Faroe Islands (2008) | Malawi (2008) | |
Administrative divisions | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 34 municipalities | 28 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Neno, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 20.6% (male 4,882/female 4,904)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 16,353/female 14,668) 65 years and over: 14.1% (male 3,041/female 3,663) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: 46.1% (male 3,143,724/female 3,130,937)
15-64 years: 51.2% (male 3,491,114/female 3,474,209) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 155,954/female 207,243) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish | tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats |
Airports | 1 (2007) | 39 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 33
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 16 (2007) |
Area | total: 1,399 sq km
land: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams) |
total: 118,480 sq km
land: 94,080 sq km water: 24,400 sq km |
Area - comparative | eight times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Pennsylvania |
Background | The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high degree of self government was attained in 1948. | Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. Current President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another term, struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor and subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 2005. As president, MUTHARIKA has overseen substantial economic improvement but because of political deadlock in the legislature, his minority party has been unable to pass significant legislation and anti-corruption measures have stalled. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi. |
Birth rate | 14.12 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 42.09 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $588 million
expenditures: $623 million (2005) |
revenues: $1.082 billion
expenditures: $1.142 billion (2007 est.) |
Capital | name: Torshavn
geographic coordinates: 62 01 N, 6 46 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
name: Lilongwe
geographic coordinates: 13 59 S, 33 47 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy | sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November) |
Coastline | 1,117 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) | 18 May 1994 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar |
conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
conventional short form: Malawi local long form: Dziko la Malawi local short form: Malawi former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland |
Death rate | 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 18.25 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $64 million (1999) | $622 million (31 December 2007 est.) |
Dependency status | part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948 | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | chief of mission: Ambassador Alan EASTHAM
embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi telephone: [265] (1) 773 166 FAX: [265] (1) 770 471 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | chief of mission: Ambassador Hawa NDILOWE
chancery: 1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 320, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270 FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288 |
Disputes - international | because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources have not been realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full independence have been deferred; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm | disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant |
Economic aid - recipient | $105 million; note - annual subsidy from Denmark (2005) | $575.3 million (2005) |
Economy - overview | The Faroese economy is dependent on fishing, which makes the economy vulnerable to price swings. Since 2003 the Faroese economy has picked up as a result of higher prices for fish and for housing. Unemployment is minimal and government finances are relatively sound. Oil finds close to the Islands give hope for economically recoverable deposits, which could eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (about 15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other Scandinavians. | Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's most densely populated and least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 85% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for more than one-third of GDP and 90% of export revenues. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for more than half of exports. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In December 2007 the US granted Malawi eligibility status to receive financial support within the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) initiative. Malawi will now begin a consultative process to develop a five-year program before funding can begin. In 2006, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. The government faces many challenges, including developing a market economy, improving educational facilities, facing up to environmental problems, dealing with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors that fiscal discipline is being tightened. In 2005, President MUTHARIKA championed an anticorruption campaign. Since 2005 President MUTHARIKA'S government has exhibited improved financial discipline under the guidance of Finance Minister Goodall GONDWE and signed a three year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility worth $56 million with the IMF. Improved relations with the IMF lead other international donors to resume aid as well. |
Electricity - consumption | 269.7 million kWh (2005) | 1.299 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 290 million kWh (2005) | 1.397 billion kWh (2005) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m |
lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Marine Dumping -associate member to the London Convention and Ship Pollution | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | Scandinavian | Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European |
Exchange rates | Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.4797 (2007), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003) | Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 141.12 (2007), 135.96 (2006), 108.894 (2005), 108.898 (2004), 97.433 (2003) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3 February 2004) cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008) election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - NA |
chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004) cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009) election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA 35.9%, John TEMBO 27.1%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA 25.7%, Brown MPINGANJIRA 8.7%, Justin MALEWEZI 2.5% |
Exports | 0 bbl/day (2004) | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999) | tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel |
Exports - partners | Denmark 31%, UK 27.4%, Norway 10.3%, Nigeria 9.5%, Netherlands 5.6% (2006) | South Africa 12.6%, Germany 9.7%, Egypt 9.6%, US 9.5%, Zimbabwe 8.5%, Russia 5.4%, Netherlands 4.4% (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) | three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 27%
industry: 11% services: 62% (1999) |
agriculture: 36.3%
