A presentation on Malawi

Bugala Study Centre

By
Dominic Mtumbuka
and Chifundo
Tenthani

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Malawi Brief History
A dynasty known as the
Maravi Empire was founded by
the Amaravi people in the late
15th century. The Amaravi,
who eventually became
known as the Chewa (a word
possibly derived from a term
meaning "foreigner"),
migrated to Malawi from the
region of the modern day
Republic of Congo to escape
unrest and disease. The
Chewa attacked the Akafula,
who settled in small family
clans without a unified system
of protection. Using a system
of destruction they would later
employ in hunting predatory
animals, the Chewa hunted
down and butchered the
Akafula.
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Malawi Brief History
In colonial times it was
known as British Central
Africa and Nyasaland
1889 and was at one
time part of the
Federation of Rhodesia
and Nyasaland. The
country reached full
independence, as
Malawi, in 1964.
The Federation of
Rhodesia and Nyasaland
was dissolved on
31December 1963.
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Malawi Past and Present
Rulers
His Excellency the Life
President Ngwazi Dr.
Hastings Kamuzu Banda
1964-1994
First president of the
first political grouping
the National African
Congress from 1959
A dictator by all means
No other poster, clock,
or picture could be
placed higher on the
wall than the president's
picture.

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Malawi Past and Present
Rulers
Dr Bakili Muluzi 1994-
2004
A very corrupt
politician who
plundered the Malawi
economy and enriched
himself and his pals.
Current leader of the
main “opposition
party” United
Democratic Front
Wants to run for
presidency again
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Malawi Past and Present
Rulers
Dr Bingu wa Muthalika
2004- date
Was UDF but left the
UDF party on 5
February 2005 citing
differences with the
UDF, particularly over
his anti-corruption
campaign
Formed his own
Democratic
Progressive Party
Seen by many
Malawians as savior
Recently knighted
Ngwazi
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Malawi Key Facts
 Location: SE Africa
 Time: GMT + 2.
 Area: 118,484 km2 (45,747 sq
miles).
 Population: 13.6 million (CIA
estimate 2007
 Population density: 114 per km2
 Capital: Lilongwe
 Languages: English and Chichewa
are both official. Chichewa is
widely spoken but the language of
the business community is English.
 Religion: 80% are Christian, 13%
Muslim. A recorded 4.3% of the
remaining 7% have
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no religion
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The flag of Malawi

• Officially adopted on July

6, 1964, on the day it
gained independence
from British rule.
• Malawi was earlier a
protectorate of Britain
and was called
Nyasaland.

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The Malawi flag

• Modeled on the banner

adopted by the Malawi
Congress Party that led
the struggle for
independence.
• The black stripe on the
Malawi flag stands for
the African people.
• The red color symbolizes
the blood shed for their
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The Malawi flag

• The green color signifies

the country's vegetation.
• The rising sun is symbolic
of the dawn of freedom
and hope among the
people of the African
continent.
• Black, red and green are
considered as the “black
11/09/08 liberation “colors.
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Coat of Arms
• The national crest has the
rising sun at the top and
bottom, representing the
dawn of freedom in Africa.
The fish eagle and wavy
bands on the shield
symbolize Lake Malaŵi while
the lion and the leopard
guard the crest as a whole.
The land at the base is the
rugged Mulanje mountain.
The crest bears the motto
'Unity and Freedom'.
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Malawi Geography
 Malawi shares borders N
and NE with Tanzania, to
the S, E and SW with
Mozambique and to the
W with Zambia.
 Lake Malawi, the third
largest lake in Africa, is
the dominant feature of
the country, forming the
eastern boundary with
Tanzania and
Mozambique.
 The scenery varies in the
country’s three regions.

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Malawi Geography
The Northern Region is
mountainous, with the
highest peaks reaching
over 2,500m (8,200ft),
and features the rolling
Nyika Plateau, rugged
escarpments, valleys
and the thickly forested
slopes of the Viphya
Plateau.
The Central Region is
mainly a plateau, over
1,000m (3,300ft) high,
with fine upland
scenery. This is the
country’s main
agricultural area.
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Malawi Geography
The Southern Region
is mostly low-lying
except for the
2,100m- (6,890ft-)
high Zomba Plateau
south of Lake Malawi
and the huge, isolated
Mulanje Massif
(3,000m/10,000ft) in
the southeast.
The variety of
landscape and the
wildlife it supports
make this relatively
un-spoilt country
particularly attractive
to visitors.
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Main Exports

The main Foreign

exchange earner is
tobacco
Tea, coffee, cotton,
macadamia nuts and
sugar also play a
role

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Energy
Just like many African countries, the use of
biomass as an energy source is high
Efficient use of this resource is being
promoted
Petroleum moves the transport sector
Attempts are underway to start using ethanol
in cars
Malawi has four hydropower stations
Black outs is a common occurrence

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Culture
Music and dances
play a big role to
show happiness and
cerebrate different
occasions
Like to warn
And just for fun

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The people
Wealth not well
distributed
Most are poor
Always smiling
The people of
Malawi are
accurately described
as the friendliest on
the continent. It is
they who make this
country the Warm
Heart of Africa.
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National Specialties
Fresh fish from Lake Malawi is the
country’s speciality, chambo (Tilapia fish)
being the main lake delicacy.
There are trout from streams on the
Zomba, Mulanje and Nyika plateaus.
White maize eaten with vegetables and
sometimes meat or fish.
Nthochi (bread made with banana).
Mbatata cookies (made with sweet
potato and cinnamon).

