|
Geography and natural environment
| Demographic Factors | Climate
A. Geography
and natural environment
Malawi is a landlocked country located in southern central Africa
along the western side of part of the Great Rift Valley of Africa.
Covering a total area of 118,484 sq. km, it stretches some 900 kilometres
north to south and between 90 and 161 kilometres east to west.
Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa, is 568 kilometres
long, between 16 and 80 kilometres wide, with a total area of 23,
310 square kilometres. West of Lake Malawi are highlands which are
between 915 and 1,220 metres high. North of these highlands are
the Nyika end Viphya Plateaus as well as the Dedza mountains and
Kirk Range which rise to between 1,524 and 2,440 metres. South of
the lake are the Shire Highlands plateau, which rise from 600 to
2,100 metres at Zomba Mountain. In the extreme south are the lowlands
of the Lower Shire basin. Mount Mulanje, near the commercial City
of Blantyre, is the highest mountain in Central Africa and rises
to 3, 050 metres above sea level.
Malawi has a number of outstanding convention and tourist attractions
- stability, fine scenery, mountains, national parks and game reserves
covering 4,300 square miles and the remarkable freshwater 365 miles
along Lake Malawi.
B. Demographic Factors
| -Population (2002 est.) |
11.24 million |
| -Population Density |
104 per km2 |
| -Population Growth Rate (National) |
2.0% |
| -Literacy |
58 % |
| -Urbanisation |
13% |
| -Language |
English (Official)
Chichewa (National) |
| -Time |
GMT + 2 Hours |
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C. Climate:
May to August
Cool and dry, July being the coldest month, with temperatures ranging
from 15.5 to 18.0 degrees Celsius in the plateau and 20.0 to 24.5
degrees Celsius in the rift valley areas. There is little rain in
this season; most of it falling in the high southeast facing slopes.
September to mid-November
Hot and dry, with temperatures ranging from 22 to 25 end 27
to 30 degrees Celsius in the plateau areas and the rift valley respectively.
Mid-November to April
Hot and rainy, with 90% of the annual rainfall being received.
December and January are the wettest months. Total annual rainfall
overages 760 to 1,015mm with some areas in the plateau recording
over 1,525mm.
ECONOMY
| -GDP (2002) |
US$ 166.99 million |
| -GDP per capita (2002) |
US$ 207.5 |
| -Real GDP Growth (2003) |
4.4% |
| -Currency (Kwacha) (1st April, 2004) |
US$ 1.00 = MK 109.00 |
| -Corporate tax rate (From 1st July, 2001) |
30% |
| -Inflation rate (February 2004) |
10.2% |
| -Annual Inflation rate (2003) |
9.6% |
| Composition of GDP |
2001
|
2002
|
| -Agriculture - |
40.2%
|
38.4%
|
| -Distribution - |
20.6%
|
22.4%
|
| -Manufacturing - |
11.1%
|
10.8%
|
| -Financial and Professional Services
- |
7.6%
|
8.4%
|
| -Transport and Communication
- |
4.4%
|
4.6%
|
| -Mining and Quarrying - |
1.5%
|
1.3%
|
|
