Malawi is a landlocked country south of the equator in sub-Saharan Africa bordering Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia.
Malawi remains one of the poorest countries in the world with a GDP per capita of US$160 and is ranked 165th out of 177 countries in the 2004 UN Human Development Report. An estimated 52% of the population lived below the poverty line (Integrated Household Survey, 2005)
Life expectancy dropped from 45 years in 1990 to 38 years in 2005 (UNDP, 2004) and is expected to drop rapidly in the future due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Exact figures for the HIV infection rate are difficult to substantiate, but the 2004 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey indicated that 12% of women and men age 15-49 in Malawi are currently infected with HIV.
Facts About Malawi |
| Population | 13.2 million | |
| Population annual growth rate | 2.10% | |
| Life expectancy (at birth) | 47 years | |
| Infant mortality (under one) | 76 per 1,000 live births | |
| Under five mortality | 120 per 1,000 live births | |
| Maternal mortality rate | 980 per 100,000 live births | |
| Adult HIV prevalence rate (ages 15-49) | 14.10% | |
| Percentage population with access to safe drinking water | 73.% | |
| Adult literacy rate | 64.% | |
| Gross Domestic Product (US$ billions) | 2.2 | |
| Gross National Income (GNI) per capita (US$) | 170 | |
| Proportion of population living on below $1 a day | 21.00% | |
Source: World Bank, CIA World Factbook and Unicef’s State of the World’s Children 2008th
