MALAWI

Information and maps from the Dorling Kindersley World Reference Arias (?30), available from all good bookshops.

Official name: Republic of Malawi

Capital: Lilongwe

Population: 10.4 million

Currency: Malawian kwacha

Official Language: Chewa and English

Landlocked in southeast Africa, Malawi occupies a plateau bordering the Great Rift Valley. Lake Malawi, which is 568 kilometres long and occupies one fifth of the country, is among Africa's largest lakes and supports a sizeable fishing industry. Mount Mulanje in the south is the highest mountain in East Africa. Politics in Malawi, a former British colony, is in a delicate transition period following three decades of one-party rule. CLIMATE

The south is hot and humid. The rest of Malawi is warm and sunny in the dry season, but cooler in the highlands. COMMUNICATIONS

The main airport is Kamuzu International at Lilongwe. Malawi does not have a merchant fleet. The national road network extends for 12,215 kilometres and its commercial rail network runs for 789 kilometres. Only Lake Malawi and the Shire river are navigable by commercial craft. TOURISM

Malawi receives 117,069 visitors per year, and this number is increasing. The waters of Lake Malawi, with its 500 species of fish, attract angling, wildlife and water-sports enthusiasts. The national parks and mountain lodges are also popular. PEOPLE

Population density: 74 people per square kilometre

Urban/rural population split: 12 per cent/88 per cent

Religious persuasion: Protestant (55 per cent), Roman Catholic (20 per cent), Muslim (20 per cent), Indigenous beliefs (5 per cent)

Ethnic tensions are few in Malawi as most of the population share a Bantu origin. But northerners are increasingly disaffected at their lack of representation in politics and have become alienated from the ruling party. POLITICS

Malawi became an independent state in 1964 and is now a multiparty democracy. In 1992, international aid was suspended because of the single-party regime of Dr Hastings Banda, which had a poor human rights' record. In 1993, Banda agreed to the introduction of multi-party politics following a referendum. One of the world's longest dictatorships ended in 1994 when Bakili Maluzi won the presidential election. His party, the United Democratic Front, controls 50 per cent of the National Assembly. WORLD AFFAIRS

Malawi is a member of the Commonwealth and the Organisation of African Unity. Its principal concern has been to protect its restored status as a recipient of Western aid. Malawi is the only black African country to have maintained full diplomatic relations with South Africa since 1967. DEFENCE

Defence spending last year was $22.02 million (14.7 million) and is rising. The military has lost confidence in the ruling party and is forcing the pace of democratisation. ECONOMICS

GNP: $1.8 billion

GNP per capita: $200 (?133)

Balance of payments: $-164 million

Inflation: 12.7 per cent

Average exchange rate (against the US dollar over the last year): 4.46 kwacha

Strengths: tobacco accounts for 76 per cent of foreign exchange earnings. Also tea and sugar production. There are unexploited reserves of bauxite, asbestos and coal.

Weaknesses: agriculture accounts for 80 per cent of GDP, while industry contributes only 14 per cent. Skilled personnel is in short supply, unemployment is widespread and regional instabilities and refugees are a problem. RESOURCES

Electricity generation: 587 million kwh/year

Oil production: none

Livestock: 1 million cattle 260,000 pigs, 200,000 sheep, 2,000 asses

Mineral reserves: coal, limestone and gemstones Malawi has few strategic resources. Three hydro-power plants account for 85 per cent of electricity generating capacity but only five per cent of total use. Over 90 per cent of energy needs are met from fuel wood. A deep-seam coal mine recently began production at Rumphi. ENVIRONMENT

Over 11 per cent of land is conserved by law (although this may be only theoretical) but there are few environmental initiatives. Drought is the major problem and caused agricultural production to fall by 25 per cent in 1992. MEDIA

Any hint of criticism in the media is outlawed by the Government. There is one daily newspaper, no TV service, and the state-owned radio service is effectively a Government mouthpiece. CRIME

The proliferation of guns is contributing to an increase in armed robbery. The death penalty is in use. HEALTH

Doctor/population ratio: 1 per 26,942 people

Infectious, parasitic and respiratory diseases are the major causes of death. There iS a free health service but access to it is difficult. WEALTH

Most Malawians lead a subsistence existence. Two in every 1,000 people own a car, while six in every 1,000 own a telephone. VCR and PC ownership is limited to a small elite WORLD RANKING

Position in world (191 countries)

Life expectancy 174 Infant mortality 188 GDP per capita 180 Daily calorie intake 170 Literacy 157 Schooling index 152 Educational rank 158 Human dev. index 171