Montenegro (2006) | Malawi (2006) | |
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Administrative divisions | 21 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Andrijevia, Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Herceg Novi, Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Plav, Pluzine, Pljevlja, Podgornica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Ulcinj, Zabljak | 27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 46.5% (male 3,056,522/female 3,000,493)
15-64 years: 50.8% (male 3,277,573/female 3,332,907) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 139,953/female 206,478) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | grains, tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes; sheepherding; commercial fishing negligible | tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats |
Airports | 5 (2006) | 42 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006) |
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 20 (2006) |
Area | total: 14,026 sq km
land: 13,812 sq km water: 214 sq km |
total: 118,480 sq km
land: 94,080 sq km water: 24,400 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Connecticut | slightly smaller than Pennsylvania |
Background | The use of the name Montenegro began in the 15th century when the Crnojevic dynasty began to rule the Serbian principality of Zeta; over subsequent centuries it was able to maintain its independence from the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th centuries, Montenegro became a theocratic state ruled by a series of bishop princes; in 1852, it was transformed into a secular principality. After World War I, Montenegro was part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and, at the conclusion of World War II, it became a constituent republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. When the latter dissolved in 1992, Montenegro federated with Serbia, first as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and, after 2003, in a looser union of Serbia and Montenegro. Following a three-year postponement, Montenegro held an independence referendum in the spring of 2006 under rules set by the EU. The vote for severing ties with Serbia exceeded the 55% threshold, allowing Montenegro to formally declare its independence on 3 June 2006. | 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 which 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, has struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor, who still leads their shared political party. MUTHARIKA's anti-corruption efforts have led to several high-level arrests and one prominent conviction. Increasing corruption, population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country. |
Birth rate | 12.6 births/1,000 population (2004) | 43.13 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA |
revenues: $844.6 million
expenditures: $913.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) |
Capital | name: Podgorica (administrative capital)
geographic coordinates: 42 26 N, 19 16 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: Cetinje (capital city) |
name: Lilongwe
geographic coordinates: 13 59 S, 33 44 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland | sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November) |
Coastline | 293.5 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 12 October 1992 (was approved by the Assembly) | 18 May 1994 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Montenegro
conventional short form: Montenegro local long form: Republika Crna Gora local short form: Crna Gora former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro |
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 | 9.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004) | 19.33 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | NA | $3.287 billion (2005 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David GILMOUR
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 | chief of mission: Ambassador Miodrag VLAHOVIC | chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard Herbert SANDE
chancery: 1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 320, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270 FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288 |
Disputes - international | ethnic Albanians in Kosovo refuse demarcation of the boundary with Macedonia in accordance with the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro delimitation agreement, which includes a section of boundary with Montenegro | disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | $401.5 million (2001) |
Economy - overview | The republic of Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and continues to maintain its own central bank, uses the euro instead of the Yugoslav dinar as official currency, collects customs tariffs, and manages its own budget. The dissolution of the loose political union between Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 led to separate membership in several international financial institutions, such as the IMF, World Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Montenegro is pursuing its own membership in the World Trade Organization as well as negotiating a Stabilization and Association agreement with the European Union in anticipation of eventual membership. Severe unemployment remains a key political and economic problem for this entire region. Montenegro has privatized its large aluminum complex - the dominant industry - as well as most of its financial sector, and has begun to attract foreign direct investment in the tourism sector. | 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 accounted for nearly 36% of GDP and 80% of export revenues in 2005. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for over 60% of exports. 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, 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. Malawi's recent fiscal policy performance has been very strong, but a serious drought in 2005 and 2006 will heighten pressure on the government to increase spending. |
Electricity - consumption | NA | 1.206 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 2.864 billion kWh 2.864 billion kWh (2005 est.) | 1.296 billion kWh (2003) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 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 | pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor | deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations |
Environment - international agreements | - | 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 | Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%, other (Muslims, Croats, Roma) 12% | Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8089 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001) | Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 108.894 (2005), 108.898 (2004), 97.433 (2003), 76.687 (2002), 72.197 (2001) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 11 May 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Zeljko STURANOVIC (since 10 November 2006) cabinet: Ministries act as cabinet elections: president elected by direct vote for five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 May 2003 (next to be held in 2008); prime minister proposed by president, accepted by Assembly election results: Filip VUJANOVIC elected on the third round; Filip VUJANOVIC 63.3%, Miodrag ZIVKOVIC 30.8% |
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); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government 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 May 2009) election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (UDF) 35.9%, John TEMBO (MCP) 27.1%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MC) 25.7%, Brown MPINGANJIRA (NDA) 8.7%, Justin MALEWEZI (independent) 2.5% |
