MALAWI REPORT |
East and West of the Rift Valley, the land forms high plateaus, generally between 900 and 1200 meters above sea level. In the north the Nyika Uplands rise as high as 2600 meters, south of the lake lie the Shire Highlands, with an elevation of 600-1600 meters, rising to Mts. Zomba and Mulanje 2130 and 3048 meters. Malawi 's climate is generally subtropical. A rainy season runs from November through April. There is little to no rainfall throughout most of the country from May to October. It is hot and humid from October to April along the lake and in the Lower Shire Valley . Lilongwe is also hot and humid during these months albeit far less than in the south. The rest of the country is warm during those months. From June through August, the lake areas and far south are comfortably warm, but the rest of Malawi can be chilly at night with temperatures ranging from 5 degrees to 14 degrees Celsius. The country covers 118, 484 square kilometers.
GOVERNMENT Malawi has a presidential system with the President serving as both the chief of state and head of government. The President is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The last elections were held in May 2004; the next elections are scheduled for May 2009. The current President, Bingu Wa Mutharika, took office in May 2004. The Cabinet consists of 46-members, appointed by the president.
PARLIAMENT The legislature of Malawi consists of a one-chamber parliament of 193 members. MPs are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms.
POLITICAL PARTIES Malawi has seven major political parties. The ruling party is the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The Opposition is led by the United Democratic Front (UDF) and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) parties. Other parties include:-
THE JUDICIARY The court system in Malawi incorporates the Supreme Court of Appeal, the High Court and magistrate courts. The Chief Justice is appointed by the president while other judges are appointed on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission.
Source: CIA World Factbook |
Malawi is a landlocked nation in Southeastern Africa . It is bordered by Tanzania to the north, Zambia on the north-west, and Mozambique on the east, south, and west. Lake Malawi ( Lake Nyasa ) comprises about a fifth of the country's territory and it is stretched through most of its eastern border. The Shire River flows from the south end of the lake and joins the Zambezi 400 kilometers farther south in Mozambique.