or
PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu
CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party or RP [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA]; United
Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Agri-Ecology Media (agriculture and environmental group); Malawi Law
Society (human rights); Malawi Movement for the Restoration of
Democracy or MMRD (acts to restore and maintain democracy); National
Democratic Alliance or NDA (acts to restore democracy; Public
Affairs Committee or PAC (promotes democracy, development, peace and
unity)

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hawa NDILOWE
chancery: 1029 Vermont Avenue, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270
FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter W. BODDE
embassy: 16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3
mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
telephone: [265] (1) 773 166
FAX: [265] (1) 770 471

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a
radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Government - note:

no party has a majority in the fractured legislature

Economy
Malawi

Economy - overview:

Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's most densely populated and
least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural
with about 85% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture
accounts for more than one-third of GDP and 90% of export revenues.
The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as
tobacco accounts for more than half of exports. The economy depends
on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the
World Bank, and individual donor nations. In December 2007, the US
granted Malawi eligibility status to receive financial support
within the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) initiative. Malawi
will now begin a consultative process to develop a five-year program
before funding can begin. In 2006, Malawi was approved for relief
under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countr