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Demography from Successive Censuses

Population ('000s unless stated) 1977 1987 1998
Total 5,547 7,989 9,934
By sex
Male 2,674 3,867 4,868
Female 2,874 4,121 5,066
By region
Northern region 649 912 1,234
Central region 2,144 3,111 4,066
Southern region 2,755 3,966 4,634
% under 15 years of age 44.6 46.1 43.6
% living in urban areas 8.5 10.7 14
Population of principal towns
Blantyre City 219 333 502
Lilongwe City 99 223 440
Mzuzu City 16 44 87
Zomba Municipality 24 43 66
Population density (persons per sq. km) 1977 1987 1998
Malawi 59 85 105
Northern region 24 34 46
Central region 60 87 114
Southern region 87 125 146
Population growth rates (compared to previous census) 1977 1987 1998
Malawi 2.9 3.7 2
Northern region 2.4 3.4 2.7
Central region 3.4 3.7 2.4
Southern region 2.6 3.7 1.4
Fertility 1977 1987 1998
Crude birth rate (births per thousand population) 48.3 41.2 37.9
Total fertility rate (children per woman) 7.6 7.4 6.5
Mortality 1977 1987 1998
Crude death rate (deaths per thousand population) 25 14.1 25
Infant mortality rate (infant deaths per 1,000 live births) 165 159 121
Life expectancy at birth 1977 1987 1998
Males 39.2 41.4 40
Females 42.4 44.6 44
 

Key: .. =Not available;bn=billion;%=percent;mm=millimetres;ha=hectares; K=Malawi Kwacha;-=zero or less than half;mn=million;km=kilometres.

Malawi in Figures is an annual publication of the National Statistical Office. Data sources include the Statistical Yearbook, 1998 Population Census, 1998 Integrated Household Survey, 2000 Core Welfare Indicators Questionnaire, 2004 Demographic and Health Survey and 2002 DHS EdData Survey.