Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. Countries bordering Malawi are Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. Lilongwe is the capital of Malawi and Blantyre the largest city, is an important commercial and industrial centre. Malawi's terrain consists of plateau and mountains. Lake Malawi is drained by the Shire River, a tributary of the Zambezi. Lake Malawi (600 kilometres long) is one of Africa's largest lakes. Other lakes in Malawi include Lake Chilwa and Lake Malombe. Together Malawi's lakes cover around one-fifth of the country. Malawi has a sub-tropical climate. The rainy season runs from November to May. The lakes are home to hundreds of species of fish. Perhaps the most famous is the cichlid family of fish. The lakes are also the habitat of a variety of birds such as the stork and the giant kingfisher. The population of Malawi is around 12 million. English and Chichewa are both official languages.
Malawi is dominated by Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa which takes up a fifth of the whole country. Its nickname 'calendar lake' derives from its dimensions: it is 365 miles (590 kilometres) long and 52 miles (85 kilometres) wide. It is home to more than 500 different species of fish - more than in North America and Europe combined! The Mount Mulanje Massif is locally referred to as 'the island in the sky'. Although about 3,000 meters high, it offers some easy hiking on several trails. The top rewards you with a view of the tea plantations around the town of Mulanje.