Geography & environment — Malawi
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Malawi: Africa
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Africa
- Geographic Coordinates
13 30 S, 34 00 E
- Total Area
45,747 Square Miles 118,484 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
36,324 Square Miles 94,080 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
9,422 Square Miles 24,404 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
1,790 Miles 2,881 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
Physical geography
- Terrain
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains
- Highest Point
3,002 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m
- Lowest Point
37 Meters
- Lowest Point Location
junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m
- Natural Resources
limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
- Irrigated Land
284 Square Miles 735 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
- Malawi has wet and dry seasons. The wet season is from November to April
- the heaviest rainfall occurs between December and March. The dry season begins in May and lasts until November. It is hottest just before rains begin. The capital, Lilongwe (altitude 3,400 feet) is in a high, central plateau area. The average daily temperature in Lilongwe during October is 84.6°F. June, July, and August are the coolest months, and nights can be quite chilly when temperatures drop to between 41°F and 57°F. Frost occasionally occurs in Lilongwe. During the dry season, particularly September and October, high winds and some dust occur. The annual mean temperature in Lilongwe is 67.4°F, and the annual rainfall is 31.9 inches. Nights are generally cool and pleasant in Lilongwe, even during the hottest weather. Dry season days are generally sunny and warm
- rains during the wet season are brief. The Blantyre area is more mountainous, and its weather more humid. The climate is also more hot and humid around Lake Malawi.
- Terrain
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains
- Location
Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique
- Total Area
45,747 Square Miles 118,484 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
Environment
- 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