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is the most commonly spoken local language. Other languages spoken
in Malawi include Chiyao, Chilomwe, Chitumbuka, Chitonga and Chisena.
The official language is English. Education is diffucult after primary
school level - and there are still, despite the free schooling introduced
by the government of Dr. Bakili Muluzi, the problems associated
with developing countries; lack of money, lack of school, lack of
Malawian music, dance and literature (particularly in the oral tradition)
are alive and well and, with multi-party democracy, newspapers,
magazines, radio and TV stations have proliferated.
is a poor country. The population in 1996 was estimated at about
10 million although this may still have included a very substantial
number of refugees from the war in Mozambique, whom Malawi hosted
in those troubled times.
Urbanisation continues as fewer people are able to survive from
rural activities and there are large concentrations of people around
the cities - the capital, Lilongwe, business centre Blantyre (and
twin suburb Limbe), the first, and still the academic, capital of
Zomba and the fastest growing northern city of Mzuzu.
In the south, there is intense cultivation - and population - while
in the north the people live in scattered villages and the traditional
way of life is more prevalent.
Malawi's economy is based on agriculture and most of the people
are either involved in farming projects, or are subsistence farmers.
Tobacco, sugar and tea are the main exports and coffee is also grown.
Rural people grow tobacco for sale at the huge auction floors in
all three cities, and also plant maize, millet and rice, bananas,
citrus and vegetables.