Malawi - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Malawi, it was named for the Maravi people who inhabited the area since the 14th century; the word maravi means "flames". The Government system in this country is the presidential republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 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
National symbols
Lion.
The flag
The National flag of Malawi has .
Info
The National Anthem
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More about the government of Malawi
| Date of Independence | 6 July 1964 (from the UK) |
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| National holiday | Independence Day, 6 July (1964) |
| Legal system | mixed system of English common law and customary law; Supreme Court of Appeal reviews legislative acts |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President Lazarus CHAKWERA (since 28 June 2020) |
| Head of government | President Lazarus CHAKWERA (since 28 June 2020) |
| 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 2025 |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature name | National Assembly |
| Legislative structure | Unicameral |
| Number of seats | 193 (all directly elected) |
| Electoral system | Plurality/majority |
| Scope of elections | Full renewal |
| Term in office | 5 years |
| Most recent election date | 5/21/2019 |
| Parties elected and seats per party | Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) (62); Malawi Congress Party (MCP) (55); United Democratic Front (UDF) (10); Independents (55); Other (10) |
| Percentage of women in chamber | 20.7% |
| 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 |
| 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 | [email protected] Home | 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 | [email protected] https://mw.usembassy.gov/ |
| National heritage | |
| Total World Heritage Sites | 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural) |
| Selected World Heritage Site locales | Lake Malawi National Park (n); Chongoni Rock-Art Area (c) |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Malawi
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Malawi
Want to know more about Malawi? Check all different factbooks for Malawi below.
