UNFPA MALAWI
The population of Malawi was estimated at 9.9 million in 1998. The country’s population is growing at an annual rate of 2 per cent and is projected to reach 15.7 million by 2015. Due to the effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, life expectancy has dropped from 45.2 years in 1985 and is currently estimated at 40 years for males and 45 years for females. The country’s population continues to grow despite these trends due to persistently high fertility rates (currently 6.3), the country’s young population (the median age is 18) and declining infant and child mortality rates.