GEOGRAPHY
Malawi is situated in southeastern
Africa. The Great Rift Valley traverses the country from north
to south. In this deep trough lies Lake Malawi, the third-largest
lake in Africa, comprising about 20% of Malawi's area. The Shire
River flows from the south end of the lake and joins the Zambezi
River 400 kilometers (250 mi.) farther south in Mozambique. East
and west of the Rift Valley, the land forms high plateaus, generally
between 900 and 1,200 meters (3,000-4,000 ft.) above sea level.
In the north, the Nyika Uplands rise as high as 2,600 meters (8,500
ft.); south of the lake lie the Shire Highlands, with an elevation
of 600-1,600 meters (2,000-5,000 ft.), rising to Mts. Zomba and
Mulanje, 2,130 and 3,048 meters (7,000 and 10,000 ft.). In the
extreme south, the elevation is only 60-90 meters (200-300 ft.)
above sea level.
Malawi is one of Sub-Saharan
Africa's most densely populated countries. The population of Lilongwe--Malawi's
capital since 1971--exceeds 400,000. All government ministries
and the Parliament are located in Lilongwe. Blantyre remains Malawi's
major commercial center and largest city, having grown from an
estimated 109,000 inhabitants in 1966 to nearly 500,000 in 1998.
Malawi's President resides in Blantyre. The Supreme Court is seated
in Blantyre.
Malawi's climate is generally
subtropical. A rainy season runs from November through April.
There is little to no rainfall throughout most of the country
from May to October. It is hot and humid from October to April
along the lake and in the Lower Shire Valley. Lilongwe is also
hot and humid during these months, albeit far less than in the
south. The rest of the country is warm during those months. From
June through August, the lake areas and far south are comfortably
warm, but the rest of Malawi can be chilly at night, with temperatures
ranging from 5o-14oC (41o-57oF).
Official Name: Republic
of Malawi
Area: 118,484 sq. km. (45,747 sq. mi.); land the size of
Pennsylvania, with a lake the size of Vermont.
Cities: Capital--Lilongwe. Other cities--Blantyre (largest
city), Zomba, Mzuzu.
Terrain: Plateaus, highlands, and valleys. Lake Malawi
(formerly referred to as Lake Nyasa) comprises about 20% of total
area.
Climate: Predominately subtropical.
