ale 109,010; female 147,850) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.57% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 40.79 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 25.08 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
note: the return of refugees to Mozambique is apparently complete

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years : 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 138.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population : 35.26 years
male: 34.86 years
female: 35.68 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.77 children born/woman (1997 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%, traditional
indigenous beliefs

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

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population : 56.4%
male: 71.9%
female: 41.8% (1995 est.)

@Malawi:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form: Malawi
former: Nyasaland

Data code: MI

Government type: multiparty democracy

National 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

Independence: 6 July 1964 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 6 July (1964); Republic Day 6 July
(1966)

Constitution: 18 May 1995

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 Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet named by the president
elections : president elected by popular vote