Integrity Indexmean score of 5.74/10, ranking it 96th globally out of 172 countries.

Economy

Main article:Economy of Malawi

See also:Malawian food crisisandList of companies based in Malawi

Crafts market in Lilongwe

Malawi is among the world's least developed countries. Around 85% of the population lives in rural areas. The economy is based on agriculture, and more than one-third of GDP and 90% of export revenues come from this. In the past, the economy has been dependent on substantial economic aid from theWorld Bank,theInternational Monetary Fund(IMF), and other countries.Malawi was ranked the 119th safest investment destination in the world in the March 2011 Euromoney Country Risk rankings.

In December 2000, the IMF stopped aid disbursements due to corruption concerns, and many individual donors followed, 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 growingHIV/AIDSproblem, improving the education system, and satisfying its foreign donors that it is working to become financially independent. Improved financial discipline had been seen since 2005 under the leadership of President Mutharika and Financial MinisterGondwe.This discipline has since evaporated as shown by the purchase in 2009 of a private presidential jet followed almost immediately by a nationwide fuel shortage which was officially blamed on logistical problems but was more likely due to the hard currency shortage caused by the jet purchase.The overall cost to the economy (and healthcare system) is unknown.

In addition, some setbacks have been experienced, and Malawi has lost some of its ability to pay for imports due to a general shortage of foreign exchange, as investment fell 23% in 2009. There are many investment barriers in Malawi, which the government has failed to address, including high service costs and poor infrastructure for power, water, and telecommunications. As of 2017,it was estimated that Malawi had a GDP (purchasing power parity) of $22.42 billion, with a per capita GDP of $1200, and inflation estimated at 12.2% in 2017.

Agriculture accounts for 35% of GDP, industry for 19% andservicesfor the remaining 46%.Malawi has one of the lowest per capita incomes in the world,although economic growth was estimated at 9.7% in 2008 and strong growth is predicted by theInternational Monetary Fundfor 2009.Thepoverty ratein Malawi is decreasing through the work of the government and supporting organisations, with people living under the poverty line decreasing from 54% in 1990 to 40% in 2006, and the percentage of "ultra-poor" decreasing from 24% in 1990 to 15% in 2007.

Many analysts believe that economic progress for Malawi depends on its ability to control population growth.

In January 2015, southern Malawi was devastated by the worst floods in living memory, stranding at least 20,000 people. These floods affected more than a million people across the country, including 336,000 who were displaced, according toUNICEF.Over 100 people were killed and an estimated 64,000 hectares of cropland were washed away.

Agriculture and industry

Main article:Agriculture in Malawi

Harvestinggroundnutsat an agricultural research station in Malawi

Theeconomy of Malawiis predominantly agricultural. Over 80% of the population is engaged in subsistence farming, even though agriculture only contributed to 27% of GDP in 2013. Theservices sectoraccounts for more than half of GDP (54%), compared to 11% for manufacturing and 8% for other industries, including natural uranium mining. Malawi invests more in agriculture (as a share of GDP) than any other African country: 28% of GDP.

The main agricultural products of Malawi includetobacco,sugarcane,cotton,tea,corn,potatoes,sorghum,cattle and goats. The main industries are tobacco, tea and sugar processing,sawmillproducts, cement andconsumer goods.The industrial production growth rate is estimated at 10% (2009). The country makes no significant use of natural gas. As of 2008,Malawi does not import or export any electricity, but does import all its petroleum, with no production in country.Beginning in 2006, the country began mixing unleaded petrol with 10%ethanol,produced in-country at two plants, to reduce dependence on imported fuel. In 2008, Malawi began testing cars that ran solely on ethanol, and initial results are promising, and the country is continuing to increase its use of ethanol.

Children attending afarmermeeting in Nalifu village,Mulanje

As of 2009,Malawi exports an estimated US$945 million in goods per year. The country's strong reliance on tobacco places a heavy burden on the economy as world prices decline and the international community increases pressure to limit tobacco production. Malawi's dependence on tobacco is growing, with the product jumping from 53% to 70% of export revenues between 2007 and 2008. 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.

