Malawi

Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. Malawi is a landlocked country sharing borders with Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. Lake Nyasa or Lake Malawi, some 580 km long, is the country’s most prominent physical feature, stretching nearly the whole length of this lush country.

The lowest point in the country is the junction of the Shire River (before it joins the great Zambezi) and the international boundary with Mozambique, where the elevation is just 37 m above sea level, and the highest point is just above 3,000 metres at Sapitwa on Mount Mlanje.

Lilongwe, the capital city, is situated in the centre of the country, but prior to 1975 Zomba, on the edge of the plateau, was known as the “most beautiful capital in the Commonwealth”.

The economy of Malawi is predominately agricultural, with about 90% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounted for nearly 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues in 2001.

Interestingly, the Arabica coffee grown in Uganda today originally comes from Malawi and is still referred to as Nyasaland coffee in some areas.