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Background: Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule, the country held multiparty elections in 1994 under a provisional constitution, which took full effect the following year. National multiparty elections were held again in 1999.
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Common Name: Malawi
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Local Official Name: Malawi
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Abbreviated Name: Republic of Malawi
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Official Name: Malawi
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Official Script Name: Malawi
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Local Common Name: Malawi
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Former Name: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasala
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Territory of: NA
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Head of State: President Bakili MULUZI
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Government Type: multiparty democracy
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Independence: 1964 July 6 (from UK)
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Constitution: 1994 May 18
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National Holiday: Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July
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International Organization Participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
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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
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Dependent Areas: NA
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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
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Suffrage: 18 years of age years
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Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches: 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: 38-member Cabinet named by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: Bakili MULUZI reelected president; percent of vote - Bakili MULUZI (UDF) 51.4%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MCP-AFORD) 44.3%
Legislative Branch:
unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - UDF 48%, MCP 34%, AFORD 15%, others 3%; seats by party - UDF 96, MCP 61, AFORD 30, others 6
Judicial Branch:
Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission); magistrate's courts
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Party Leaders: Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA, president]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [Gwanda CHAKUAMBA, president, John TEMBO, vice president]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA, president]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI] - governing party
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International Disputes: Malawi and Tanzania maintain a largely dormant dispute over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and current location of historical boundary in meandering Songwe River
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Illicit Drugs: NA
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Location of Malawi: Southern Africa, east of Zambia
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Continent: Africa
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Land Area Total: 118,480 sq km
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Region: Eastern African |
Land Area Land: 94,080 sq km
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Capitol City: Lilongwe
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Land Area Water: 24,400 sq km
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Current:
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Latitude: 013 30 S
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Border Boundary Land: 2,881 km
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Longitude: 034 00 E
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Border Boundary Coastline: 0 km
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Arable Land: 20.00 %
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Pastures: 0.00 %
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Crops: 1.00 %
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Woodlands and Forests: 0.00
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Highest Elevation: 3,002 m
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Location: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje)
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Lowest Elevation: 37 m
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Location: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique
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Largest City in Malawi: Lilongwe
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Lilongwe Largest City Population: 765,000
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Threatened Species: 0
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Environmental Issues: deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations
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Environmental Agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
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Irrigated Land: 280
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Bordering Countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
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Natural Resources: limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
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Geographical Terrain: narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains
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Comparative Area of Malawi: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
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Malawi's Geography: landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature
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Click Here for detailed information about the weather conditions in Malawi.
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General Climate: sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
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Natural Hazards: NA
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Economic 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 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to fully develop a market economy, to improve educational facilities, to face up to environmental problems, and to deal with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth.
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GDP: $7,000,000,000 USD
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Currency: Malawian kwacha
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GDP per Capita: $660 USD
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Currency Code: MWK
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GDP Growth Rate: 1.70 %
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One $USD Equals: %fincurrencyequals% MWK
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Currency Exchange Rate History: Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 67.3111 (December 2001), 72.1973 (2001), 59.5438 (2000), 44.0881 (1999), 31.0727 (1998), 16.4442 (1997)
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GDP of Agriculture: 40.00 %
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GDP of Industry: 19.00 %
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GDP of Services: 41.00 % |
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Inflation Rate: 28.60 % |
Population in Poverty: 54.00 %
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Unemployment Rate: 0.00 %
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Tourism: 254,000.00 visitors each year
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Consumption by lowest 10%: 0.00 %
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Budget Revenue in USD: $490,000,000 USD
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Consumption by upper 10%: 0.00 %
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Budget Expenditures in USD: $523,000,000 USD
