In the mid-1990s he buckled under popular pressure to hold elections, and lost - finally giving Malawians a taste for multi-party democracy.

OVERVIEW

His successor, Bakili Muluzi, removed many of the repressions of the Banda years, but the leadership was accused of corruption. Social problems, including poverty and the high rate of HIV/Aids infection, continue to be causes for concern.

Most Malawians rely on subsistence farming, but the food security situation is precarious and the country is prone to natural disasters of both extremes - from drought to heavy rainfalls - putting it in constant need of thousands of tonnes of food aid every year.

Malawi has been urged by world financial bodies to free up its economy. Since the mid-1990s it has privatised many loss-making state-run corporations. The single major natural resource, agricultural land, is under severe pressure from rapid population growth.

Tens of thousands of Malawians die of Aids every year. After years of silence, the authorities spoke out about the crisis. A programme to tackle HIV-Aids was launched in 2004, with President Muluzi revealing that his brother had died from the disease.

Malawi boasts a variety of landscapes, from wetlands and lakes to mountains and forests. National parks and game reserves beckon visitors.

FACTS

• Population: 12.6 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Lilongwe
• Area: 118,484 sq km (45,747 sq miles)
• Major languages: English, Chichewa (both official)
• Major religions: Christianity, Islam
• Life expectancy: 40 years (men), 40 years (women) (UN)
• Monetary unit: 1 Malawi kwacha (MK) = 100 tambala
• Main exports: Tobacco, tea, sugar, cotton
• GNI per capita: US $160 (World Bank, 2005)
• Internet domain: .mw
• International dialling code: +265

LEADERS

President: Bingu wa Mutharika

Bingu wa Mutharika, the candidate of the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF), was sworn in on 24 May 2004 after winning presidential elections.

President Bingu wa Mutharika

Less than a year later he resigned from the UDF, accusing the party and his predecessor Bakili Muluzi of opposing his high-profile anti-corruption campaign. He formed a new grouping, the Democratic Progressive Party.

Mr Mutharika had been hand-picked by the outgoing President Muluzi as the UDF candidate after parliament refused to accept an amendment to the constitution allowing Mr Muluzi to stand for a third term.

Mr Mutharika was minister for economic planning and development under President Muluzi, despite contesting the presidency in 1999 on an opposition ticket and coming last. After his defeat he defected to the UDF.

Perceived as a relative outsider, his nomination surprised many UDF members and led to several party heavyweight defections.

The run-up to the poll was overshadowed by opposition claims of irregularities. European Union and Commonweath observers said although voting passed peacefully, they were concerned about "serious inadequacies" in the poll.

Mr Mutharika is an economist and a former secretary-general of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa). He has also worked for the World Bank and the UN.