Malawi's population grows to 13.1 million

Report by Gloria Masanza. 

Malawi’s population has now grown to 13.1 million people from 9.9 million.

The figures were released on Monday by officials from the National Statistical Office-NSO in Malawi’s capital Lilongwe.

The National Housing and Population census was conducted in June this year.

The new figures represent a 2.8 percent population growth, up from 2 percent during the 1998 census.

The results also show that the southern region of Malawi has a population of 5.8 million, followed by the central region with 5.4 and the northern region with 1.6 million people.

Meanwhile, the NSO also announced that the national population of women is now standing at 51 percent a percent down from 52 percent in the 1998 census, with the population of men up to 49 percent.

Machinjiri also announced that the cities of Lilongwe and Mzuzu have shown a 50 percent, and 48 percent growth in population respectively.

Government through the minister of Economic planning and development Ken Lipenga said the outcome of the census was timely, as it will help government plan accurately for national progress.

Meanwhile the Malawi Electoral Commission-MEC has welcomes the preliminary results of the 2008 National Population and Housing census, saying it will help the commission in verifying the registration voters roll.

Currently, the MEC is conducting the voter registration exercise in readiness for the 2009 general elections.

The remarks were made in Lilongwe today, by Commissioner for MEC, Ron Mkomba, when the NSO announced the results of the census.

Mkomba told delegates at the press conference that the results were timely, considering the fact that the voter registration exercise is still underway.

According to the results, the population of people above 18 years is now at 6.3 million.

The results also show that the southern region has 2.8 million adults, representing 45 percent, while the central region has 2.7 million, representing 42 percent.

The north has recorded 800 thousand adults, a number which represents 13 percent.

However, MEC has projected that it will register up to 8 million people.

In 2004, over 4 million people got registered to vote