Geography
Malawi
Area
land
94,080 sq km
water
24,404 sq km
total
118,484 sq km
Climate
subtropical climate characterized by a rainy season from November to May and a dry season from May to November
Terrain
a narrow and elongated plateau featuring rolling plains, rounded hills, and several mountains
Land use
other
13.4% (2023 est.)
forest
22.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
64.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 42.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 19.6% (2023 est.)
Location
located in Southern Africa, to the east of Zambia, and to the west and north of Mozambique
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
lowest point
junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m
highest point
Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m
mean elevation
779 m
Irrigated land
740 sq km (2012)
Map references
Africa
Land boundaries
total
2,857 km
border countries
bordering Mozambique at 1,498 km; Tanzania at 512 km; and Zambia at 847 km
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
experiences flooding, droughts, and earthquakes
Geography - note
a landlocked nation; Lake Nyasa, approximately 580 km (360 mi) in length, represents the country's most significant geographical feature and is home to more fish species than any other lake globally
Natural resources
rich in limestone, cultivable land, hydropower resources, and untapped reserves of uranium, coal, and bauxite
Area - comparative
slightly less extensive than Pennsylvania
Geographic coordinates
13 30 S, 34 00 E
Population distribution
the highest population density is found south of Lake Nyasa, as illustrated in the accompanying population distribution map
Major lakes (area sq km)
salt water lake(s)
Lake Chilwa - 1,040 sq km
fresh water lake(s)
Lake Malawi, which it shares with Mozambique and Tanzania, spans 22,490 square kilometers
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage
Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage
Congo (3,730,881 sq km)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Zambezi River, shared with Zambia [s], Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Tanzania, and Mozambique [m], measures 2,740 km
note: [s] indicates river source after the country name; [m] indicates river mouth after the country name