industry: 18.6% services: 45.1% (2007 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.4% (2005 est.) | 5.7% (2007 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 62 00 N, 7 00 W | 13 30 S, 34 00 E |
Geography - note | archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands | landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature |
Government - note | - | no party has a majority in the fractured legislature |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 31.8% (2004) |
Imports | 4,580 bbl/day (2004) | 6,263 bbl/day (2004) |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, machinery and transport equipment 29%, fuels, fish, salt (1999) | food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment |
Imports - partners | Denmark 52.6%, Norway 20.7%, Iceland 6.1%, Sweden 4.3% (2006) | South Africa 33.9%, India 8%, Zambia 7.6%, US 6.3%, Tanzania 5.7%, Germany 4.5%, China 4.2% (2006) |
Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | 6 July 1964 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 8% (1999 est.) | 2.5% (2007 est.) |
Industries | fishing, fish processing, small ship repair and refurbishment, handicrafts | tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods |
Infant mortality rate | total: 6.01 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.25 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
total: 92.1 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 96.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 87.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.8% (2005) | 8% (2007 est.) |
International organization participation | Arctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km | 560 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | none | Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission); magistrate's courts |
Labor force | 24,250 (October 2000) | 4.5 million (2001 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 33%
industry: 33% services: 34% (October 2000) |
agriculture: 90%
industry and services: 10% (2003 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.14%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (2005) |
arable land: 20.68%
permanent crops: 1.18% other: 78.14% (2005) |
Languages | Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish | Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%, Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other 3.6% (1998 census) |
Legal system | the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply | based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations |
Legislative branch | unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (33 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 19 January 2008 (next to be held no later than January 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 21%, Social Democratic Party 19.4%, Republican Party 23.3%, People's Party 20.1%, Center Party 8.4%, Self-Government Party 7.2%, other 0.6%; seats by party - Republican Party 8, Union Party 7, Social Democratic Party 6, People's Party 7, Center Party 3, Independence Party 2 note: election of two seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 13 November 2007 (next to be held no later than November 2011); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, Union Party 1 |
unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MCP 56, UDF 49, independents 39, RP 15, others 25, vacancies 8 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.49 years
male: 76.06 years female: 82.93 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 42.98 years
male: 43.35 years female: 42.61 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: probably 100%, the same as Denmark proper |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62.7% male: 76.1% female: 49.8% (2003 est.) |
Location | Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway | Southern Africa, east of Zambia |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 92,454 GRT/63,291 DWT
by type: cargo 10, container 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 8 (Iceland 4, Norway 4) (2007) |
- |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Denmark | - |
Military branches | no regular military forces | Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment) (2007) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | 1.3% (2006) |
National holiday | Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July | Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964) |
Nationality | noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
adjective: Faroese |
noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian |
Natural hazards | NA | NA |
Natural resources | fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas | limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Independence Party [Kari P. HOJGAARD]; People's Party [Jorgen NICLASEN]; Republican Party [Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Kaj Leo JOHANNESEN] | Alliance for Democracy or AFORD; Congress for National Unity or CONU; Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Bingu wa MUTHARIKA]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [John TEMBO]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; Malawi Forum for Unity and Development or MAFUNDE [George MNESA]; Mgwirizano Coalition or MC [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA] (coalition of MAFUNDE, MDP, MGODE, NUP, PETRA, PPM, RP); Movement for Genuine Democratic Change or MGODE [Sam Kandodo BANDA]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Brown MPINGANJIRA]; National Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party or RP [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 47,511 (July 2007 est.) | 13,603,181
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; 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 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 53% (2004) |
Population growth rate | 0.543% (2007 est.) | 2.383% (2007 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus one shortwave station on standby) (2001) |
Railways | - | total: 797 km
narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2006) |
Religions | Evangelical Lutheran | Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.996 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.115 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1.045 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.004 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.005 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.753 male(s)/female total population: 0.997 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: good international communications; good domestic facilities
domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable |
general assessment: rudimentary
domestic: fixed-line subscribership remains less than 1 per 100 persons; privatization of Malawi Telecommunications (MTL), a necessary step in bringing improvement to telecommunications services, completed in 2006; mobile-cellular services are expanding but cellular network coverage is limited, and is based around the main urban areas international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 23,000 (2006) | 102,700 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 50,000 (2006) | 429,300 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (plus 43 repeaters) (September 1995) | 1 (2001) |
Terrain | rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast | narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains |
Total fertility rate | 2.15 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 5.74 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 2.1% (2006) | NA% |
Waterways | - | 700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2007) |