Malawi population now 13.1 million: Census

The population of Malawi has risen by more than a quarter in the last decade to 13.1 million despite the devastating impact of AIDS, according to the results of a census released Monday.

“The preliminary results from the census indicate that the population of Malawi is now 13.1 million,” said Economic Planning and Development Minister Ken Lipenga while announcing preliminary results from June’s headcount.

Malawi’s population stood at 9.8 million when the last such nationwide survey was conducted in 1998.

Lipenga said 45 percent of Malawians are found in the south, 42 percent in the central and 13 percent from the north.

The rise in population comes despite the HIV-AIDS pandemic which has cut life expectancy in the impoverished southern African nation to 36. Around 14 percent of the population are affected by the virus.