Malawi

Republic of Malawi

LOCATION

Background: Malawi shares its name with the Chewa word for flames and is linked to the Maravi people from whom the Chewa language originated. The Maravi settled in what is now Malawi around 1400, during one of the later waves of Bantu migration across central and southern Africa. A powerful Maravi kingdom established around 1500 reached its zenith around 1700, when it controlled what is now southern and central Malawi and portions of neighboring Mozambique and Zambia. The kingdom eventually declined because of destabilization from the escalating global trade in enslaved people. In the early 1800s, widespread conflict in southern Africa displaced various ethnic Ngoni groups, some of which moved into Malawi and further undermined the Maravi. Members of the Yao ethnic group -- which had long traded with Malawi from Mozambique -- introduced Islam and began to settle in Malawi in significant numbers in the mid-1800s, followed by members of the Lomwe ethnic group. British missionary and trading activity increased in the area around Lake Nyasa in the mid-1800s, and in 1891, Britain declared a protectorate called British Central Africa over what is now Malawi. The British renamed the territory Nyasaland in 1907, and it was part of the colonial Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland -- including present-day Zambia and Zimbabwe -- from 1953 to 1963 before gaining independence as Malawi in 1964. Hastings Kamuzu BANDA served as prime minister at independence and then as president when the country became a republic in 1966. He later instituted one-party rule under his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and was declared president for life. After three decades of one-party rule, the country held multiparty presidential and parliamentary elections in 1994 under a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. Bakili MULUZI of the United Democratic Front party became the first freely elected president of Malawi when he defeated BANDA at the polls in 1994; he won reelection in 1999. President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA was elected in 2004 and reelected to a second term in 2009. He died abruptly in 2012 and was succeeded by Vice President Joyce BANDA. MUTHARIKA's brother, Peter MUTHARIKA, defeated BANDA in the election in 2014. Peter MUTHARIKA was reelected in a disputed election in 2019 that resulted in countrywide protests. The courts ordered a new election, and in 2020, Lazarus CHAKWERA of the MCP was elected president. Population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, corruption, and HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi.

Location: Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique
Geographic coordinates: 13 30 S, 34 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 118,484 sq km
land: 94,080 sq km
water: 24,404 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries: total: 2,857 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,498 km; Tanzania 512 km; Zambia 847 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
Terrain: narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains
Elevation: highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m
lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m
mean elevation: 779 m
Natural resources: limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
Land use: agricultural land: 64.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 42.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 19.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 22.4% (2023 est.)
other: 13.4% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 740 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): fresh water lake(s): Lake Malawi (shared with Mozambique and Tanzania) - 22,490
salt water lake(s): Lake Chilwa - 1,040 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km): Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s], Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Tanzania, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 kmnote: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Population distribution: population density is highest south of Lake Nyasa, as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: flooding; droughts; earthquakes
Geography - note: landlocked; Lake Nyasa, about 580 km (360 mi) long, is the country's most prominent physical feature; it contains more fish species than any other lake on earth

Population: total: 21,763,309 (2024 est.)
male: 10,674,594
female: 11,088,715
Nationality: noun: Malawian(s)
adjective: Malawian
Ethnic groups: Chewa 34.3%, Lomwe 18.8%, Yao 13.2%, Ngoni 10.4%, Tumbuka 9.2%, Sena 3.8%, Mang'anja 3.2%, Tonga 1.8%, Nyanja 1.8%, Nkhonde 1%, other 2.2%, foreign 0.3% (2018 est.)
Languages: English (official), Chewa (dominant), Lambya, Lomwe, Ngoni, Nkhonde, Nyakyusa, Nyanja, Sena, Tonga, Tumbuka, Yao
Religions: Protestant 33.5% (includes Church of Central Africa Presbyterian 14.2%, Seventh Day Adventist/Baptist 9.4%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 2.3%), Roman Catholic 17.2%, other Christian 26.6%, Muslim 13.8%, traditionalist 1.1%, other 5.6%, none 2.1% (2018 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.7% (male 4,080,567/female 4,132,710)
15-64 years: 58.4% (male 6,217,761/female 6,487,273)
65 years and over: 3.9% (2024 est.) (male 376,266/female 468,732)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 71.3 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 64.6 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 6.7 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 15 (2024 est.)
Median age: total: 19.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 20 years
female: 20.6 years
Population growth rate: 2.16% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 28.04 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 3.57 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: population density is highest south of Lake Nyasa, as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 18.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 4.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.276 million LILONGWE (capital), 1.031 million Blantyre-Limbe (2023)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 19.1 years (2015/16 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 225 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 28.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 36.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 27.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73 years (2024 est.)
male: 69.9 years
female: 76.1 years
Total fertility rate: 3.33 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.65 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 85.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 68.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 71.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 14.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 31.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 28.1% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 7.4% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 3.3% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 87.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 73.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 75.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 12.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 26.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 24.2% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 5.8% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 2.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 1.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 6.3% (2025 est.)
male: 11.7% (2025 est.)
female: 1.4% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 11.6% (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 62.1% (2020 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 7.5% (2020)
women married by age 18: 37.7% (2020)
men married by age 18: 7% (2020)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 2.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 16% national budget (2024 est.)
Literacy: total population: 70.2% (2020 est.)
male: 78.6% (2020 est.)
female: 62.7% (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 10 years (2021 est.)
male: 10 years (2021 est.)
female: 10 years (2021 est.)

