Country Profile · No. 30

Malawi

Capital / Admin Capital

LilongwePopulation: ~20.9MIndependence: 1964 (July 6)

First Prime Minister / President

Hastings Banda (Led independence as Prime Minister in 1964, authoritarian President 1966–1994)Current President: Lazarus Chakwera (Serving since June 2020)

Geography & Borders

Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia. Landlocked southeast African nation dominated by the spectacular Lake Malawi, which spans a major portion of the country's eastern border.

Demographics & Language

Christianity (~77%), Islam (~14%). Official: English language. National: Chichewa language. Major groups: Chewa (~34%), Lomwe (~19%), Yao (~13%), Ngoni (~10%).

Economy & GDP

Subsistence and commercial agriculture (tobacco, tea, sugar, maize).

Global Diaspora

Global Diaspora: 1. South Africa (~50k), 2. Zimbabwe (~30k), 3. United Kingdom (~10k), 4. United States (~5k–8k). U.S. Hubs (States / Cities): Washington D.C., Texas, Georgia.

Major Conflicts

Chilembwe uprising (1915, early armed rebellion against British colonial rule led by John Chilembwe), political tensions during the transition from one-party rule in the early 1990s.

3 Must-See Sites

1. Lake Malawi National Park (UNESCO World Heritage site at the southern end of the lake, celebrated for crystal-clear waters sheltering hundreds of colorful endemic cichlid fish species), 2. Mount Mulanje (Massive towering granite inselberg featuring dramatic gorges, cascading waterfalls, and cool highland plateaus), 3. Liwonde National Park (Malawi's premier wildlife reserve along the Shire River, teeming with hippos, elephants, and crocodiles).

Quick Facts

Affectionately known worldwide as the "Warm Heart of Africa" due to the extraordinary friendliness and hospitality of its people; Lake Malawi contains more species of fish than any other lake on Earth.