Due to a rise in costs and a decline in sales prices, Malawi is encouraging farmers away from tobacco towards more profitable crops, including spices such aspaprika.The move away from tobacco is further fueled by likely World Health Organisation moves against the particular type of tobacco that Malawi produces, burley leaf. It is seen to be more harmful to human health than other tobacco products. Indiahempis another possible alternative, but arguments have been made that it will bring more crime to the country through its resemblance to varieties ofcannabisused as arecreational drugand the difficulty in distinguishing between the two types.This concern is especially important because the cultivation of Malawian cannabis, known asMalawi Gold,as a drug has increased significantly.Malawi is known for growing "the best and finest" cannabis in the world forrecreational drug use,according to a recent World Bank report, and cultivation and sales of the crop may contribute to corruption within the police force.

GDP in Southern African Development Community countries by economic sector, 2013 or closest year

Other exported goods are cotton, peanuts, wood products, andapparel.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$1.625 billion 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 programme offertilizersubsidies, the Fertiliser Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) that was designed to re-energise the land and boost crop production. It has been reported that this programme, 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.The FISP fertiliser subsidy programmes ended with President Mutharika's death; the country quickly faced food shortages again, and farmers developed reluctance to purchase fertilisers and other agricultural inputs on the open markets that remained.

In 2016, Malawi was hit by a drought, and in January 2017, the country reported an outbreak ofarmywormsaround Zomba. The moth is capable of wiping out entire fields of corn, the staple grain of impoverished residents.On 14 January 2017, the agriculture ministerGeorge Chapondareported that 2,000 hectares of crop had been destroyed, having spread to nine of twenty-eight districts.

Infrastructure

Main articles:Transport in Malawi,Rail transport in Malawi,andCommunications in Malawi

The M1 road between Blantyre and Lilongwe

As of 2012,Malawi has 31 airports, seven with paved runways (twointernational airports) and 24 with unpaved runways. As of 2008,the country has 797 kilometres (495 mi) of railways, allnarrow-gauge,and, as of 2003, 24,866 kilometres (15,451 mi) ofroadwaysin various conditions, 6,956 kilometres (4,322 mi) paved and 8,495 kilometres (5,279 mi) unpaved. Malawi also has 700 kilometres (430 mi) ofwaterwayson Lake Malawi and along the Shire River.

As of 2022,there were 10.23 million mobile phone connections in Malawi. There were 4.03 million Internet users in 2022 (Datareportal). Also, As of 2022there was one government-run radio station (Malawi Broadcasting Corporation) and approximately a dozen more owned by private enterprises.

Radio, television and postal services in Malawi are regulated by theMalawi Communications Regulatory Authority(MACRA).Malawi television is improving. The country boasts 20 television stations by 2016 broadcasting on the country's digital network MDBNL e.g.[3] This includes Times Group, Timveni, Adventist, and Beta, Zodiak and CFC.In the past, Malawi's telecommunications system has been named as some 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.

Science and technology

Main article:Science and technology in Malawi

Research trends

Scientific publication trends in the most productive SADC countries, 2005–2014

Malawi devoted 1.06% of GDP to research and development in 2010, according to a survey by the Department of Science and Technology, one of the highest ratios in Africa. This corresponds to $7.8 per researcher (in current purchasing parity dollars).

In 2014, Malawian scientists had the third-largest output in Southern Africa, in terms of articles cataloged in international journals. They published 322 articles in Thomson Reuters' Web of Science (Science Citation Index expanded) that year, almost triple the number in 2005 (116). Only South Africa (9,309) and the United Republic of Tanzania (770) published more in Southern Africa. Malawian scientists publish more in mainstream journals – relative to GDP – than any other country of similar population size. This is impressive, even if the country's publication density remains modest, with just 19 publications per million inhabitants cataloged in international journals in 2014. The average for sub-Saharan Africa is 20 publications per million inhabitants.Malawi was ranked 107th in theGlobal Innovation Indexin 2021, up from 118th in 2019.

Policy framework

Malawi's first science and technology policy dates from 1991 and was revised in 2002. TheNational Science and Technology Policyof 2002 envisaged the establishment of a National Commission for Science and Technology to advise the government and other stakeholders on science and technology-led development. Although the Science and Technology Act of 2003 made provision for the creation of this commission, it only became operational in 2011, with a secretariat resulting from the merger of the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Council. The Science and Technology Act of 2003 also established a Science and Technology Fund to finance research and studies through government grants and loans but, as of 2014,this was not yet operational. The Secretariat of the National Commission for Science and Technology has reviewed theStrategic Plan for Science, Technology, and Innovation(2011–2015) but, as of early 2015, the revised policy had not yet met with Cabinet approval.

Malawi is conscious of the need to attract more foreign investment to foster technology transfer, develop human capital and empower the private sector to drive economic growth. In 2012, most foreign investments flowed to infrastructure (62%) and the energy sector (33%). The government has introduced a series of fiscal incentives, including tax breaks, to attract more foreign investors. In 2013, the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre put together an investment portfolio spanning 20 companies in the country's six major economic growth sectors, namely:

• agriculture;
• manufacturing;
• energy (bio-energy, mobile electricity);
• tourism (ecolodges);
• infrastructure (wastewater services, fiber optic cables, etc.); and
• mining.

• 
  Scientific research output in terms of publications in Southern Africa, cumulative totals by field, 2008–2014
• 
  Researchers (HC) in Southern Africa per million inhabitants, 2013 or closest year
• 
  Scientific publications per million inhabitants in SADC countries in 2014
• 
  Domestic expenditure on research in Southern Africa as a percentage of GDP, 2012 or closest year

In 2013, the government adopted aNational Export Strategyto diversify the country's exports. Production facilities are to be established for a wide range of products within the three selected clusters: oilseed products, sugar cane products, and manufacturing. The strategy makes provision for greater access to the outcome of international research and better information about available technologies; it also helps companies to obtain grants to invest in such technologies from sources such as the country's Export Development Fund and the Malawi Innovation Challenge Fund.

Demographics

Main article:Demographics of Malawi

Population

Malawi has a population of over 19 million, with agrowth rateof 3.32%, according to 2021 estimates.The population is forecast to grow to over 47 million people by 2050, nearly tripling the estimated 16 million in 2010. Malawi's estimated 2016 population is, based on most recent estimates, 18,091,575.

Cities

See also:List of cities in Malawi

Largest cities or towns in Malawi According to the 2018 Census
	Rank	Name	Region	Pop.
Lilongwe Blantyre	1	Lilongwe	Central	989,318
	2	Blantyre	Southern	800,264
	3	Mzuzu	Northern	221,272
	4	Zomba	Southern	105,013
	5	Karonga	Northern	61,609
	6	Kasungu	Central	58,653
	7	Mangochi	Southern	53,498
	8	Salima	Central	36,789
	9	Liwonde	Southern	36,421
	10	Balaka	Southern	36,308

Ethnic groups

Ethnic Groups in Malawi (2018 Census)
Ethnic Groups			per cent
Chewa			34.4%
Lomwe			18.9%
Yao			14.3%
Tumbuka			22.2%
Sena			3.8%
Mang'anja			3.2%
Nyanja			1.9%
Tonga			1.8%
Ngonde			1%
Lambya			0.6%
Sukwa			0.5%
Other			1.1%

Malawi's population is made up of theChewa,Tumbuka,Yao,Lomwe,Sena,Tonga,Ngoni,andNgondenativeethnic groups,as well as populations ofChineseandEuropeans.

Languages

Main article:Languages of Malawi

Languages of Malawi (1998 Census)
Languages			per cent
Chichewa			57.2%
Chinyanja			12.8%
Chiyao			10.1%
Chitumbuka			9.5%
Chisena			2.7%
Chilomwe			2.4%
Chitonga			1.7%
Chinkhonde			0.8%
Chingoni			0.7%
Chilambya			0.4%
Chisenga			0.2%
Chinyakyusa			0.2%
English			0.2%
Other			1.1%

The official language is English.

Malawi health passport showing 3 languages most used in Malawi,English(red dot),Chewa(blue dot) andTumbuka(green dot).

Major languages includeChichewa,aBantu languagespoken by over 41% of the population,Chitumbuka(28.2%),Chinyanja(12.8%), andChiyao(16.1%).Othernative languagesareMalawian Lomwe,spoken by around 250,000 in the southeast of the country;Kokola,spoken by around 200,000 people also in the southeast;Lambya,spoken by around 45,000 in the northwestern tip;Ndali,spoken by around 70,000;Nyakyusa-Ngonde,spoken by around 300,000 in northern Malawi; MalawianSena,spoken by around 270,000 in southern Malawi; andTonga,spoken by around 170,000 in the north.

All students in public elementary school receive instruction in Chichewa, which is described as the unofficial national language of Malawi. Students in private elementary schools, however, receive instruction in English if they follow the American or British curriculum.

