Chapter 74
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography--note: landlocked
People
Population: 10,000,416 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 2,265,526; female 2,246,135) 15-64 years: 52% (male 2,580,125; female 2,637,464) 65 years and over: 3% (male 112,813; female 158,353) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.57% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 39.54 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 23.84 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 132.14 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 36.3 years male: 36.49 years female: 36.11 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.48 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian
Ethnic groups: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European
Religions: Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, traditional indigenous beliefs
Languages: English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important regionally
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 56.4% male: 71.9% female: 41.8% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Malawi conventional short form: Malawi former: Nyasaland
Data code: MI
Government type: multiparty democracy
Capital: Lilongwe
Administrative divisions: 24 districts; Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba
Independence: 6 July 1964 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day 6 July (1964); Republic Day 6 July (1966)
Constitution: 18 May 1995
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
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: Cabinet named by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 17 May 1994 (next to be held by May 1999) election results: Bakili MULUZI elected president; percent of vote--NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (177 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 17 May 1994 (next to be held by May 1999) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--UDF 84, AFORD 33, MCP 55, others 5; note--because of defections and byelections, the distribution of seats in the National Assembly had changed at the end of the 1996 as follows: UDF 84, MCP 47, AFORD 34, independents 8, and vacant 4 note: the constitution of 18 May 1995, in addition to reducing the age at which universal suffrage is conferred from 21 to 18 years, provided for a bicameral legislature; by 1999, in addition to the existing National Assembly, a Senate of 80 seats is to be elected
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
Political parties and leaders:
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Willie CHOKANI chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Amelia Ellen SHIPPY embassy: address NA, in new development area in Lilongwe mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band
Economy
Economy--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 45% of GDP and 90% of export revenues. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. The new government faces strong challenges, e.g., to spur exports, to improve educational and health facilities, and to deal with environmental problems of deforestation and erosion.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$8.9 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 3.2% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$940 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 45% industry: 30% services: 25% (1995 est.)
Population below poverty line: 54% (1990-91 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 83.4% (1995)
Labor force: 3.5 million
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 86%, wage earners 14% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $530 million expenditures: $674 million, including capital expenditures of $129 million (1993)
Industries: tea, tobacco, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate: 0.9% (1995)
Electricity--production: 800 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 2.5% hydro: 97.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 800 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; cattle, goats
Exports: $405 million (f.o.b., 1995)
Exports--commodities: tobacco, tea, sugar, coffee, peanuts, wood products
Exports--partners: US, South Africa, Germany, Japan
Imports: $475 million (f.o.b., 1995)
Imports--commodities: food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment
Imports--partners: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Japan, US, UK, Germany
Debt--external: $2.3 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $416.5 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Malawian kwacha (MK) = 100 tambala
Exchange rates: Malawian kwachas (MK) per US$1--43.5426 (January 1999), 31.0727 (1998), 16.4442 (1997), 15.3085 (1996), 15.2837 (1995), 8.7364 (1994)
Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March
Communications
Telephones: 43,000 (1985 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: fair system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 0
Radios: 1.011 million (1995)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997 est.)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways: total: 789 km narrow gauge: 789 km 1.067-m gauge
Highways: total: 28,400 km paved: 5,254 km unpaved: 23,146 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi); Shire River, 144 km
Ports and harbors: Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota
Airports: 45 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 40 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 23 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (includes paramilitary Mobile Force Unit)
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 2,314,509 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,186,341 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $17 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 0.8% (FY96/97)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)
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@Malaysia --------
Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates: 2 30 N, 112 30 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 329,750 sq km land: 328,550 sq km water: 1,200 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries: total: 2,669 km border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
Coastline: 4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Terrain: coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m
Natural resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 12% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 68% other: 17% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,941 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding, landslides
Environment--current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography--note: strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea
People
Population: 21,376,066 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 35% (male 3,879,012; female 3,680,895) 15-64 years: 61% (male 6,478,910; female 6,482,909) 65 years and over: 4% (male 369,639; female 484,701) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.08% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 26.05 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.29 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.) note: does not include illegal immigrants--large numbers from Indonesia and smaller numbers from the Philippines, Bangladesh, Burma, China, and India
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 21.68 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.67 years male: 67.62 years female: 73.9 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.35 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Malaysian(s) adjective: Malaysian
Ethnic groups: Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 26%, Indian 7%, others 9%
Religions: Islam, Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism; note--in addition, Shamanism is practiced on East Malaysia
Languages: Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malalalam, Panjabi, Thai; note--in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest of which are Iban and Kadazan
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.5% male: 89.1% female: 78.1% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia former: Malayan Union
Data code: MY
