<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Malawi<nl>Economy</hdr><body>
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<item><hi format=bold>Overview:</hi> Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for 40% of GDP and 90% of export revenues. After two years of weak performance, economic growth improved significantly in 1988-91 as a result of good weather and a broadly based economic adjustment effort by the government. Drought cut overall output sharply in 1992. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations.
<item><hi format=bold>National product:</hi> GDP—purchasing power equivalent $6 billion (1993 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>National product real growth rate:</hi> -8% (1992 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>National product per capita:</hi> $600 (1993 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>Agriculture:</hi> accounts for 40% of GDP; cash crops—tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, and corn; subsistence crops—potatoes, cassava, sorghum, pulses; livestock—cattle, goats
<item><hi format=bold>Economic aid:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>recipient:</hi> US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $215 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.15 billion