Religion

Further information:Christianity in Malawi,Roman Catholicism in Malawi,Islam in Malawi,Hinduism in Malawi,andBaháʼí Faith in Malawi

Religion in Malawi(2018)

Christianity(77.3%)

Islam(13.8%)

Traditional (1.1%)

Other or none (7.8%)

Mission Church inLivingstonia

Malawi is a majority Christian country, with a significant Muslim minority. Government surveys indicate that 87% of the country is Christian, with a minority 11.6% Muslim population.The largest Christian groups in Malawi are the Roman Catholic Church, of which 19% of Malawians are adherents, and theChurch of Central Africa Presbyterian(CCAP) to which 18% belong.The CCAP is the largest Protestant denomination in Malawi with 1.3 million members. There are smallerPresbyteriandenominations like theReformed Presbyterian Church of Malawiand theEvangelical Presbyterian Church of Malawi.There are also smaller numbers ofAnglicans,Baptists,evangelicals,Seventh-day Adventists,and theLutherans.

Most of the Muslim population isSunni,of either theQadriyaor Sukkutu groups.

Other religious groups within the country includeJehovah's Witnesses(over 95,000),The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintswith just over 2,000 members in the country at the end of 2015,Rastafari,Hindus,Baháʼís,(0.2%) and around 300Jews.Atheistsmake up around 4% of the population, although this number may include people who practice traditional African religions that do not have any gods.

Health

Main article:Healthcare in Malawi

Malawi women with young children attendingfamily planningservices

Malawi has central hospitals, regional and private facilities. The public sector offers free health services and medicines, whilenon-government organizationsoffers services and medicines for fees. Private doctors offer fee-based services and medicines. Health insurance schemes have been established since 2000.The country has apharmaceutical manufacturingindustry consisting of four privately owned pharmaceutical companies. Malawi's healthcare goal is for "promoting health, preventing, reducing and curing disease, and reducing the occurrence of premature death in the population".

Infant mortalityrates are high, andlife expectancyat birth is 50.03 years. Abortion is illegal in Malawi,except to save the mother's life. The Penal Code punishes women who seek illegal or clinical abortion with 7 years in prison, and 14 years for those perform the abortion.There is a high adult prevalence rate ofHIV/AIDS,with an estimated 980,000 adults (or 9.1% of the population) living with the disease in 2015. There are approximately 27,000 deaths each year from HIV/AIDS, and over half a million children orphaned because of the disease (2015).Approximately 250 new people 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 labour force dying of the disease. The government spends over $120,000 each year on funerals for civil servants who die of the disease.In 2006, international superstarMadonnastartedRaising Malawi,a foundation that helps AIDS orphans in Malawi, and also financed a documentary about the hardships experienced by Malawian orphans, calledI Am Because We Are.Raising Malawi also works with theMillennium Villages Projectto improve education, health care, infrastructure and agriculture in Malawi.

There is a very high degree of risk for major infectious diseases, including bacterial and protozoaldiarrhoea,hepatitis A,typhoid fever,malaria,plague,schistosomiasis,andrabies.Malawi has been making progress on decreasing child mortality and reducing the incidences of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; however, the country has been "performing dismally" on reducing maternal mortality and promotinggender equality.Female genital mutilation(FGM), while not widespread, is practiced in some local communities.

On 23 November 2016, a court in Malawi sentenced an HIV-positive man to two years in prison with forced labour for having sex with 100 women without disclosing his status. Women rights activists asked the government to review the sentence calling it too "lenient".Some of the major health facilities in the country are Blantyre Adventist Hospital, Mwaiwathu Private Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Central, and Kamuzu Central Hospitals.

Education

Main article:Education in Malawi

Public expenditure on education in Southern Africa as a share of GDP, 2012 or closest year

In 1994, free primary education for all Malawian children was established by the government, and primary education has been compulsory since the passage of the Revised Education Act in 2012. As a result, attendance rates for all children have improved, with enrollment rates for primary schools up from 58% in 1992 to 75% in 2007. Also, the percentage of students who begin standard one and complete standard five has increased from 64% in 1992 to 86% in 2006. According to the World Bank, it shows that youth literacy had also increased from 68% in 2000 to 75% in 2015.This increase is primarily attributed to improved learning materials in schools, better infrastructure and feeding programs that have been implemented throughout the school system.However, attendance in the secondary school falls to approximately 25%, with attendance rates being slightly higher for males.Dropout rates are higher for girls than boys,attributed to security problems during long walks to school, as girls face a higher prevalence of gender-based violence.

