Malawi is known as “The Warm Heart of Africa” and you’ll be guaranteed a friendly welcome here. It is a country of gorgeous natural scenery, the main draw being Lake Malawi which covers 20% of the country’s area along its eastern edge. Most travellers will transit through Malawi on overland journeys, stopping for several days along the lake shore, enjoying water sports, the beautiful scenery and the hospitality of their hosts. Explore in depth highlights of Malawi.
| Tours | Unesco WHS | Guidebooks |
|---|---|---|
| groups tours with set departures |
World Heritage Sites | country, regions and cities |
| Time zone: | GMT +2 (Central Africa time) | Daylight savings: None |
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| Main languages: | Chichewa |
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| Other languages: | Chilomwe, Chinyanja, Chisena, Chitonga, Chitumbuka, Chiyao |
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| Currency: |
Malawian kwachas (MWK) €1 = MK810, $1 = MK726, £1 = MK0.00 (rates as of Sep 2016) |
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| Internet Domain: | .mw | International Dialling Code: 265 |
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For help planning your trip to Malawi including visas, vaccinations, currency exchange, flights, accomodation and insurance, see our Malawi trip planning page.
Further information on Malawi
Discover more about Malawi - the country's geogrpahy and natural features, an assessment of its status on freedom and rights and data on the country's population and economy.
Geography & Natural Features
Total area: 118,480 sq km (24,400 sq km under water)
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Neighbours (border lengths): Mozambique (1,569km), Tanzania (475km), Zambia (837km)
Climate: Sub-tropical climate with rainy season from November to May.
Highest mountain: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) (3,002m)
Freedom & Rights
Summary status and rankings for Malawi from classifications of different organisations measuring political and economic freedom, democracy and civil rights. See more details of these rankings.
| Index | Status | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Freedom in the World | Partly Free | - |
 | Democracy Index | Hybrid regime | 89/167 |
 | Economic Freedom | Mostly Unfree | 126/179 |
 | Press Freedom | Noticeable problems | 58/179 |
 | ILGA LGBT rights | No rights | - |
 | Corruption Perceptions | Medium corruption | 110/174 |
| Overall Ranking: | 125/195 | ||
Other Data & Links
Full name: Republic of Malawi Status: Independent Country
Population: 17,377,468 (rank: 63/196) Density: 146.6 people/sq km (rank: 57/196)
Ethnic groups: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European
Religions: Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census)
GDP (PPP): $15.02 billion GDP per capita: $900 (rank: 188/195)
Information derived from the CIA World Factbook. Other country profiles: BBC News.