The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast and Mozambique, which surrounds it on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Malawi's capital is Lilongwe, and its commercial center and largest city is Blantyre with a population of over 500,000 people. 

Geography

The Great Rift Valley runs through the country from north to south, and to the east of the valley lies Lake Malawi making up over three-quarters of Malawi's eastern boundary. Lake Malawi is sometimes called the Calendar Lake as it is about 365 miles (587 km) long and 52 miles (84 km) wide. The Shire River flows from the south end of the lake and joins the Zambezi River 250 miles (400 km) farther south in Mozambique. The surface of Lake Malawi is located at 1,500 feet (460 m) above sea level, with a maximum depth of 2,300 feet (700 m), which means the lake floor is over 700 feet (210 m) below sea level at some points.

In the mountainous sections of Malawi surrounding the Rift Valley, plateaus rise generally 3,000 to 4,000 feet (910 to 1,200 m) above sea level, although some rise as high as 8,000 feet (2,400 m) in the north. To the south of Lake Malawi lie the Shire Highlands, gently rolling land at approximately 3,000 feet (910 m) above sea level. In this area, the Zomba and Mlanje mountain peaks rise to respective heights of 7,000 feet (2,100 m) and 10,000 feet (3,000 m).

History and Politics

Malawi was first settled during the 10th century and remained under native rule until 1891 when it was colonized by the British, who ruled the country until 1964. Upon gaining independence it became a single-party state under the presidency of Hastings Banda, who remained president until 1994, when he was ousted from power. Bingu Mutharika, elected in 2004, is the current president, and as of 2008, Malawi has a democratic, multi-party government.  Malawi's foreign policy is pro-Western and includes positive diplomatic relations with most countries and participation in several international organizations.  

Seasons and Climate

Malawi's climate is hot in the low-lying areas in the south of the country and temperate in the northern highlands. The altitude moderates what would be an otherwise equatorial climate. Between November and April the temperature is warm with equatorial rains and thunderstorms, with the storms reaching their peak severity in late March. After March, the rainfall rapidly diminishes and from May to September wet mists float from the highlands into the plateaus, with almost no rainfall during these months.