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About Malawi
   

 

AIDS/HIV in MalawiMalawi map and flag

Infected adults: 780,000 or 15.0%
Infected children: 65,000
Estimated AIDS deaths, 2001: 80,000
Children under 14 orphaned by AIDS: 470,000

Source: UNAIDS, 2001 data

Population
10.4 million

Capital
Lilongwe

Ethnic groups
Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Yao, Lomwe,
Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde

Languages
English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important regionally

Literacy
(Age 15 and over)
Total population: 58%
Male: 72.8%
Female: 43.4%
(1999 est.)


History
Established in 1891 as the British protectorate of Nyasaland. Became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964.

Government
Multiparty democracy

Land use
Arable land: 34%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 20%
Forests and woodland: 39%
Other: 7% (1993 est.)

Natural resources
Limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite

Industries
Tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Source: CIA, 2000 World Factbook

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