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Education
Primary School Std
1-8
www.unima.mw
Secondary School •www.chanco.unima.mw
•www.poly.ac.mw
Form 1-4 •www.kcn.unima.mw
•www.medcol.mw
A- Levels are •www.bunda.unima.mw
optional www.mzuni.ac.mw
University
www.ulivingstonia.org
Two Government www.cunima.net

 Two Church Based

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 Communications
Two mobile
companies
Zain: Roaming
fulltime
TNM
One landline
company
Internet access is
available

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 National drinks
The local beer is very good.
Carlsberg has a plant here
and offer a large range of
brands
Sobo are the main
manufacturers of soft drinks
Malawi gin and tonic (MGT)
is well known and
inexpensive, with almost
cult status.

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Shopping
Malawi produces a variety
of colourful arts and
crafts. Items are invariably
handmade and there is no
factory production of curios.
Purchases include
woodcarvings, wood and
cane furniture, soapstone
carvings, decorated wooden
articles, colourful textiles,
pottery, beadwork, cane
and raffia items.
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Sports
Malawi just like many
countries has passion
for soccer.
The team has
qualified for the next
phase on the road to
Angola and SA
The national soccer
team is nicknamed
Flames which means
Malawi
Netball, volleyball,
basketball, tennis are
also popular

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Top Things To See
 Discover Mzuzu, the
capital of the northern
region. There are two game
areas in the region: the
beautiful and unique
plateau of Nyika National
Park and the Vwaza
Marsh Wildlife Reserve.
The famous Livingstonia
Mission, with its
interesting museum, is
nearby.
 Lilongwe, Malawi's capital.
Alongside the traditional
Old Town, with its
interesting markets, is the
modern city and seat of
government with its
imaginative architecture in
a garden setting.
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Top Things To See
 North of Blantyre, be
mesmerized by the
stunning views at the top
of the 2,100m (6,890ft)
Zomba Plateau. Its vast
forests and waterfalls
tower above Zomba, a
university town and the
former capital.
 The magnificent Mulanje
Massif. The highest point
of this huge block of
mountains, which cover
more than 640 sq km (250
sq miles) and rise to over
3,000m (10,000ft), can be
seen at Sapitwa.

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Top Things To See
Look for elephants
during the early
mornings and
evenings in Kasungu
National Park, where
they appear to drink
from dambos (river
channels). The
grasslands support
large herds of buffalo
and some varieties of
antelope, such as
kudu and reedbuck.

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Top Things To See
 The 24,000 sq km (15,000
sq miles) lake that lies in
the deep, trough-like rift
valley, running the length
of the country. Lake
Malawi contains more fish
than any other lake in the
world and some of the
rarest tropical fish are
unique to it.
 The Anglican Cathedral,
built by missionaries over
100 years ago, on Likoma
Island. Located on the east
side of the lake, near the
Mozambique shore, the
island also offers excellent
swimming.

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Top Things to see
The world's first freshwater
national park and its
renowned settings and
attractions. Lake Malawi
National Park, close to
Monkey Bay, lies towards the
southern extremity of the
lake. Snorkelling or scuba-
diving reveals tropical fish
and further inland
klipspringer, bushbuck and
vervet monkeys can be
seen.
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 Getting There: By Air
The national airline is Air
Malawi (QM) (website:
www.airmalawi.com).
Main Airports
Lilongwe International is
26km from the city, journey
time – 25 to 30 minutes.
Chileka is 13km from the
city.
A domestic network that
provides regular links
between Blantyre, Lilongwe,
Mzuzu and Club Makokola on
the southern lakeshore
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 Getting There: By Water
The Ilala Ferry
connects Malawian
ports with Metangula
and Cóbuè in
Mozambique.
Cruises on Lake
Malawi are available
by local steamer.
Food and cabins are
available. For details
contact local travel
bureaux.
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Getting There: By Road
There are road connections with
Mozambique at Mwanza in SW
Malawi and at Chiponde in the E;
with Tanzania at the Songwe River
Bridge in the far NW of the
country. From Zambia, the main
crossing point is on the main
Lilongwe–Lusaka highway 30km
(19 miles) east of Chipata in the
W.
Border crossing points are
generally open between 0600-
1800. The border personnel just
like all Malawians are very
friendly
Very luxurious buses operate
between cities
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