Education in Malawi comprises eight years of primary education, four years of secondary school and four years of university. There are four public universities in Malawi:Mzuzu University(MZUNI),Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources(LUANAR), theUniversity of Malawi(UNIMA) andMalawi University of Science and Technology(MUST). There are also private universities, such as Livingstonia, Malawi Lakeview, Catholic University of Malawi, Central Christian University, African Bible College, UNICAF University, and MIM. The entry requirement is six credits on the Malawi School Certificate of Education, which is equivalent to O levels.

Women in Malawi

Mbawemi Women's group in Malawi learning how to add value to beeswax by making candles

The status of women throughout the world, including Malawi, is measured using a wide range of indices that cover areas of social, economic, and political contexts. Focusing primarily on the time period between 2010 and the current day, the status of women in Malawi will be analyzed through a range of statistical indices.

The current social status of women in Malawi is effectively estimated through indices such as female access to schooling, maternal mortality rate, and life expectancy of women from birth. These indices offer a wide lens of information on women's rights and life in Malawi. Women's access to schooling in Malawi as an index highlights how within the state, the ratio of male to female students for many age groups and for total students by gender shows women's access to schooling maintains on par with men's access.Female students in Malawi, though, see consistent declines as the age increases, signifying the failure of compulsory education among female students in Malawi.The life expectancy of women from birth in Malawi has seen significant growth over the past decade as the life expectancy of women in 2010 was approximately 58 years old whilst the most recent data from 2017 finds that women in Malawi's average life expectancy grew to 66 years.The maternal mortality rate in Malawi which is particularly low even when compared with states at similar points in the development process.

The economic status of women in Malawi is gauged using indices such as the inheritance rights for women, unemployment, and labour force participation for females, along with the extent of the wage gap present between men and women in the Malawian economy. The inheritance rights index gauges the ability of women to effectively own and maintain the property in comparison with their male counterparts. The current inheritance rights in Malawi are found to be equal in their dispersion between male/female children and for male/female surviving spouses.Contrary to the equality found in inheritance rights in Malawi, labour force participation and unemployment highlight the challenges for female employment in the state. The current state of female labour participation details how a higher percentage of the male population is currently employed despite the female population having a higher total employed population and a very similar unemployment rate.This gap continues with wages in Malawi as the state continues to score towards the bottom of the list when compared to states across the world.Along with their poor international ranking, the state scores poorly when compared to other sub-Saharan countries as the highest-ranked sub-Saharan state, Rwanda, scored a 0.791 on a 0–1 scale while Malawi scored 0.664.

The indices used to gauge the political status of women include political participation amongst women, access to political institutions, and female seats in the national parliament. The political participation of women in Malawi as an index is effectively captured through a myriad of sources; these sources come to similar conclusions in regards to the political participation of women. The participation of women in the national political structure has been shown to be weaker than their male counterparts due to the normalization of negative stereotypes which women are not expected to be as politically active as men.The female participation in politics is further restricted from national political structures due to the presence of gatekeepers which provide access to the resources needed to win elections and maintain seats in parliament.This limited participation is directly correlated to the limited positions which are occupied by women in the national setup. This setup, despite its commitment to equal positions for men and women, has failed to promote methods for female politicians maintaining their seats in parliament and as a result of said policies, women throughout Malawi are left without the proper structure and resources to maintain their position in the national structure.Despite the limited resources available to these female politicians, the national parliament within Malawi finds reasonable success in appointing female members to seats within the body as over 20% of the seats in parliament are held by women.Despite the limited access and resources widely available for female politicians in Malawi, the state is finding reasonable success in promoting female politicians on the national scene which works in conjunction with the positive trajectory of the social and economic indices to conclude that Malawi should expect continued growth toward gender equality.

