Malawi Overview

Republic of Malawi; Located in the southeast of Africa, it is a landlocked African country. Its capital is Lilongwe.

A Brief History of Malawi

It is stated that the region was under the rule of the Maravi Kingdom before the colonial period. In 1859, the first European David Livingstone reached Lake Malawi, and in 1891 Malawi became a region under the auspices of the United Kingdom under the name of the British Central African Protectorate. Protected areas were made part of the colonial system in 1907 under the name Nyasaland. According to 2015 estimates of the population of the country, 86% of them live according to Christian religious beliefs. The proportion of people living in Malawi according to the Islamic religion is 12%. The other population believes in local religions. Islam is more common among the Yao ethnic group in the southern regions of the country. On July 6, 1964, the country gained its independence from the United Kingdom under the name Malawi, and a republic was declared two years after the declaration of independence.

Geography in Malawi

Malawi has long and narrow country lands in the southeastern part of the African continent extending in a north-south direction. The country borders Tanzania to the north, Zambia to the west, and Mozambique to the south, southeast, and southwest. The length of the country in the north-south direction is 850 km and the length in the west-east direction is 350 km. The entire border length of the country is 2,881 km in total, 475 km of which is Tanzania, 1,569 km is Mozambique and 837 km is Zambia. Of the 118,484 km² of lands owned by the country, 31% consists of forest, 25% wetland, 20% agricultural land, and 15% pasture. The northern parts of the country are more mountainous than other regions, and elevations can reach up to 3,000 m above sea level.

Climate in Malawi

A tropical climate is observed throughout Malawi. The months when the country's temperatures are high are between mid-August and November. In the country, which has a cold period from May to mid-August, the rainy season is between November and April, and the humidity in this period can reach up to 100% in the mornings. April and May constitute post-rain periods. While the climate in the higher parts of the country is generally cold and rainy, it is hot and overwhelming in the lower parts. The high temperature around Lake Malawi can decrease with the blowing winds. While it is the coldest July in the country, temperatures can vary between 19 ° C and 32 ° C in the November-April period and between 14 ° C and 24 ° C in the May-October period.

Coffee Production in Malawi

First brought to the country by missionaries as of the early 1800s, coffee is grown intensively in the country's highlands of 1000 meters and above sea level. With its annual production of approximately 960 tons, coffee cultivation constitutes an important position for the country's economy. In the country coffees where Agora and Geisha varieties of Arabica coffee are generally grown, sweet, floral and licorice aroma effects are dominant.