Portal:Malawi

The Malawi Portal

Flag of Malawi

Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over 118,484 km² (45,747 sq mi) and has a population of 22,224,282 (as of July 2025). Lilongwe is its capital and largest city.

The part of Africa now known as Malawi was settled around the 10th century by the Akafula, also known as the Abathwa. Later, the Bantu groups came and drove out the Akafula and formed various kingdoms such as the Maravi and Nkhamanga kingdoms, that flourished from the 16th century. The British Empire began to consolidate control of the area following the 1890 British Ultimatum against the Portuguese, who had claimed the area between Angola and Mozambique in the 1885 Pink Map. In 1891, the area was designated by the British as the British Central African Protectorate, renamed Nyasaland in 1907. In 1964, Nyasaland became independent under Prime Minister Hastings Banda and was renamed Malawi. Two years later, Banda became president by converting the country into a one-party presidential republic. Banda was declared president for life in 1971. Malawi's first few decades of independence was characterized by Banda's highly repressive dictatorship. After the introduction of a multi-party system in 1993, Banda lost the 1994 general election, and the country has continued to experience peaceful transitions of power. Malawi has a democratic, multi-party republic headed by an elected president. According to the 2024 V-Dem Democracy indices, Malawi is ranked 74th electoral democracy worldwide and 11th electoral democracy in Africa. The country maintains diplomatic relations with most countries and participates in several international organisations, including the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Southern African Development Community, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the African Union.

Malawi is one of the world's least developed countries. Its economy is heavily based on agriculture, and it has a largely rural and growing population. The country has a low life expectancy and high infant mortality. HIV/AIDS is highly prevalent. The diverse population includes native peoples, Asians, and Europeans. The population is predominantly Christian, and the majority are Protestant. (Full article...)

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The Maravi empire in the 17th century.

The Maravi Empire or Maravi Confederacy was a Chewa polity that controlled what is now central and southern Malawi, parts of Mozambique, and eastern Zambia, from at least the early 15th century to the mid-19th century. In the 17th century, the empire extended westwards to the Luangwa River, northwards to Nkhotakota, and southwards to the Zambezi, with its influence stretching eastwards to Mozambique Island and Quelimane.^: 198

The Chewa migrated from Katanga in modern-day DR Congo to Malawi. The Banda clan and other smaller clans arrived in Malawi first in the 12th or 13th century, and are termed the Pre-Maravi. The Phiri clan adopted kingship and were led by the Kalonga (king), and arrived in Malawi later; they are termed the Maravi. After reaching Msinja, the Maravi integrated the Pre-Maravi's sociopolitical organisation. As the Maravi continued their migration, two relatives of the Kalonga, Kaphiti and Lundu, left following a succession dispute to establish their own kingdoms. The Maravi state expanded through the Kalonga sending relatives to found new subordinate polities. After the Maravi settled at Mankhamba, another succession dispute caused Undi to leave and establish his own kingdom, accompanied by the royal family and Nyangu. Lundu allied with the Zimba, a militaristic group which fought the Portuguese, in the late-16th century. In the 17th century, Kalonga Muzura expanded the empire and conquered Lundu's polity, however failed to expel the Portuguese from the region. In the 18th century, the system of succession broke down as a long-term consequence of Nyangu and the royal family's separation from the Kalonga in Mankhamba, leading to internal conflict and disintegration. This was exacerbated in the 19th century by frequent slave raiding from Yao chiefs, culminating in the death of the last Kalonga, Sosola, in battle in the late 1860s. The Chewa Royal Establishment, a non-sovereign monarchy centred in eastern Zambia, claims continuation of Undi's dynasty. (Full article...)

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General images -

The following are images from various Malawi-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1GDP in Southern African Development Community countries by economic sector, 2013 or closest year (from Malawi)
Image 2Harvesting groundnuts at an agricultural research station in Malawi (from Malawi)
Image 3Chongoni Rock Art Area (from Malawi)
Image 4Mountains in Northern Malawi during the rainy season (from Malawi)
Image 5Lake Malawi (from Malawi)
Image 6Children attending a farmer meeting in Nalifu village, Mulanje (from Malawi)
Image 7National Assembly building in Lilongwe (from Malawi)
Image 8Public expenditure on education in Southern Africa as a share of GDP, 2012 or closest year (from Malawi)
Image 9The M1 road between Blantyre and Lilongwe (from Malawi)
Image 10Malawi's first Prime Minister and later the first President, Hastings Banda (left), with Tanzania's President Julius Nyerere (right) (from Malawi)
Image 111897 British Central Africa stamp issued by the United Kingdom (from Malawi)
Image 12Malawian female soldier (from Malawi)
Image 13Locations of Malawian diplomatic embassies or high commissions as of 2012 (from Malawi)
Image 14Musical instruments of Malawi (from Malawi)
Image 15Crafts market in Lilongwe (from Malawi)
Image 16Mbawemi Women's group in Malawi learning how to make beeswax into candles (from Malawi)
Image 17Mission Church in Livingstonia (from Malawi)
Image 18Scientific publication trends in the most productive SADC countries, 2005–2014 (from Malawi)
Image 19Elephant in Majete Wildlife Reserve (from Malawi)