Malawi

Demographics

Malawi has the 14th lowest Human Development Index rating in the world

• Population: 13,931,831 (UK: 61 million)
• Birth rate: 41.79/1,000 (UK: 11 births/1,000)
• Life expectancy at birth: 43 years(UK: 79 years)
• Population under 15 years: 46% (UK: 17%)
• High infant mortality: more than 1 in 11 die at birth (UK: 1 in 200 die at birth)
• Population below the poverty line: 53%
• HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate: 14% (UK: 0.2%)
• Literacy rate: 63% (UK: 99%)

Infrastructure

A limited and rough road network impedes overland travel in Malawi

• Area of the country: 45,745 sq miles (UK: 94,525 sq miles)
• 9,601 miles of roads, but only 4,322 miles of paved roads (UK: 241,104 miles – all paved)
• 39 landing strips of which only 6 are paved

Economy
Malawi ranks among the world's most densely populated and least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural with about 85% of the population living in rural areas

• 90% of the population employed in agriculture
• Main exports include tobacco, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel

Environment

Narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains. Malawi is landlocked with Lake Nyasa as the country’s most prominent physical feature

Current environmental issues include:

• Deforestation
• Land degradation
• Water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes
• Siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Climate
A sub tropical climate - rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)