Capital: Lilongwe
Currency: Malawian Kwacha (MWK)
Borders: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
Malawi is a land-locked Southern African nation with a relatively
small landmass of 118,500 sq km. Malawi is a long, narrow country,
stretching 915km from north to south and 100km wide east to west.
Its bordering countries are Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania. The
largest natural geographical feature is Lake Malawi, which is home
to many colourful variations of the Cichlid, a tropical fish
favoured in many western aquariums. The lake runs a staggering 500km
alongside the country's eastern border and covers almost a fifth of
Malawi's area. It is the third largest of the great African lakes.
Other features include the highland plateaus of Zomba, Nyika and
Viphya. The highest mountain in Malawi is Mount Mulanje with a
height of 3000m. Another big attraction is Malawi's selection of
national parks and game reserves. These have not been without
problems from poaching though, as is the case elsewhere in the vast
continent of Africa.The sub-tropical
climate of Malawi is divided into two quite distinct seasons. The
dry season runs from May to November and the wet from November to
April. Temperatures average 26°C although they can soar to nearer
40°C during the very hot, dry season. Highland temperatures are
generally cooler, especially at night.
The people of Malawi are among the friendliest, hospitable people in
the whole of Africa. One of the things that makes Malawi a popular
destination is that many of the hassles of travelling Africa, simply
don't exist here. Malawi is a small city. Lilongwe is the
administrative capital, although it holds little in the way of
tourist interest. Other major settlements include Blantyre, Zomba
and the main port of Monkey Bay on the shores of Lake Malawi.
The economy of Malawi is largely an agricultural foundation, with
farming a major industry. Droughts have proven disastrous in the
past, yet Malawi has always seemed to bounce back. The main exports
of Malawi include tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement and
consumer goods. |
