Malawi
Republic of Malawi | |
|---|---|
| Motto: "Unity and Freedom" | |
| Anthem: Mulungu dalitsani Malaŵi "O God Bless Our Land of Malawi" | |
Location of Malawi (dark green) in southeast Africa | |
| Capital and largest city | Lilongwe 13°57′S 33°42′E / 13.950°S 33.700°E |
| Official languages | |
| Recognised national languages | (none at national level) |
| Recognised regional languages | |
| Ethnic groups (2024 census) | |
| Religion (2018 census) |
|
| Demonym | Malawian |
| Government | Unitary presidential republic |
| Peter Mutharika | |
| Jane Ansah | |
| Sameer Suleman | |
| Rizine Mzikamanda | |
| Legislature | National Assembly |
| Independence from the United Kingdom | |
• Dominion | 6 July 1964 |
• Republic | 6 July 1966 |
• Current constitution | 18 May 1994 |
| Area | |
• Total | 118,484 km2 (45,747 sq mi) (98th) |
• Water (%) | 20.6% |
| Population | |
• 2024 estimate | 21,240,689 (62nd) |
• 2018 census | 17,563,749 |
• Density | 153.1/km2 (396.5/sq mi) (56th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | $37.919 billion (137th) |
• Per capita | $1,668 (186th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | $13.176 billion (149th) |
• Per capita | $579 (190th) |
| Gini (2016) | 44.7 medium inequality |
| HDI (2023) | 0.517 low (172nd) |
| Currency | Malawian kwacha (D) (MWK) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (CAT) |
| Date format | dd/mm/yyyy |
| Calling code | +265 |
| ISO 3166 code | MW |
| Internet TLD | .mw |
* Population estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected.
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Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern 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 an estimated population of 22,224,282 (as of July 2025). Lilongwe is its capital and largest city, while the next three largest cities are Blantyre, Mzuzu, and Zomba, the former capital.
The part of Africa 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, among others that flourished from the 16th century. In 1891, the area was colonised by the British as the British Central African Protectorate, being 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. Independence was characterized by Banda's highly repressive dictatorship. After the introduction of a multiparty system in 1993, Banda lost the 1994 general election. 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 (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the African Union (AU).
Malawi is one of the world's least developed countries. The 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 country has a diverse population that includes native peoples, Asians, and Europeans. The population is predominantly Christian and the majority are Protestant.