Malawi:
Geography

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Other pages in this profile of Malawi:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.


Background	Definition 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.

Location	Definition Southern Africa, east of Zambia
Geographic coordinates	Definition 13 30 S, 34 00 E
Map references	Definition Africa
Area	Definition - World rank and map total: 118,480 sq km land: 94,080 sq km water: 24,400 sq km
Area - comparative	Definition slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries	Definition total: 2,881 km border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
Coastline	Definition 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims	Definition none (landlocked)
Climate	Definition sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
Terrain	Definition narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains
Elevation extremes	Definition lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m
Natural resources	Definition limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
Land use	Definition - World rank and map arable land: 20.68% permanent crops: 1.18% other: 78.14% (2005)
Irrigated land	Definition 560 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources	Definition 17.3 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)	Definition total: 1.01 cu km/yr (15%/5%/80%) per capita: 78 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards	Definition NA
Environment - current issues	Definition deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations
Environment - international agreements	Definition 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
Geography - note	Definition landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature