Country Information on Malawi

Terrain A narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills and some mountains are the most characteristic features of Malawi. The country is mainly dominated by Lake Malawi, which stretches 560 km along the spine of the country. Located along the edge of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Malawi lies in a deep trough formed by the rift. The lake, which is the third largest in Africa, comprises 20% of the total area of Malawi. To the west of the lake, the country forms plateaux rising up to 1220 m. Above these fairly cool highlands are the higher plateaux of Dedza, Viphya and Kirk Range. In the southern region of Malawi, the Shire highlands and the Shire River flowing south to join the Zambezi River basin in Mozambique dominate the country; in the north it is the Nyika Uplands, which are most characteristic of the country. The highest peak in Malawi is found on Mount Mulanje (3250 m high), located in the southern part of the country. Climate Malawi has a tropical continental climate. There are three seasons: the dry (August to October), the wet (November to April) and the cool (May to July) season. Temperatures and rainfall are greatly influenced by the lake (Lake Malawi) and the altitude that varies from 37 m in the Lower Shire Valley to 3250 m (Mount Mulanje). There is some maritime influence marked in the dry season by a light drizzle, locally known as chiperoni experienced in the Shire Highland of southern Malawi. The highest temperatures are in the Rift Valley where they may reach up to 38 degrees centigrade in the hottest months while frost is quite common on plateaux above 1830 m. Fauna/Flora The wide range in climatic zones enables Malawi to grow both tropical and sub-tropical crops. The predominant vegetation is the savannah woodland but there are also evergreen forests, which are found in places where ground water is plentiful such as river valleys and mountains. Grassland is mainly found on high plateaux. There are five national parks and a number of game reserves in Malawi with wildlife such as elephants, zebras, hippopotami, crocodiles, antelopes, lions, leopards and hundreds of species of bird and fish. Lake Malawi has more freshwater species than Europe and North America combined and of the 630 species of bird recorded, 70 are not found elsewhere in Africa. History/Politics Malawi was initially part of the Kingdom Kitawara. As early as the 17th century Jesuit missionaries visited the area near Lake Malawi discovered by Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone in 1859. Between 1875 and 1876, several Scottish missions were founded. In 1883 a British consul was sent to the country. Raids by Arab slave-traders, fear of Portuguese expansion from Mozambique (e.g. in 1890) and national and state interests led to the establishment of a British protectorate known as Nyasaland in 1907. Given that implementation of the British approach of founding a Central African Federation including Rhodesia and Zambia would have meant implementing apartheid as well, local parties promoted Malawi's independence, which was finally reached in 1964. Political changes in the region between 1970 and 1980 also exerted some influence on Malawi's domestic politics and economy. Guerrilla groups stood up against Banda who had declared himself president for life. After the government had cracked down on the guerrillas, the years to follow were dominated by fierce political repression. Under international pressure, first democratic elections ever were held in Malawi in 1994, with opposition leader Bakili Mukizi following Banda in office. Banda retreated from politics and was arrested in 1995 for allegedly murdering 3 former cabinet ministers. Economy Malawi ranks among the world's poorest countries. The economy is predominantly agricultural (90%), with nearly all the country's population finding employment in the farming sector. Agriculture accounts for 90% of export revenues, therefore the country is heavily susceptible to the weather, droughts can result in severe economic crises. Malawi is dependent on imports of food, petroleum products, consumer goods, and transportation equipment. Almost 70% of agricultural produce comes from smallholder farmers on customary land. The main cash crops grown mostly on large estates are maize, tobacco, tea, sugar cane, groundnuts, cotton, coffee, wheat, rice and pulses. Small farmers produce a variety of crops, including maize, beans, rice, cassava and peanuts. Fruits such as bananas, mangoes, papayas and oranges are also grown. Malawi is a country with a few mineral resources, which have not been exploited so far. Among these are some deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite. Democracy has brought financial deregulation to the country and, as a result, the local currency has been devalued by more than 100 percent. Culture There are many old traditions and dances, which are still very much alive in Malawi. Each village has its traditional gatherings, village courts, where disputes between neighbours or husband and wife are settled. The installation of a new chief is always a time of big celebrations showing the chief's authority and his influence in public, but also informing the future chief of the expectations expressed by his clan. At the end of the harvesting season ritual ceremonies are held, to thank the ancestral spirits for the good crop. Each tribe has its initiation rites and ceremonies, which are usually, like the harvest festival, accompanied by a lot of traditional dancing.