Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Willie CHOKANI
chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Amelia Ellen SHIPPY
embassy: address NA, in new development area in Lilongwe
mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi

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

Economy

Economy--overview: Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least
developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with
about 90% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture
accounts for 45% of GDP and 90% of export revenues. The economy
depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF,
the World Bank, and individual donor nations. The new government
faces strong challenges, e.g., to spur exports, to improve
educational and health facilities, and to deal with environmental
problems of deforestation and erosion.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$8.9 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3.2% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$940 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 45%
industry: 30%
services: 25% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line: 54% (1990-91 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 83.4% (1995)

Labor force: 3.5 million

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 86%, wage earners 14%
(1990 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $530 million
expenditures: $674 million, including capital expenditures of $129
million (1993)

Industries: tea, tobacco, sugar, sawmill products, cement,
consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate: 0.9% (1995)

Electricity--production: 800 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 2.5%
hydro: 97.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 800 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn,
potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; cattle, goats

Exports: $405 million (f.o.b., 1995)

Exports--commodities: tobacco, tea, sugar, coffee, peanuts, wood
products

Ex