Malawi

Landscape of Malawi
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ILRI,_Stevie_Mann_-_Farm_landscape_in_central_Malawi.jpg
Author: Stevie Mann


Malawi is a small landlocked country in southeast Africa. It comprises a strip of land bordered by Tanzania to the north, Mozambique to the south, and Zambia to the west. Lake Malawi forms a natural border separating Malawi from Tanzania and Mozambique.

Malawi covers 118,484 sq km (45,747 sq mi) and has a population of 15 million people. Its capital and biggest city is Lilongwe. Its official languages are English and Chichewa.

Boys undergoing circumcision rites in Malawi
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Initiation_ritual_of_boys_in_Malawi.jpg
Author: Steve Evans


Malawi is in the Central African Time Zone, which is two hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+2). Traffic is driven on the left, just as in the United Kingdom. The electricity is 230V/50Hz using UK plug. The phone IDD code is +265. The official currency is called the Kwacha (MWK).

Malawi is a very poor country. Its 2010 estimate nominal GDP stood at $4.778 billion, which is only $336 per capita. The per capita GDP at purchasing power parity was only $925. The country has many social problems including low life expectancy, high infant mortality, high HIV/AIDs rate, all of which have sapped the country and impacted its gross domestic product.

Canoes at Monkey Bay, Malawi
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PICT1557-wiki.jpg
Author: Stefan Kraft Lizenz


Malawi was a colony of Britain from 1891 until its independence in 1964. From then on, it was a single-party state under Hastings Banda until 1994, when he was deposed. Today it is a multi-party democracy with a president as head of state.

Planning your visit to Malawi

Visitors from the United States, Canada, most countries of the European Union, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan do not need a visa to enter Malawi. You can get to the country by flying from Johannesburg, Nairobi and Dubai to the international airport in Lilongwe.

Sapitwa Peak, Mount Mulanje, Malawi
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sapitwa1.jpg
Author: fffriendly

Major Cities in Malawi

Places of Interest in Malawi

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