Luxembourg (2001) | Malawi (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg | 24 districts; Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba; note - there may be three new districts named Balaka, Likoma, and Phalombe |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
18.91% (male 43,051; female 40,711) 15-64 years: 67.03% (male 149,781; female 147,165) 65 years and over: 14.06% (male 24,921; female 37,343) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years:
44.43% (male 2,348,940; female 2,337,290) 15-64 years: 52.78% (male 2,741,622; female 2,825,966) 65 years and over: 2.79% (male 119,283; female 175,149) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock products | tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; cattle, goats |
Airports | 2 (2000 est.) | 44 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
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:
1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total:
38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 23 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
2,586 sq km land: 2,586 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
118,480 sq km land: 94,080 sq km water: 24,400 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Rhode Island | slightly smaller than Pennsylvania |
Background | Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union) and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area. | Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule, the country held multiparty elections in 1994 under a provisional constitution, which took full effect the following year. National multiparty elections were held again in 1999. |
Birth rate | 12.25 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 37.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$5.6 billion expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues:
$490 million expenditures: $523 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.) |
Capital | Luxembourg | Lilongwe |
Climate | modified continental with mild winters, cool summers | sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November) |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 17 October 1868, occasional revisions | 18 May 1994 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg |
conventional long form:
Republic of Malawi conventional short form: Malawi former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland |
Currency | Luxembourg franc (LUF); euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Luxembourg at a fixed rate of 40.3399 Luxembourg francs per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002 |
Malawian kwacha (MWK) |
Death rate | 8.88 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 22.81 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $2.9 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador James C. HORMEL embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail) telephone: [352] 46 01 23 FAX: [352] 46 14 01 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Roger A. MEECE embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi telephone: [265] 773 166 FAX: [265] 770 471 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171 FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270 consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Paul Tony Steven KANDIERO chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-1007 |
Disputes - international | none | dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $160 million (1999) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $427 million (1999) |
Economy - overview | The stable, high-income economy features solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial sector has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Services, especially banking, account for a substantial proportion of the economy. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and trans-border workers for 30% of its labor force. Luxembourg has a custom union with Belgium and the Netherlands, and, as a member of the EU, enjoys the advantages of the open European market. It joined with 10 other EU members to launch the euro on 1 January 1999. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 6.149 billion kWh (1999) | 950 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 655 million kWh (1999) | 3 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 6.201 billion kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 648 million kWh (1999) | 1.025 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
36.88% hydro: 53.09% nuclear: 0% other: 10.03% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
2.44% hydro: 97.56% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Moselle River 133 m highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m |
lowest point:
junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m highest point: Sapitwa 3,002 m |
Environment - current issues | air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland | deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kososvo) and European (guest and resident workers) | Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Luxembourg francs per US dollar - 34.77 (January 1999), 36.299 (1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996); note - the Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian franc, which circulates freely in Luxembourg | Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 80.0946 (December 2000), 59.5438 (2000), 44.0881 (1999), 31.0727 (1998), 16.4442 (1997), 15.3085 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981); head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Lydie POLFER (since 7 August 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and vice prime minister appointed by the monarch, following popular election to the Chamber of Deputies; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies note: government coalition - CSV and DP |
chief of state:
President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Bakili MULUZI (since 21 May 1994); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: 36-member Cabinet named by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Bakili MULUZI reelected president; percent of vote - Bakili MULUZI (UDF) 51.4%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MCP-AFORD) 44.3% |
Exports | $7.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | $416 million (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass | tobacco, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products |
Exports - partners | EU 75% (Germany 25%, France 21%, Belgium 13%, UK 8%, Italy 6%, Netherlands 5%), US 4% (1999) | South Africa 16%, Germany 16%, US 15%, Netherlands 7%, Japan (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France | three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $15.9 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $9.4 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
1% industry: 30% services: 69% (2000 est.) |
agriculture:
37% industry: 29% services: 34% (1998 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $36,400 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $900 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.7% (2000 est.) | 3% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 49 45 N, 6 10 E | 13 30 S, 34 00 E |
Geography - note | landlocked | landlocked |
Heliports | 1 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | total:
5,166 km paved: 5,166 km (including 118 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1999) |
