DEMOGRAPHY: FROM SUCCESSIVE CENSUS
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
1977 1987 1998
Fertility
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.