xternal:
$3.129 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$540 million (1999)

Currency (code):
Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Currency code:
MWK

Exchange rates:
Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 108.894 (2004), 97.433 (2003),
76.687 (2002), 72.197 (2001), 59.544 (2000)

Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

Communications Malawi

Telephones - main lines in use:
85,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
135,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
links, and radiotelephone communications stations
international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a third
station held in standby status) (2001)

Radios:
2.6 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2001)

Televisions:
NA

Internet country code:
.mw

Internet hosts:
18 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2002)

Internet users:
36,000 (2003)

Transportation Malawi

Railways:
total: 797 km
narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 28,400 km
paved: 5,254 km
unpaved: 23,146 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
700 km
note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Airports:
42 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Military Malawi

Military branches:
Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment),
Police (includes Mobile Force Unit)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 2,320,190 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 995,084 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$11.1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.7% (2004)

Transnational Issues Malawi

Disputes - international:
disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake
Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain do