L6 - Malawi (Barriers to Development) Flashcards
Which ocean is Malawi connected to?
None, it is landlocked
What is the capital city of Malawi?
Lilongwe
What is the population of Malawi?
16.8 million
Which country colonised Malawi and in what year?
Britain colonised Nyasaland, Malawi in 1891
What is the life expectancy and mortality rate like?
Low life expectancy and high infant mortality - higher prevalence of HIV
Who owns Malawi’s plantations now?
British TNCs e.g. PG Tips
What was the impact of the disaster in 2015?
Floods displaced 336,000 people and washed away 64,000ha of agricultural land
What hazard results from Malawi’s equatorial tropical climate?
Flooding during wet season of November to April
What is the best way to export out of Malawi?
Only exports via Mozambique (Navala) via a 200km single track railway
How many people live in rural areas?
85%
What is the infrastructure like?
Poor infrastructure in isolated dirt roads 20km to market
How do Malawi’s farmers survive?
They’re subsistence farmers (don’t own land)- just growing enough to surface, paid 1p/kg of tea leaves/ coffee cherries
What do TNCs provide Malawi’s farmers with?
Housing, water, firewood and lunch
What does Malawi export and why?
Tea and coffee plantations because of favourable climate and soil which is exported back to Britain
Agricultural produce brings in more than 80% of the country’s export earnings
What are some of Malawi’s international relations?
WTO- helps trade, but low-value exports and high-value imports
EU- tariffs on high-value roasted beans not low-value beans
How do we know Malawi’s government might be corrupt?
The president bought a private presidential jet using money that was supposed to be used for the fuel infrastructure (people don’t have much access to fuel)
Commodity trading- export prices depend on cash crop market prices
What are cash crops?
A crop produced for its commercial value rather than for use by the grower.
Malawi’s economic products - tobacco, tea, sugar and coffee are among the main cash crops for the last century
How do commodity prices make a difference?
Commodities include agricultural products.
A commodity price increases due to supply, demand, money etc.
A commodity’s future price is determined particularly by the supply and demand for the commodity in the market
What is the difference between colonialism and neo-colonialism?
Colonialism- where one stronger nation acquires power/authority over a weaker nation
Neo-colonialism- is developed and stronger countries involve in the economic, social and cultural aspects in former colonised and underdeveloped countries
