ars: 44.43% (male 2,348,940; female 2,337,290)

15-64 years: 52.78% (male 2,741,622; female 2,825,966)

65 years and over: 2.79% (male 119,283; female 175,149) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.5% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 37.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 22.81 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 121.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 37.08 years

male: 36.61 years

female: 37.55 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.18 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 15.96% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 800,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 70,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Malawian(s)

adjective: Malawian

Ethnic groups: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga,
Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European

Religions: Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%,
indigenous beliefs

Languages: English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages
important regionally

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 58%

male: 72.8%

female: 43.4% (1999 est.)

Malawi Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Malawi

conventional short form: Malawi

former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland
Protectorate, Nyasaland

Government type: multiparty democracy

Capital: Lilongwe

Administrative divisions: 24 districts; Blantyre, Chikwawa,
Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Lilongwe,
Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba,
Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Rumphi, Salima,
Thyolo, Zomba; note - there may be three new districts named Balaka,
Likoma, and Phalombe

Independence: 6 July 1964 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1964)

Constitution: 18 May 1994

Legal system: based on English common law and customary law;
judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President