Environmental issues: deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of fish spawning grounds; high temperatures and changing precipitation patterns
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate: sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
Land use: agricultural land: 64.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 42.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 19.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 22.4% (2023 est.)
other: 13.4% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 18.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 4.41% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 2.265 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 65,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 2.2 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 18.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.298 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.6% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 143.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 47.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 1.166 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 17.28 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: 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
etymology: named for the Maravi people who inhabited the area since the 14th century; the word maravi means "flames"
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Lilongwe
geographic coordinates: 13 58 S, 33 47 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: named after the Lilongwe River that flows through the city; the origin of the river's name is unclear
Administrative divisions: 28 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga, Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Neno, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba
Legal system: mixed system of English common law and customary law; Supreme Court of Appeal reviews legislative acts
Constitution: history: previous 1953 (pre-independence), 1964, 1966; latest drafted January to May 1994, approved 16 May 1994, entered into force 18 May 1995
amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles, including the sovereignty and territory of the state, fundamental constitutional principles, human rights, voting rights, and the judiciary, requires majority approval in a referendum and majority approval by the Assembly; passage of other amendments requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Malawi
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Peter MUTHARIKA (since 4 October 2025)
head of government: President Peter MUTHARIKA (since 4 October 2025)
cabinet: Cabinet named by the president
election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)
most recent election date: September 2030
election results: 2025: Peter MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote- Peter MUTHARIKA (DPP) 56.8%, Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 33.0%, Dalitso KABAMBE (UTM) 3.95, Atupele MULUZI (UDF) 1.92%, Joyce BANDA (PP) 1.61%, other 2.72%2020: Lazarus CHAKWERA elected president; Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 59.3%, Peter Mutharika (DPP) 39.9%, other 0.8%
expected date of next election: September 2030
Legislative branch: legislature name: National Assembly
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 229 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 9/16/2025
parties elected and seats per party: Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) (78); Malawi Congress Party (MCP) (52); Independents (73); Other (21)
percentage of women in chamber: 21.4%
expected date of next election: September 2025
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and at least 3 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly; other judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, which regulates judicial officers; judges serve until age 65
subordinate courts: High Court; magistrate courts; Industrial Relations Court; district and city traditional or local courts
Political parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP Malawi Congress Party or MCP People's Party or PP United Democratic Front or UDFUnited Transformation Movement or UTM
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Esme Jynet CHOMBO (since 19 April 2022)
chancery: 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 451- 0409
email address and website: malawidc@aol.comHome | Malawi Embassy USA
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Jonathan FISCHER (since 8 August 2025)
embassy: 16 Jomo Kenyatta Road, Lilongwe 3
mailing address: 2280 Lilongwe Place, Washington DC 20521-2280
telephone: [265] (0) 177-3166
FAX: [265] (0) 177-0471
email address and website: LilongweConsular@state.govhttps://mw.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 6 July 1964 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1964)
Flag: description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green, with a rising red sun centered on the black bandmeaning: black stands for ethnic groups, red for the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, and green for nature; the sun represents the hope of freedom for the continent of Africa
National symbol(s): lion
National color(s): black, red, green
National anthem(s): title: "Mulungu dalitsa Malawi" (O God, Bless Our Land of Malawi)
lyrics/music: Michael-Fredrick Paul SAUKA
history: adopted 1964
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Lake Malawi National Park (n); Chongoni Rock-Art Area (c); Mount Mulanje Cultural Landscape (c)

