Malawi ( British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland) is a country in Southern Africa, east of Zambia. Malawi geographic coordinates 13 30 S, 34 00 E; area 94,080 sq km; area comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania; land boundaries Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km; coastline 0 km (landlocked); maritime claims none (landlocked); climate sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November); terrain narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains; elevation extremes junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m <; natural resources limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite; land use 75.13% (2001); irrigated land 280 sq km (1998 est.); natural hazards NA; environment current issues deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations; environment international agreements Law of the Sea; geography note landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature;

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Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution, which came into full effect the following year. Current President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after the previous president failed to amend the constitution to permit another term, has struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor, who still leads their shared political party. MATHARIKA's anti-corruption efforts have led to several high-level arrests but no convictions. Increasing corruption, population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, and HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country. government type multiparty democracy; capital Lilongwe; administrative divisions 27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba; independence 6 July 1964 (from UK); national holiday Independence Day (Republic 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;

people

Malawi population 12,158,924 estimates for this country explici; age structure 2.8% (male 132,175/female 202,771) (2005 est.); median age 16.65 years (2005 est.); population growth rate 2.06% (2005 est.); birth rate 43.95 births/1,000 population (2005 est.); death rate 23.39 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.); net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.); sex ratio 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 107.44 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 37.36 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 5.98 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate 14.2% (2003 est.); hiv people with aids 900,000 (2003 est.); hiv deaths 84,000 (2003 est.); major infectious diseases water contact disea; nationality Malawian; ethnic groups Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European; religions Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 3%, other 2%; languages English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important regionally; literacy 49.8% (2003 est.);

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