KEY FACTS
Joined Commonwealth: 1964
Population: 15,906,000 (2012)
GDP p.c. growth: 0.7% p.a. 1990–2012
UN HDI 2012: world ranking 170
Official language: English
Time: GMT plus 2hr
Currency: Malawi kwacha (MK)
Geography
Area: 118,484 sq km
Coastline: none
Capital: Lilongwe
Malawi is a long, narrow south-east African country shaped by the dramatic Rift Valley, with Lake Malawi a dominant feature. It is bordered by Mozambique to the east, south and south-west, by Zambia to the north and north-west, and by the United Republic of Tanzania to the north and north-east. There are three regions: the northern (capital Mzuzu), the central (capital Lilongwe) and the southern (capital Blantyre).
Main towns:
Lilongwe (capital, pop. 723,600 in 2010), Blantyre (commercial centre, 694,500), Mzuzu (138,300), Zomba (seat of parliament, 91,900), Kasungu (46,600), Karonga (44,000), Mangochi (42,300), Salima (28,800), Nkhotakota (25,900), Liwonde (25,100), Balaka (23,900), Mzimba (22,400), Dedza (21,200), Nsanje (20,300), Rumphi (18,200) and Mchinji (17,800).
Society
KEY FACTS 2012
Population per sq km: 134
Life expectancy: 55 years
Net primary enrolment: 97% (2009)
Population:
15,906,000 (2012); Malawi is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa but with only 16 per cent of people living in towns, one of the least urbanised; growth 2.4 per cent p.a.1990–2012; birth rate 40 per 1,000 people (56 in 1970); life expectancy 55 years (41 in 1970). The largest ethnic group is the Chewa, whose ancestors came from the Congo; the other main groups are Nyanja, Lomwe, Yao and Tumbuka.
Language:
Chichewa is the national language and widely spoken. English is the official language. Chinyanja, Chiyao and Chitumbuka (in the north) are major languages.
Education:
Public spending on education was five per cent of GDP in 2011. There are eight years of compulsory education starting at the age of six. Primary school comprises six years and secondary six, with cycles of four and two years. Some 51 per cent of pupils complete primary school (2010). The school year starts in January. The University of Malawi comprises Chancellor College (located in Zomba); the College of Medicine (Blantyre); Bunda College of Agriculture (Lilongwe); and the Polytechnic (Blantyre). Mzuzu University (opened in 1999) and University of Livingstonia (2003, with campuses in Livingstonia and Ekwendeni) are located in the Northern Region. The female–male ratio for gross enrolment in tertiary education is 0.60:1 (2011). Literacy among people aged 15–24 is 87 per cent (2010).
