Malawi

American  

[muh-lah-wee] / məˈlɑ wi /

noun

1. Formerly Nyasaland. a republic in southeastern Africa, on the western and southern shores of Lake Malawi: formerly a British protectorate and part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland; gained independence July 6, 1964; a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. 49,177 sq. mi. (127,368 sq. km). Lilongwe.

2. Formerly Nyasa, Nyassa. Lake Malawi, a lake in southeastern Africa, between Malawi, Tanzania, and Mozambique. About 11,000 sq. mi. (28,500 sq. km).

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Malawi British  

/ məˈlɑːwɪ /

noun

1. Former name: Nyasaland. a republic in E central Africa: established as a British protectorate in 1891; became independent in 1964 and a republic, within the Commonwealth, in 1966; lies along the Great Rift Valley, with Lake Nyasa (Malawi) along the E border, the Nyika Plateau in the northwest, and the Shire (or Shiré) Highlands in the southeast. Official language: Chichewa; English and various other Bantu languages are also widely spoken. Religion: Christian majority, Muslim, and animist minorities. Currency: kwacha. Capital: Lilongwe. Pop: 16 777 547 (2013 est). Area: 118 484 sq km (45 747 sq miles)

2. the Malawi name for (Lake) Nyasa

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Malawi Cultural  

1. Republic in southeast Africa, bordered by Tanzania to the north, Mozambique to the east and south, and Zambia to the west. It became independent in 1964.

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Other Word Forms

• Malawian
  adjective

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Malawi

That amounts to about $588 million a year -- more than the $545 million Malawi earned from tobacco, its largest export, in 2025, according to the International Monetary Fund.

From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026

Since then, the African dinosaur map has expanded, with rich fossil beds in South Africa, Lesotho, Tanzania, Egypt, Niger, Malawi, Madagascar and Morocco.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

Phiri, 54, was head of the Malawi Defence Force from July 2023 until October 2025, the month after former president Lazarus Chakwera lost the general election.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

The UK Foreign Office earlier told the BBC that it was aware of reports that a British national had been abducted in Malawi and was in touch with local authorities.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

He was a doctor in England before he returned to Malawi to deliver us from British rule.

From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba

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