Malawi details

Malawi began recording history between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries. Descendants of these people kept an oral history until the 1500's when written history was recorded in Portuguese and English. The Bantu established political states and government. When a large slave trade took place, this brought Islam to the country. At the same time Christianity was being introduced by missionaries.

Malawi is one of the world's least developed countries. Malawi's economy is predominantly agricultural with nearly 90% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for about 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues. The economy is dependent on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. The government has faced many challenges including the failure to develop a market economy, improving educational activities, facing up to environment problems, and dealing with the exponential increase in AIDS cases.

Over 60 percent of Malawi’s population live below the poverty line. About 40 % of the population are illiterate. With an economy that is dependent upon agriculture and the rate of population growth more than three times the growth rate of the economy, the economic future is not bright. In 1891 the British Central African Protectorate (known from 1907 until 1964 as Nyasaland), which included most of present-day Malawi, was established.
The population estimates for this country are low, but take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS. The AIDS 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.

For climate, winter is the best time to visit Malawi. June and July are the coolest months with average daytime temperatures of 70ºF (21ºC), and colder nights especially in the highlands. November to April is the hot, humid rainy season with more rain falling on the higher plateaus than around the lake, with temperatures reaching up to 90ºF (mid-30ºCs). Some roads may become impassable during heavy rains.

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