Government type: constitutional monarchy note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August 1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore) formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965); nominally headed by the paramount ruler (king) and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house; Peninsular Malaysian states--hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, Penang, Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors are appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of the federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration controls); Sabah--holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak--holds 27 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government
Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Administrative divisions: 13 states (negeri-negeri, singular--negeri) and 2 federal territories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular--wilayah persekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan* note: the city of Kuala Lumpur is located within the federal territory of Wilayah Persekutuan; the terms therefore are not interchangeable
Independence: 31 August 1957 (from UK)
National holiday: National Day, 31 August (1957)
Constitution: 31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963
Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Paramount Ruler TUANKU JA'AFAR ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman (since 26 April 1994) and Deputy Paramount Ruler Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah (since 26 April 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981); Deputy Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since 8 January 1999) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler elections: paramount ruler and deputy paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 4 February 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister election results: TUANKU JA'AFAR ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman elected paramount ruler; Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah elected deputy paramount ruler
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of nonelected Senate or Dewan Negara (69 seats; 43 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointed by the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (192 seats; members elected by popular vote directly weighted toward the rural Malay population to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives--last held 24-25 April 1995 (next to be held by April 2000) election results: House of Representatives--percent of vote by party--National Front 63%, other 37%; seats by party--National Front 162, DAP 9, PBS 8, PAS 7, Spirit of '46 6; note--subsequent to the election there was a change in the distribution of seats, the current distribution is--National Front 168, DAP 8, PAS 8, PBS 5, independents 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister
Political parties and leaders: Peninsular Malaysia: National Front (a confederation of 13 political parties dominated by United Malays National Organization or UMNO Sarawak: National Front, composed of the Party Pesaka Bumiputra note: subsequent to the election, the following parties were president] and Sabah United Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah) or PBS
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIL, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dato' GHAZZALI Sheikh Abdul Khalid chancery: 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador B. Lynn PASCOE embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152
Flag description: 14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US
Economy
Economy--overview: After a decade of 8% average GDP growth, the Malaysian economy--severely hit by the regional financial crisis--declined 7% in 1998. Malaysia will likely remain in recession for the first half of 1999; official statistics continue to show anemic exports, and some private financial analysts forecast a further drop in GDP of 1% in 1999. Prime Minister MAHATHIR has imposed capital controls to protect the local currency while cutting interest rates to stimulate the economy. Kuala Lumpur also announced an expansionary budget for 1999 to combat rising unemployment. Malaysia continues to seek funding from domestic and international sources to help finance its budget deficit and recapitalize its weakened banking sector.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$215.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -7% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$10,300 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 46% services: 41% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 15.5% (1989 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 37.9% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.3% (1998)
Labor force: 8.398 million (1996 est.)
Labor force--by occupation: manufacturing 25%, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries 21%, local trade and tourism 17%, services 12%, government 11%, construction 8% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 2.6% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $22.6 billion expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.3 billion (1996 est.)
Industries: Peninsular Malaysia--rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah--logging, petroleum production; Sarawak--agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging
Industrial production growth rate: 14.4% (1995)
Electricity--production: 48 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 83.33% hydro: 16.67% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 47.977 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 174 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 151 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: Peninsular Malaysia?rubber, palm oil, rice; Sabah--subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak--rubber, pepper; timber
Exports: $74.3 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities: electronic equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, palm oil, wood and wood products, rubber, textiles
Exports--partners: US 21%, Singapore 20%, Japan 12%, Hong Kong 5%, UK 4%, Thailand 4%, Germany 3% (1995)
Imports: $59.3 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, food
Imports--partners: Japan 27%, US 16%, Singapore 12%, Taiwan 5%, Germany 4%, South Korea 4% (1995)
Debt--external: $39.8 billion (1998)
Economic aid--recipient: $125 million (1995)
Currency: 1 ringgit (M$) = 100 sen
Exchange rates: ringgits (M$) per US$1--3.8000 (January 1999), 3.9244 (1998), 2.8133 (1997), 2.5159 (1996), 2.5044 (1995), 2.6243 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 2,550,957 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: international service good domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations international: submarine cables to India, Hong Kong and Singapore; satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 28, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 8.08 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 27 (of which 26 are government-owned and one is independent and has 15 high-power repeater stations to relay its programs) (1997)
Televisions: 2 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 1,798 km narrow gauge: 1,798 km 1.000-m gauge (148 km electrified) (1998 est.)
Highways: total: 94,500 km paved: 70,970 km (including 580 km of expressways) unpaved: 23,530 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 7,296 km (Peninsular Malaysia 3,209 km, Sabah 1,569 km, Sarawak 2,518 km)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,307 km; natural gas 379 km
Ports and harbors: Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, Penang, Port Dickson, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung Kidurong, Tawau
Merchant marine: total: 378 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,059,272 GRT/7,428,623 DWT ships by type: bulk 62, cargo 128, chemical tanker 30, container 58, liquefied gas tanker 19, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 61, passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 7 (1998 est.)
Airports: 115 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 32 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 6 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 83 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 74 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Police Force, Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts
Military manpower--military age: 21 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 5,526,555 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 3,349,066 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 183,928 (1999 est.)