======================================================================

@Malawi

Malawi Introduction

Background: Established in 1891, the British protectorate of
Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After
three decades of one-party rule, the country held multiparty
elections in 1994 under a provisional constitution, which took full
effect the following year. National multiparty elections were held
again in 1999.

Malawi Geography

Location: Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Geographic coordinates: 13 30 S, 34 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 118,480 sq km

land: 94,080 sq km

water: 24,400 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total: 2,881 km

border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837
km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season
(May to November)

Terrain: narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded
hills, some mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Shire River and
international boundary with Mozambique 37 m

highest point: Sapitwa 3,002 m

Natural resources: limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited
deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite

Land use: arable land: 34%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 20%

forests and woodland: 39%

other: 7% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 280 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation; land degradation; water
pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes;
siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: landlocked

Malawi People

Population: 10,548,250

note: 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 (July
2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 ye