Malawi is a country in Africa, in East Africa, with about 22.2 million people (2025) and an area of 118,480 square kilometres. Its capital is Lilongwe, and it shares land borders with 3 countries.
By Team Geography·Last reviewed
Flag of MalawiMalawi in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.
The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of Malawi's 5, in full.
PLACELens 1 of 5
The lake that defines a nation
Malawi is a narrow, landlocked country in southeastern Africa, dominated by Lake Malawi, which runs 580 kilometers along its eastern border and covers about a fifth of the national territory. The lake fills the southern arm of the East African Rift and reaches depths beyond 700 meters. South of it, the Shire River drains toward the Zambezi through a low valley flanked by highlands. Mount Mulanje, in the southeast, rises to 3,002 meters, the highest point in central Africa south of Kilimanjaro.
More on Lake Malawi
The third-largest lake in Africa and the ninth-largest in the world, Lake Malawi contains more fish species than any other lake on Earth, with over 1,000 cichlid species, most found nowhere else. It is shared with Mozambique and Tanzania, though Malawi claims most of the surface.
4 more lenses on Malawi in the app
STORY The warm heart of Africa
NOW Tobacco dependency and climate risk
THREAD A rift valley shared across borders
STORY A literary tradition punching above its weight
Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.
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Common questions
What is the capital of Malawi?
The capital of Malawi is Lilongwe. Lilongwe lies at about 14.0 degrees south and 33.8 degrees east. Malawi is in Africa, in the region often called East Africa. It is home to about 22.2 million people. The world capitals quiz on this site tests every capital, and the printable capitals sheets cover each continent.
What is the population of Malawi?
About 22.2 million people live in Malawi, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 60th most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 118,480 square kilometres, that is about 188 people per square kilometre.
What countries border Malawi?
Malawi shares land borders with 3 countries: Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. The map on this page outlines each of them around Malawi. The count includes only borders on land, not neighbours across a sea or a lake. Borders here follow Natural Earth at the 1:50 million scale, with Crimea shown as part of Ukraine and Western Sahara as a separate territory.
How big is Malawi?
Malawi covers 118,480 square kilometres, or about 45,745 square miles. That makes it the 100th largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 22.2 million gives a density of 188 people per square kilometre.
Malawi is a country in Africa, in East Africa, with about 22.2 million people (2025) and an area of 118,480 square kilometres. Its capital is Lilongwe, and it shares land borders with 3 countries.
Capital
Lilongwe
Continent
Africa
Region
East Africa
Population
22,216,120 2025, World Bank. 60th of 195.
Area
118,480 km² (45,745 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 100th largest of 195.
Population density
188 people per km²
Land neighbours
3: Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia
Official name
Republic of Malawi
UN status
Member state
PLACE · from the Geography app
The lake that defines a nation
Malawi is a narrow, landlocked country in southeastern Africa, dominated by Lake Malawi, which runs 580 kilometers along its eastern border and covers about a fifth of the national territory. The lake fills the southern arm of the East African Rift and reaches depths beyond 700 meters. South of it, the Shire River drains toward the Zambezi through a low valley flanked by highlands. Mount Mulanje, in the southeast, rises to 3,002 meters, the highest point in central Africa south of Kilimanjaro.
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/malawi/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
Geography · Country report
Malawi
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Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/malawi/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
