Malawi is a landlocked country in Sub-Saharan Africa which is bordered by Zambia to the North West, Tanzania to the North East, and Mozambique on the East, South and West. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi.
Here are 17 Interesting Malawi facts you might not have known
1. The country was formerly known as Nyasaland.
2. Nyasaland gained independence from the United Kingdom on the 6th of July 1964 (after being colonized by the British in 1891).
3. Blantyre is the 2nd largest city in the country with a population of +/- 900.000.
4. Lilongwe is the capital and the largest city in the country with a population of +/- 960,000.
5. The country was a single-party state under the presidency of Hastings Banda, who was president from 1966 until 1994. In 1994 Banda lost power when Malawi held its first multi-party election.
6. Peter Mutharika is the current president of Malawi, having won the September 2025 election.
7. The country has an estimated population of 22 million people (according to 2026 estimates).
8. The Kwacha is the Malawian national currency.
9. Both Lake Malawi National Park and Chongoni Rock Art Area (which are located in the country) are World Heritage Sites.
10. The highest point is Sapitwa the highest peak on the Mulanje Mountain which stands at 3,002 m.
11. Malawi is known as “the Warm Heart of Africa”, a nod to its friendly people.
12. English and Chichewa are the official languages of Malawi.
13. Lake Malawi is home to hundreds of species of cichlid fish, more than any other lake in the world, and many are found nowhere else.
14. Lake Malawi covers roughly a fifth of the country’s total area. Some sources call it Africa’s third-largest lake.
15. The median age in the country is only about 18.4 years, among the youngest in the world (per UN-based figures).
16. William Kamkwamba, from Malawi, became famous for building a wind turbine from scrap as a teenager to power his family’s home. His story became the book and Netflix film The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.
17. The country relies heavily on agriculture, and tobacco is its biggest export crop.
Well, there you have it, 17 interesting facts you didn’t know about Malawi.
If I’ve left out anything interesting about this country, please comment on this post.
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