Malawi lies landlocked in southeast Africa, with Lake Malawi taking up about a fifth of the landscape. Independent from Britain since 1964, it endured the one-party rule of President for Life Hastings Kamuzu Banda for more than 25 years. Democratic elections in 1994 ushered in new leadership of this country, nearly self-sufficient in food. Transportation costs for exports skyrocketed as a result of civil war in next-door Mozambique, which disrupted rail links to the sea. Since the 1992 peace accord in Mozambique, rail links have been reestablished, and Malawi is slowly recovering.
Fast Facts
- Population:
- 12,341,000
- Capital:
- Lilongwe; 587,000
- Area:
- 118,484 square kilometers (45,747 square miles)
- Language:
- English, Chichewa
- Religion:
- Protestant, Roman Catholic, Muslim
- Currency:
- Malawian kwacha
- Life Expectancy:
- 39
- GDP per Capita:
- U.S. $600
- Literacy Percent:
- 63
ECONOMY
- Industry: Tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products
- Agriculture: Tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea; groundnuts; cattle
- Exports: Tobacco, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee
RELATED STORIES
Source: The National Geographic
CIA- The World Factbook