total:
16,451 km paved: 3,126 km unpaved: 13,325 km (1997) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $10 billion (c.i.f., 2000) | $435 million (f.o.b., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods | food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment |
Imports - partners | EU 81% (Belgium 35%, Germany 26%, France 12%, Netherlands 4%), US 9% (1999) | South Africa 43%, Zimbabwe 14%, UK 5%, Germany 5%, Zambia, Japan, US (1999) |
Independence | 1839 (from the Netherlands) | 6 July 1964 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 7.8% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Industries | banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum | tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods |
Infant mortality rate | 4.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 121.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 7.8% (2000 est.) | 29.5% (2000) |
International organization participation | ACCT, Australia Group, Benelux, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC | ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 8 (2000) | 8 (2001) |
Irrigated land | 10 sq km (including Belgium) (1993 est.) | 280 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch | 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 | 248,000 (of whom 70,200 are foreign cross-border workers primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2000) | 3.5 million |
Labor force - by occupation | services 83.2%, industry 14.3%, agriculture 2.5% (1998 est.) | agriculture 86% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
356 km border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 135 km |
total:
2,881 km border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km |
Land use | arable land:
24% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 35% other: 20% |
arable land:
34% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 39% other: 7% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language) | English (official), Chichewa (official), other languages important regionally |
Legal system | based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held by NA June 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 29.79%, DP 21.58%, LSAP 23.75%, ADR 10.36%, Green Party 9.09%, the Left 3.77%; seats by party - CSV 19, DP 15, LSAP 13, ADR 6, Green Party 5, the Left 2 note: the Council of State or Conseil d'Etat, which has 21 members who are appointed and dismissed by the Grand Duke based on proposals from the government, the Chamber of Deputies, or the Council of State, is an advisory body whose views are considered by the Chamber of Deputies |
unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 15 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - UDF 48%, MCP 34%, AFORD 15%, others 3%; seats by party - UDF 94, MCP 66, AFORD 29, others 4 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
77.3 years male: 74.02 years female: 80.8 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
37.08 years male: 36.61 years female: 37.55 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58% male: 72.8% female: 43.4% (1999 est.) |
Location | Western Europe, between France and Germany | Southern Africa, east of Zambia |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total:
50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 988,450 GRT/1,313,498 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, chemical tanker 11, container 2, liquefied gas 18, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 7 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 4 (2000 est.) |
- |
Military branches | Army; note - the government abolished the Gendarmerie | Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (includes paramilitary Mobile Force Unit) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $131 million (FY98/99) | $9.5 million (FY00/01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1% (FY98/99) | 0.76% (FY00/01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
112,714 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
2,466,708 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
92,817 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
1,265,893 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 19 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
2,565 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June | Independence Day, 6 July (1964) |
Nationality | noun:
Luxembourger(s) adjective: Luxembourg |
noun:
Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian |
Natural hazards | NA | NA |
Natural resources | iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land | limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite |
Net migration rate | 9.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | petroleum products 48 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Robert MEHLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as Christian Social Party or PCS) [Erna HENNICOT-SCHOEPGES]; Democratic Party or DP [Lydie POLFER]; Green Party [Abbes JACOBY and Felix BRAS]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Jean ASSELBORN]; Marxist and Reformed Communist Party DEI LENK (the Left) [no formal leadership]; other minor parties | Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA, president]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [Gwanda CHAKUAMBA, president, John TEMBO, vice president]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA, president]; National Independence Party; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Eston KAKHOME, president]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Bakili MULUZI] - governing party |
Political pressure groups and leaders | ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); LCGP (center-right trade union); OGBL (center-left trade union) | NA |
Population | 442,972 (July 2001 est.) | 10,548,250
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 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 54% (FY90/91 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.26% (2001 est.) | 1.5% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Mertert | Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) | AM 9, FM 4 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 3 (1998) |
Radios | 285,000 (1997) | 2.6 million (1997) |
Railways | total:
274 km standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified; 178 km double track) (1998) |
total:
789 km narrow gauge: 789 km 1.067-m gauge |
Religions | the greatest preponderance of the population is Roman Catholic with a very few Protestants, Jews, and Muslims
note: 1979 legislation forbids the collection of religious statistics |
Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable international: 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America) |
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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 314,700 (1999) | 37,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 215,741 (2000) | 7,000 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 5 (1999) | 1 (1999) |
Terrain | mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast | narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains |
Total fertility rate | 1.7 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 5.18 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 2.7% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | 37 km (on the Moselle) | 144 km
note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire Riverall |