*introduction to malawi*

Population estimates for this country
explicitly take into account the effects of
excess mortality due toAIDS; this can
result in lower life expectancy, higher
infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in
the distribution of population by age and
sex than would otherwise be expected.
2Information is drawn from the CIA Factbook
unless otherwise noted.The Republic of Malawi is a
landlocked country in southeast Africa
that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is
bordered by Zambia to the northwest,
Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique
on the east, south and west. The country is
separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by
Lake Malawi. Its size is over 118,000 km2
(45,560 sq mi) with an estimated population
of more than 13,900,000. Its capital is
Lilongwe, the second largest city is
Blantyre and the third largest city is Mzuzu.
The name Malawi comes from the Maravi, an
old name of the Nyanja people that inhabit
the area. The country is also nicknamed,
"The Warm Heart of Africa".[7]
Malawi was first settled during the 10th
century and remained under native rule until
1891 when it wascolonized by the British, who
ruled the country until 1964. Upon gaining
independence it became asingle-party
state under the presidency of Hastings
Banda, who remained president until 1994,
when he was ousted from power. Bingu
Mutharika, elected in 2004, is the current
president. Malawi has a democratic, multi-
party government. Malawi has a small military
force that includes an army, a navy and an
air wing. Malawi's foreign policy ispro-
Western and includes positive diplomatic
relations with most countries and
participation in severalinternational
organizations.
Malawi is among the world's least developed
countries. The economy is heavily based in
agriculture, with a largely rural population.
The Malawian government depends heavily on
outside aid to meetdevelopment needs,
although this need (and the aid offered)
has decreased since 2000. The Malawian
government faces challenges in building and
expanding the economy, improving education,
health care,environmental protection, and
becoming financially independent. Malawi has
several programs developed since 2005 that
focus on these issues, and the country's
outlook appears to be improving, with
improvements in economic growth, education
and healthcare seen in 2007 and 2008.
Malawi has a low life expectancy and high
infant mortality. There is a high prevalence
of HIV/AIDS, which is a drain on the labor
force and government expenditures, and is
expected to have a significant impact on
gross domestic product (GDP) by 2010. There
is a diverse population of native peoples,
Asians and Europeans, with several
languages spoken and an array of religious
beliefs. Although there was tribal conflict in
the past, by 2008 it had diminished
considerably and the concept of a Malawian
nationality had begun to form. Malawi has a
culture combining native and colonial
aspects, including sports, art, dance and
music.