Economic overview: low-income East African economy; primarily agrarian; investing in human capital; urban poverty increasing due to COVID-19; high public debt; endemic corruption and poor property rights; poor hydroelectric grid; localized pharmaceutical industry
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $35.425 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $34.789 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $34.143 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 1.8% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 1.9% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 0.9% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $1,600 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $1,600 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $1,700 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $11.009 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 32.2% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 28.8% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 21% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 32.4% (2024 est.)
industry: 16% (2024 est.)
services: 44.9% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: sweet potatoes, cassava, maize, sugarcane, mangoes/guavas, potatoes, tomatoes, pigeon peas, pumpkins/squash, plantains (2023)
Industries: tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate: 2.1% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 8.602 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 5.1% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 5.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 5.1% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 6.8% (2024 est.)
male: 6.4% (2024 est.)
female: 7.1% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 50.7% (2019 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019: 38.5 (2019 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% (2019 est.)
highest 10%: 31% (2019 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2023: 1.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 2.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 2.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2.208 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures: $3.523 billion (2022 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2022: 55.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 13.5% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2023: -$2.276 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$2.218 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: -$1.918 billion (2021 est.)
Exports: Exports 2023: $1.526 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $1.487 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $1.587 billion (2021 est.)
Exports - partners: Germany 11%, India 7%, Zimbabwe 6%, South Africa 5%, USA 5% (2023)
Exports - commodities: tobacco, tea, dried legumes, soybean meal, raw sugar (2023)
Imports: Imports 2023: $3.995 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $3.834 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $3.768 billion (2021 est.)
Imports - partners: China 17%, South Africa 16%, UAE 12%, India 7%, Tanzania 7% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, fertilizers, plastics, garments, postage stamps/documents (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020: $594.498 million (2020 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019: $846.84 million (2019 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018: $766.155 million (2018 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $2.269 billion (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Malawian kwachas (MWK) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2023: 1,161.094 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 949.039 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 805.9 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 749.527 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2019: 745.541 (2019 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 14% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 54%
electrification - rural areas: 5.6%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 731,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 1.585 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 19.938 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 231.785 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 4.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 92.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: production: 3,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 22,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 19,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 801.999 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 1.792 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 5,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 15 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 69 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media: radio is the main broadcast medium; privately owned Zodiak radio has the widest national reach, followed by state-run radio; numerous private and community radio stations broadcast in cities and towns; the largest TV network is state-owned, but at least 4 private TV networks broadcast in urban areas; relays of multiple international broadcasters are available (2019)
Internet country code: .mw
Internet users: percent of population: 18% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 17,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 7Q
Airports: 27 (2025)
Railways: total: 767 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 767 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

Military and security forces: Malawi Defense Force (MDF): Malawi Army (Land Forces), Malawi Maritime Force (MMF), Malawi Air Force (MAF), Malawi National Service (MNS)Ministry of Homeland Security: Malawi Police Service (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 0.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 0.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 0.9% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: estimated 10,000 active Malawi Defense Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the MDF's inventory is comprised of mostly older or secondhand armaments originating from such countries as China, France, Israel, South Africa, and the UK (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18-24 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service (2025)
Military deployments: 750 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2025)
Military - note: the MDF’s primary responsibility is external security; it is also tasked as necessary with providing support to civilian authorities during emergencies, supporting the Police Service, protecting national forest reserves, and participating in regional peacekeeping missions, as well as assisting with infrastructure development; key areas of concern include border security, regional conflict, and international terrorism; the MDF participates in exercises with foreign partners and contributes regularly to African Union and UN peace support operations; Malawi contributes regularly to African Union and UN peace support operationsthe MDF was established in 1964 from elements of the Kings African Rifles (KAR), a British colonial regiment raised from Great Britain's various possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s; the KAR conducted both military and internal security functions within the colonial territories, and served outside the territories during the World Wars (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 56,659 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 135,728 (2024 est.)