Military

Main article:Malawian Defence Force

Malawian female soldier

Malawi maintains a small standing military of approximately 25,000, theMalawian Defence Force.It consists of army, navy and air force elements. The Malawi army originated fromBritish colonial unitsformed before independence, and is now made up of two rifle regiments and one parachute regiment. The Malawi Air Force was established with German help in 1976, and operates a small number of transport aircraft and multi-purpose helicopters. The Malawian Navy was established in the early 1970s with Portuguese support, presently having three vessels operating on Lake Malawi, based inMonkey Bay.In 2017, Malawi signed the UNTreaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Culture

See also:Music of MalawiandMalawian cuisine

Musical instruments of Malawi

The name "Malawi" comes from theMaravi,aBantuethnic group who emigrated from the southernCongoaround 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 group known as theChewa,while the other group, the ancestors of today's Nyanja, moved along the east side of the lake to the southern section of Malawi. Ethnic 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, ethnic distinctions have diminished to the point where there is no significant inter-ethnic friction, although regional divisions still occur. The concept of a Malawian nationality has begun to form around predominantly rural people who are generally conservative and traditionally nonviolent. The "Warm Heart of Africa" nickname is not due to the hot weather of the country, but due to the kind, loving nature of the Malawian people.

From 1964 to 2010, and again since 2012, theFlag of Malawiis 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 represented the African people, the red represented the blood of martyrs for African freedom, green represented Malawi's ever-green nature and the rising sun represented the dawn of freedom and hope for Africa.In 2010, the flag was changed, removing the red rising sun and adding a full white sun in the centre as a symbol of Malawi'seconomic progress.The change was reverted in 2012.

Its dances are a strong part of Malawi's culture, and theNational Dance Troupe(formerly the Kwacha Cultural Troupe) was formed in November 1987 by the government.Traditional music and dances can be seen atinitiation rites,rituals,marriage ceremonies and celebrations.

The indigenous ethnic groups of Malawi have a rich tradition ofbasketryandmaskcarving,and some of these goods are used in traditional ceremonies still performed by native peoples.Wood carvingandoil paintingare also popular in more urban centres, with many of the items produced being sold to tourists. There are several internationally recognised literary figures from Malawi, including poetJack Mapanje,history and fiction writerPaul Zelezaand authorsLegson Kayira,Felix Mnthali,Frank ChipasulaandDavid Rubadiri.

Media

Main article:Mass media in Malawi

• Television Malawi

Sports

Main article:Sports in Malawi

Bingu National StadiuminLilongwe

Footballis the most common sport in Malawi, introduced there during British colonial rule. Itsnational teamhas failed to qualify for aWorld Cupso far, but have made three appearances in theAfrica Cup of Nations.Football teams includeMighty Wanderers,Big Bullets,Silver Strikers,Blue Eagles,Civo Sporting,Moyale Barracks,andMighty Tigers. Basketball is also growing in popularity, but itsnational teamis yet to participate in any international competition.

More success has been found innetball,with theMalawi national netball teamranked 6th in the world (as of March 2021). Notably a number of players in the national team play in international leagues.

Cuisine

Main article:Malawian cuisine

Malawian cuisine is diverse, with tea and fish being popular features of the country's cuisine.Sugar, coffee, corn, potatoes, sorghum, cattle and goats are also important components of the cuisine and economy.Lake Malawiis a source of fish includingchambo(similar tobream),usipa(similar tosardines), andmpasa(similar tosalmonandkampango).Nsimais a food staple made from ground corn and typically served with side dishes of meat and vegetables. It is commonly eaten for lunch and dinner.

See also

• Outline of Malawi
• Telephone numbers in Malawi

References

• Cutter, Charles H. (2006).Africa 2006(41st ed.). Harpers Ferry, West Virginia: Stryker-Post Publications.ISBN1-887985-72-7.
• Davidson, Basil (1991).Africa in History: Themes and Outlines(Revised and Expanded ed.). New York: Collier Books, Macmillan Publishing Company.ISBN0-02-042791-3.
• Dickovick, J. Tyler (2008).Africa 2008(43rd ed.). Harpers Ferry, West Virginia: Stryker-Post Publications.ISBN978-1-887985-90-1.
• 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: Public Affairs.ISBN1-58648-246-7.
• Murphy, Philip, ed. (2005).Central Africa: Closer Association 1945–1958.London, UK: The Stationery Office.ISBN0-11-290586-2.
• Reader, John (1999).Africa: A Biography of the Continent(First Vintage Books ed.). New York: Vintage Books.ISBN0-679-73869-X.
• Turner, Barry, ed. (2008).The Statesman's Yearbook 2009: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of the World.Macmillan Publishers.ISBN978-1-4039-9278-9.

External links

• Government of the Republic of MalawiOfficial website
• Wikimedia Atlas of Malawi