Malawi Travel Advice

General information for Malawi

Continent: Africa

Geographical location: Southern Africa along the Central African Rift, located in the southern hemisphere

Highest elevation: Sapitwa (3002 m above sea level)

Longest river: Shire (402 km) Form of

Government: Republic System of

Government: Presidential system

Languages: English, Chichewa

Neighboring countries: Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia

Capital: Lilongwe

Area: Approx . 118,480 km²

Residents: Approx . 18,622,100 people (2017)

Population density: 157 residents per km²

Religions: Christians 82%, Muslims 13%, other Baha’i, atheists, natural religions

Currency: Malawi-Kwacha (MWK), 1 euro is about 800 MWK (2019). The current exchange rate can be found at oanda.com

Climate: Subtropical with four seasons

Time zone: UTC + 2

Area code: +265

Country code: MW, MWI, 454

Electricity: Type G sockets are used in Malawi. The mains voltage is 3 x 230V with a 50Hz change interval. A travel plug adapter is an advantage.

Check a2zdirectory for old history of Malawi and agooddir for modern history of Malawi.

Cities and regions in Malawi

Malawi is divided into three administrative provinces from north to south, which are divided into a total of 28 administrative districts:

Northern Region

With an area of 26,931 km² and just under 1.7 million residents, the Northern Region is the smallest administrative province in Malawi. It extends from the northern border of the country to the south adjoining Central Region and comprises six districts of the mountainous part of Malawi. The administrative capital of the agricultural Northern Region is Mzuzu. The uranium ore mining operated near Karonga from 2009 to 2014 was closed again. The main source of income for the region is tobacco exports.

Central region

The largest region of Malawi in terms of area is the 35,592 km² Central Region, inhabited by almost 7.6 million residents, with the capital Lilongwe, which is also the state capital of Malawi. It is divided into nine districts and includes the central parts of Malawi. In the Central Region, too, agriculture, with tobacco growing, is the main branch of the economy.

Southern Region

The Southern Region in the south of Malawi covers an area of 31,753 km² and is inhabited by almost 5.9 million people in Malawi, who are spread over thirteen administrative districts. The capital and administrative center is Blantyre. In addition to tobacco, cotton and peanuts are grown in the Southern Region. Newly discovered phosphate deposits are expected to give the region an economic boost in the future.

Major cities in Malawi are:

Lilongwe

Almost 1 million people live in the capital of Malawi on an area of approx. 730 km². The city is subdivided into an old town and a new town, which is constantly growing due to brisk construction activity. The cityscape is characterized by large lots and wide, park-like boulevards. The brisk market activity on Malangalanga Road, the Indian traders in the old town and the tobacco auctions are all worth experiencing. On the upper slopes of the over 1000 m above sea level. Lilongwetals located NN are areas with dense rainforest and protea bushes. A zoo is set up between the old and new towns and is visited by wild hyenas and crocodiles.

Blantyre

The second largest city in Malawi has now grown to around 850,000 residents and is constantly expanding. The city, located at about 1000 m above sea level in the Shire highlands, together with the city of Limbe, which is now integrated as a district, forms the economic center of the country on an area of approx have their place of business. The President of Malawi also owns a palace here. Blantyre is also the capital of the Southern Region of Malawi and is surrounded by the administrative district of the same name. The city was named after the hometown of the African explorer Livingstone in Scotland.

The residential areas of Blantyre are either spacious villa areas or customary, single-family houses with tin roofs and glass windows.

The most striking building in the city is the Saint Michael and All Angels Church, completed in 1891. The Mandala House, originally built in 1882 as a depot for European missionaries and pioneers, is the oldest building in the city and now houses a gallery, library and an exhibition on the history of Malawi. Blantyre is home to three of the University of Malawi’s five colleges. The tobacco auctions, which take place every day in Lilongwe, are worth experiencing.

Mzuzu

the capital of the Northern Region of Malawi is the third largest city in the country with 128,432 residents on an area of around 48 km². It is located at an altitude of 1,254 m. NN at the northern end of the Viphya Plateau, which is used as a tourist hiking area. In addition to the Mzuzu University, which was founded in 1997, the Mzuzu Environmental Education Center with the topics of environmental awareness and environmental protection is of supraregional importance

Zomba

The fourth largest city in Malawi has approx. 100,000 residents and is located at an altitude of approx. 900 m at the foot of the 2000 m high Zomba Plateau in the Shire highlands. Zomba is the capital of the administrative district of the same name and the seat of the Zomba diocese. The former capital of Malawi gave this status to Lilongwe in 1975, but remained a seat of parliament until 1994 and still has state institutions and a presidential palace. The headquarters of the University of Malawi is located in Zomba. Due to the high precipitation rate on the plateau and the associated good irrigation situation, Zomba has developed into a relatively prosperous city.

Kasungu

Around 50,000 people live in the capital of the administrative district of the same name in the central region of Malawis. The district is one of the poorest in the country due to its sterile and dry soil. In the vicinity of the town of Zomba there is the remarkable Kasungu National Park, which, in addition to animal observation options, offers gastronomy and overnight accommodation for upscale tourism.

Fixed-date holidays in Malawi

January 1 New Year

on Jan. 15 commemorating John Chilembwe

March 3 for Day of Martyrs

May 1st May Day

May 14 Memorial Day Kamuzu

5 June Eid al-Fitr

June 14 Day of Freedom

on July 6 Independence

25 December Christmas

Medical information for Malawi

For legal reasons, we as a tour operator are not allowed to communicate any binding medical information for Malawi and therefore refer to the information provided by the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Robert Koch Institute and the German Society for Tropical Medicine and International Health

Travel advice for Malawi

You can obtain current travel and safety information, information on entering and leaving the country, as well as special criminal information and recommendations for your stay in Malawi from the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany.