Comparison
Read two legal systems against each other
Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.
Select up to six documented jurisdictions
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| Attribute | Bosnia and HerzegovinaReviewed | MalawiReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law | English common law with customary law |
| System of government | Federal parliamentary republic | Presidential republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Dayton Annex 4) | Constitution of the Republic of Malawi |
| In force since | 1995 | 1994 |
| Capital | Sarajevo | Lilongwe |
| Official languages | Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian | English, Chichewa |
| Currency | Convertible mark (BAM) | Malawian kwacha (MWK) |
| Population | 3,200,000 | 20,900,000 |
| Division of powers | A three-member Presidency and Council of Ministers at state level share power with two autonomous entities and the Brčko District, each with their own legislatures and courts, under a Constitutional Court. | Unitary with three regions and 28 districts administered by local councils. Traditional authorities exercise recognised functions over customary land and local dispute resolution. |
| How law is made | State laws require approval of both houses of the Parliamentary Assembly with entity-vote safeguards, while most everyday law is made at entity level. | Bills pass three readings in the National Assembly with committee scrutiny and are presented for presidential assent, which must be given or withheld within 21 days. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority, and amendments affecting entrenched provisions additionally require a referendum. |
| Legal profession | Advokati/odvjetnici belong to entity bar associations; notaries handle deeds and company acts under entity notary laws. | A fused profession of legal practitioners admitted by the High Court after a law degree, regulated by the Malawi Law Society under the Legal Education and Legal Practitioners Act. |
A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.