FAX: 770 471

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Government - note: the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature

Malawi 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 37% of GDP and 85% of export revenues. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. The government faces strong challenges, e.g., to fully develop a market economy, to improve educational facilities, to face up to environmental problems, and to deal with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.4 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $900 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 37%

industry: 29%

services: 34% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line: 54% (FY90/91 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 29.5% (2000)

Labor force: 3.5 million

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 86% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $490 million

expenditures: $523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)

Industries: tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 1.025 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.44%

hydro: 97.56%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 950 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 3 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; cattle, goats

Exports: $416 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: tobacco, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products

Exports - partners: South Africa 16%, Germany 16%, US 15%,
Netherlands 7%, Japan (1999)

Imports: $435 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment

Imports - partners: South Africa 43%, Zimbabwe 14%, UK 5%, Germany 5%, Zambia, Japan, US (1999)

Debt - external: $2.9 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $427 million (1999)

Currency: Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Currency code: MWK

Exchange rates: Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 80.0946 (December 2000), 59.5438 (2000), 44.0881 (1999), 31.0727 (1998), 16.4442 (1997), 15.3085 (1996)

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Malawi Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 37,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 7,000 (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA

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 9, FM 4 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 2.6 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1999)

Televisions: 0 (1999)

Internet country code: .mw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2001)

Internet users: 10,000 (2000)

Malawi Transportation

Railways: total: 789 km

narrow gauge: 789 km 1.067-m gauge

Highways: total: 16,451 km

paved: 3,126 km

unpaved: 13,325 km (1997)

Waterways: 144 km

note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire Riverall

Ports and harbors: Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota,
Chilumba

Airports: 44 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m: 23 (2000 est.)

Malawi Military

Military branches: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment),
Police (includes paramilitary Mobile Force Unit)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,466,708 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,265,893 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $9.5 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.76% (FY00/01)

Malawi Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in
Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)

@Malaysia

Malaysia Introduction

Background: Malaysia was created in 1963 through the merging of Malaya (independent in 1957) and the former British Singapore, both of which formed West Malaysia, and Sabah and Sarawak in north Borneo, which composed East Malaysia. The first three years of independence were marred by hostilities with Indonesia. Singapore separated from the union in 1965.

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, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

Malaysia People

Population: 22,229,040 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 34.5% (male 3,943,324; female 3,724,634)

15-64 years: 61.35% (male 6,828,670; female 6,808,623)

65 years and over: 4.15% (male 404,042; female 519,747) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.96% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 24.75 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the region

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 20.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.11 years

male: 68.48 years

female: 73.92 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.24 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.42% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 49,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,900 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Malaysian(s)

adjective: Malaysian

Ethnic groups: Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 27%, Indian 8%, others 7% (2000)

Religions: Islam, Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism; note - in addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia

Languages: Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects
(Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil,
Telugu, Malayalam, 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.)

Malaysia Government

Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Malaysia

former: Federation of Malaysia

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 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 28 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; there may be a new federal territory named Putrajaya

Independence: 31 August 1957 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day/Malaysia 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 Sultan TUNKU
SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam
Shah (since 26 April 1999); Deputy Paramount Ruler Sultan MIZAN
Zainal Abidin ibni A-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah

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 27 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); 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: Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni
Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah elected paramount ruler;
Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin ibni A-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi
Billah 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 (193 seats; members elected by popular vote weighted toward the rural Malay population to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held 29 November 1999 (next must be held by 20 December 2004)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NF 56%, other 44%; seats by party - NF 148, PAS 27, DAP 10, NJP 5, PBS 3

Judicial branch: Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders: Alternative Coalition or Barisan
Alternatif-BA (includes the following parties: Party Islam
Se-Malaysia or PAS [FADZIL Mohamad Noor], National Justice Party or
NJP [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismail], Democratic Action Party or DAP [LIM Kit
Siang], and Malaysian People's Party or PRM [SYED HUSIN]); National
Front or NF (ruling coalition dominated by the United Malays
National Organization or UMNO [MAHATHIR bin Mohammad], includes the
following parties: Malaysian Indian Congress or MIC [S. Samy VELLU],
Malaysian Chinese Association or MCA [LING Liong Sik], Gerakan
Rakyat Malaysia or Gerakan [LIM Keng Yaik], Parti Pesaka Bumiputra
Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud], Parti Angkatan
Keadilan Rakyat Bersatu or Akar [PANDIKAR Amin Mulia], Parti Bangsa
Dayak Sarawak or PBDS [Leo MOGGIE], Sarawak United People's Party or
SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam], Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [CHONG
Kah Kiat], Sabah Progressive Party or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee], People's
Progressive Party or PPP [M. KAYVEAS], Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or
PBRS [Joseph KURUP], Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Amar James
WONG], Parti Demokratik Sabah or PDS [leader NA], and United Pasok
Momogun Kadazan Organization or UPKO (state level only) [Bernard
DOMPOK]); Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti
Bersekutu [HARRIS Salleh]; State Reform Party of Sarawak or STAR
[PATAU Rubis]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN,
BIS, 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, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTAET,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
GHAZZALI Sheikh Abdul Khalid

chancery: 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: (202) 328-2700