Part 452

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 20% forest and woodland: 50% other: 5%

Irrigated land: 200 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic note: landlocked

People ------

Population: 9,452,844 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 2,189,223; female 2,168,317) 15-64 years: 51% (male 2,371,518; female 2,472,245) 65 years and over: 3% (male 107,701; female 143,840) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.71% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 41.56 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 24.48 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 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: 0.75 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 139.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 36.16 years male: 35.87 years female: 36.46 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.91 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian

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

Government ----------

Name of country: conventional long form: Republic of Malawi conventional short form: Malawi former: Nyasaland

Data code: MI

Type of government: multiparty democracy

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)