Malawi Geography Profile 2009

Location

Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Geographic coordinates

13 30 S, 34 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 118,484 sq km
land: 94,080 sq km
water: 24,404 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries

total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)

Terrain

narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains

Elevation extremes

lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m
highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Natural resources

limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite

Land use

arable land: 20.68%
permanent crops: 1.18%
other: 78.14% (2005)

Irrigated land

560 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources

17.3 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 1.01 cu km/yr (15%/5%/80%)
per capita: 78 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

NA

Environment - current issues

deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note

landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature