Malawi Guide
Malawi – country information
| Country name | Malawi |
| Official name | Republic of Malawi |
| Capital | Lilongwe |
| Continent | Africa |
| Area | 118,484 km2 |
| Population | 16,363,000 (2013) |
| Foundation of a state | 7/6/1964 |
| The highest mountains | Sapitwa (Mt. Mulanje) 3000 m |
| Longest rivers | Shire (part) 400 km |
| The largest lakes | Malawi 29,600 km2 |
| State system | a pluralist republic with a unicameral parliament |
| The biggest cities | Blantyre 450,000, Lilongwe (Capital) 340,000, Mzuzu 150,000 |
| Official language | English |
| Ethnicity/National Composition | Maravi group 60%, Lomwe 18.5%, Yao 13%, Ngoni 6.5%, others 2% |
| Religious affiliation | Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 27%, Other Christian 2%, Traditional African Faith 20%, Muslim 16% |
| Currency | 1 Malaysian Kwacha (MK) = 100 cents |
| gross domestic product (GDP) | US$848 (2012) |
| Average life expectancy of the population | 41.70 years (2006) |
Malawi – Neighboring States
| State | Capital | Area | Population |
| Mozambique | Maputo | 801,590 km2 | 23,700,715 |
| Tanzania | At home | 945,087 km2 | 44,928,923 |
| Zambia | Lusaka | 752,618 km2 | 14,580,290 |
Country overview
According to Abbreviationfinder, Malawi forms a narrow strip of land along the southern end of the East African Rift Valley.
Malawi is a country in South Africa. Common borders in the south, southeast – with Mozambique, in the west – with Zambia, in the north – with Tanzania.
The capital is Lilongwe. The official language is English, Nyanja. The currency is the Malawian kwacha.
The climate is equatorial monsoon. The temperature in winter is +14*С, in summer +27*С. The total area of the country is 118,000 km2, while 20% of the territory is occupied by Lake Malawi.
The terrain here is mostly mountainous, winters are dry, summers are humid. Humid tropical forests give way to savannahs and mountain steppes. African plants – baobabs, palm trees and aloe – bring special exoticism.
Malawi has a lot of lakes, rivers and waterfalls. There is also more than one National Park, where the most famous African animals live – elephants, buffaloes, leopards, etc.
Resorts and attractions in Malawi
Lake Malawi is one of the largest lakes in East Central Africa. The length of the lake from north to south is 560 km, the depth is 707 m. The western and southern parts of the lake are gentle, but the northern and eastern parts are steep with uneven relief. Due to surface evaporation, large water losses occur in the lake.
Lilongwe is the city of orchids. Lilongwe became the capital in the early 1970s. This city is quite faceless and is not of great interest to tourists. The new city or urban center is built up with standard modern office buildings. This is the concentration of ministries, embassies, travel agencies and small alleys.
Interesting facts
In Malawi, the remains of hominids and stone tools over a million years old were found, and people of the modern type lived on Lake. Malawi already 60 thousand years ago.
Until 1963 the country was a British colony.
Country data
Location: South Africa
Time zone: CET + 1 (during summer time: CET)
Total area: 118,484 km²
Land area: 94,080 km²
Water area: 24,404 km²
Length of the state border: 2,881 km
Bordering countries:
Mozambique: 1,569 km
Zambia: 837 km
Tanzania: 475 km
Coastline: 0 km
Capital: Lilongwe
Regions: 28
Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga, Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Neno, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba
Telephone code: 00 265 (Source: Allcitycodes)
Highest point: Sapitwa 3,002 m
Population
Population: approx. 17.4 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)
Population growth: 3.3% per year
Population density (residents per km²): 147
Life expectancy: 58 (male), 62 (female)
Official language: English, Chichewa (native language)
Religions:
- 82% Christian
- 13% Muslim
- 5% other
Climate
The subtropical climate is very pleasant all year round. The dry season lasts from May to October. Rainfall is frequent during the remaining months, with the main rainy season being from December to March.
Temperatures around the plains of Lake Malawi are highest (22-32 ° C). The further you go into the mountains, the cooler it gets (13-24 ° C).
Currency / finance
Currency unit: Malawi Kwacha (MWK)
Classification: 1 Malawi Kwacha = 100 Tambala
ATMs: In larger cities at the banks Stanbic and National Bank.
International credit cards: Only in very large hotels and shops in Lilongwe.
Regulations: The national currency can be imported and exported up to an amount of 3,000 Kwacha.
There is no limit to the amount of foreign currencies that can be imported. The export is limited to the amount of the declared import.
All exchange receipts should be kept until departure.
Customs regulations
The following may be carried duty-free:
- 200 cigarettes or 225 g of tobacco
- 1 liter of alcoholic beverages
- small amounts of perfume
(Information applies to people aged 18 and over)
Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.
You should have valuable items declared upon entry so that there are no difficulties when leaving.
Travel advice
The most common offenses against foreigners at present are pickpocketing, burglary and car theft. These take place more and more often through the use of armed force.
The regions on the border with Mozambique are subject to a higher security risk.
Behavioral advice
- do not wear money and jewelry visibly
- lock your car at any time (even while driving)
- do not drive overland at night
Economy
Malawi is one of the poorest economies in the world. with a high level of corruption.
Most of the population works in agriculture. Corn, tobacco, tea and sugar are grown here.
All other branches of industry are closely linked to agriculture (mechanical engineering, product processing).
Industries: agriculture, light industry, tobacco growing
Natural resources: bauxite, coal, farmland, uranium, hydropower
Land use:
- Usable land: 34%
- Grain cultivation: 0%
- Pasture area: 20%
- Forests: 39%
- other: 7%
Plants
The dry forests, which are particularly located in the flat regions of the country, change into tree savannahs and grasslands with increasing height.
The most common trees include baobabs, acacias, and conifers.
In recent years, very large areas of land have fallen victim to agricultural use.
Animals
Malawi’s diverse wildlife includes monkeys, antelopes, elephants, hippos, cheetahs, giraffes, cobras, crocodiles, rhinos and zebras.
Many animals live in particularly large numbers near Lake Malawi.