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Electricity Production: 825,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Exports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Consumption: 767,250,000 kWh
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Electricity Imports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Production by Source:
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Fossil Fuel Electricity Production: 3.03%
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Nuclear Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Hydro Electricity Production: 96.97%
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Other Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Oil Production: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Production: 0 cu m
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Oil Consumption: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Consumption: 0 cu m
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Oil Exports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Exports: 0 cu m
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Oil Imports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Imports: 0 cu m
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Proven Oil Reserves: 0 barrels
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Proven Natural Gas Reserves: 0 cu m
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External Debt: $2,800,000,000 USD |
Received in economic aid: $427,000,000 USD
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Donated in economic aid: $0 USD
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Agricultural Products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; cattle, goats, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts
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Primary Industries: tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
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Industrial Growth Rate: 2.50 %
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Import Amount in USD: $463,600,000 USD - food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment
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Import Partners: South Africa 40%, UK 11%, Zimbabwe 7%, Japan 5%, Germany 2%, US 1.8%, Zambia
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Export Amount in USD: $415,500,000 USD - tobacco, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel
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Export Partners: South Africa 18%, Germany 13%, US 13%, UK 10%, Japan 7%, Netherlands 3%
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GINI Index: 0.00%
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Labor Force Number of People: 4,500,000
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Labor Force by Occupations: agriculture 86%
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Radio Broadcast Stations: 16 |
Number of People with Radios: 2,600,000 |
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Television Broadcast Stations: 1 |
Number of People with Televisions: 0 |
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Number of People with Mainline Telephones: 38,000 |
Number of People with Mobile Phones: 49,000 |
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Internet Service Providers: 7 |
Internet Users: 15,000 |
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Internet Country Code: .mw |
Newspapers: 3 |
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Two Letter Country Code: MW |
Weights and Measures: |
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Phone Country Code: +265 |
Electricity Voltage: Volts |
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Telephone Systems: general assessment: NA
domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
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Highways: 2,773 km |
Railways: 797 km
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Gas And Oil Pipelines: 0 km |
Waterways: 144 km
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Airports: 6 |
Heliports: 0
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Motor Vehicles: 0 per 1,000 people |
CO2 Emissions: 0 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Per capita CO2 emissions: 0.00 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Merchant Marines: NA
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Ports and Harbors: Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba
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Population: 10,701,824 people type - nationality |
Birth Rate: 37.13 births per 1,000 people |
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Population Density: 90.00 people per sq km |
Death Rate: 23.20 deaths per 1,000 people |
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Population Growth: 1.39% per year |
Fertility Rate per Women: 5.04 babies born per woman |
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Population Male 0-14: 2,358,730 |
Population Female 0-14: 2,347,017 |
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Population Male 15-64: 2,810,478 |
Population Female 15-64: 2,884,601 |
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Population Male 65+: 120,761 |
Population Female 65+: 180,237 |
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Population 0-14: 44.00% |
Literacy Rate: 58.00% |
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Population 15-64: 53.20% |
Literacy rate of Males: 72.80% |
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Population 65+: 2.80% |
Literacy rate of Females: 43.40% |
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Population that is Male: 49.00
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Population that is Female: 51.00% |
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Life expectancy at birth in years: 36.59 years |
Infant mortality rate - baby deaths per 1000 births: 119.96 Babies die per 1,000 births |
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Life expectancy at birth for Males: 36.05 years |
Life expectancy at birth for Females: 37.15 years |
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Rate of AIDS/HIV infection: 15.96%
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Number of people living with AIDS or HIV: 800,000
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Number of people who died of AIDS: 70,000 |
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Disease Risk:
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Diseases:
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Net Migration Rate per 1,000 people: 0.00
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Nationality: MALAWIAN
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Ethnic Groups: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European
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Primary Language: English
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Other Languages: English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important regionally
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Primary Religion: Protestant
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Other Religions: Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 3%, other 2%
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Branches: Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (including paramilitary Mobile Force Unit)
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Manpower Fit to Serve: NA years
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Manpower Available: 2,535,207 People
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 1,301,625 People
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Amount of Manpower Available each Year: 0 People per year
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Expenditures: $9,500,000 USD per year
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Expenditures as a Percentage of GDP: 0.76
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Note: Phrasebase uses a variety of sources when compiling the facts and information presented above. This information is continually updated throughout the year.
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Malawi Spa and Resort Directory
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