Country Profile: Malawi

Last reviewed: 1 April 2008

Country information

Area: 118,000 sq km
Population: 13,603,181 (est. July 2006)
Capital City: Lilongwe. Key Date: 6 July (Independence Day)
People: Main groups are Chewa and Angoni (Nguni)
Languages: English, Chichewa
Religion(s): Protestant, Roman Catholic, Muslim, indigenous beliefs, other beliefs
Currency: Kwacha. Exchange rate 284.01 MK/£ (March 2007)
Major political parties: United Democratic Front (UDF), Alliance for Democracy (AFORD), Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Republican Party (RP), Peoples' Progressive Movement (PPM), Democratic People's Party (DPP)
Head of State: President Bingu wa Mutharika
Foreign Minister: Joyce Banda
Membership of international groupings/organisations: Commonwealth, Southern African Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), African Union (AU), United Nations.