Exports | $171.3 million (2003) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | - | tobacco 60%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel |
Exports - partners | Switzerland 83.9%, Italy 6.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.3% (2003) | US 18%, South Africa 12.2%, Egypt 7.6%, Germany 7%, Netherlands 6.9%, Japan 4.8%, Russia 4.6%, UK 4.2%, Mozambique 4% (2005) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered | 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: % NA
industry: % NA services: % NA |
agriculture: 34.2%
industry: 15.8% services: 49.9% (2005 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | 1.9% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 42 30 N, 19 18 E | 13 30 S, 34 00 E |
Geography - note | strategic location along the Adriatic coast | landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature |
Government - note | - | the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $601.7 million (2003) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | - | food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment |
Imports - partners | Greece 10.2%, Italy 10.2%, Germany 9.6%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 9.2% (2003) | South Africa 37.9%, Zambia 8.7%, Mozambique 7.8%, Zimbabwe 7.3%, India 6.4%, Tanzania 4.6% (2005) |
Independence | 3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro); note - a referendum on independence was held 21 May 2006 | 6 July 1964 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | 7.9% (2005 est.) |
Industries | steelmaking, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism | tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 94.37 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 98.66 deaths/1,000 live births female: 89.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.4% (2004) | 15.4% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | CEI, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, ICFTU, ILO, Interpol, IPU, ITU, OSCE, UN, UPU, WHO, WTO (observer) | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Irrigated land | NA | 560 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Constitutional Court (five judges with nine-year terms); Supreme Court (judges have life tenure) | 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 | 259,100 (2004) | 4.5 million (2001 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 2%
industry: 30% services: 68% (2004) |
agriculture: 90%
industry and services: 10% (2003 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 625 km
border countries: Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km, Croatia 25 km, Serbia 203 km |
total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km |
Land use | arable land: 13.7%
permanent crops: 1% other: 85.3% |
arable land: 20.68%
permanent crops: 1.18% other: 78.14% (2005) |
Languages | Serbian (Ijekavian dialect - official), Bosnian, Albanian, Croatian | 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 | based on civil law system | 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 Assembly (81 seats, elected by direct vote for four-year terms; changed from 74 seats at the time of the elections)
elections: last held 10 September 2006 (next to be held 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Coalition for a European Montenegro 41, SNS 12, Coalition SPP/NS/DSS 11, PZP 11, Liberals and Bosniaks 3, Democratic League-Democratic Prosperity 1, Democratic Union of Albanians 1, Albanian Alternative 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 May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UDF 74, MCP 60, Independents 24, RP 16, others 18, vacancies 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 41.7 years
male: 41.93 years female: 41.45 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62.7% male: 76.1% female: 49.8% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia | Southern Africa, east of Zambia |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | NA | none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 9,458 GRT/10,172 DWT
by type: cargo 4 registered in other countries: 4 (Bahamas 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2) (2006) |
- |
Military - note | Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of a fully professional armed forces | - |
Military branches | - | Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (includes Mobile Force Unit) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $2.306 billion | $15.81 million (2005 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 0.8% (2005 est.) |
National holiday | National Day, 13 July | Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964) |
Nationality | noun: Montenegrin(s)
adjective: Montenegrin |
noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian |
Natural hazards | destructive earthquakes | NA |
Natural resources | bauxite, hydroelectricity | limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite |
Net migration rate | - | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Albanian Alternative or AA; Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC]; Coalition for a European Montenegro (Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS and Social Democratic Party or SDP) [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Coalition SPP/NS/DSS; Democratic League-Party of Democratic Prosperity [Mehmet BARHDI]; Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS; Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA [Ferhat DINOSA]; Liberal Party of Montenegro or LP [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]; Movement for Changes or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]; People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Predrag POPOVIC]; Serbian People's Party of Montenegro or SNS [Andrija MANDIC]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]; Social Democratic Party of Montenegro or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Socialist People's Party or SNP [Predrag BULATOVIC] | Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA]; 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 |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | 630,548 (2004) | 13,013,926
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 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 12.2% (2003) | 55% (2004 est.) |
Population growth rate | 3.5% (2004) | 2.38% (2006 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | 31 (2004) | AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a third station held in standby status) (2001) |
Railways | total: 250 km
standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2005) |
total: 797 km
narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2005) |
Religions | Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic | Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census) |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern telecommunications system with access to European satellites
domestic: GSM wireless service, available through two providers with national coverage, is growing rapidly international: country code - 382 (the old code of 381 used by Serbia and Montenegro will also remain in use until Feb 2007); two international switches connect the national system |
general assessment: NA
domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 177,663 (2005) | 102,700 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 543,220 (2005) | 429,300 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 13 (2004) | 1 (2001) |
Terrain | highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain backed by rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus | narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains |
Total fertility rate | - | 5.92 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 27.7% (2005) | NA% |
Waterways | - | 700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2006) |