Geography Quiz Arcade

Capital of Malawi: Lilongwe — Facts & 5-Question Quiz

The capital of Malawi is Lilongwe. Malawi sits in Africa, has a population of 20,405,317, and uses the MWK. Official languages include English, Chichewa.

Quick facts

  • Capital: Lilongwe
  • Continent: Africa
  • Population: ~20,405,317
  • Area: 118,484 km²
  • Population density: 172 people per km²
  • Official languages: English, Chichewa
  • Currency: MWK
  • ISO code: MW

How big is Malawi?

By population, Malawi ranks 62nd in the world, holding roughly 0.26% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 98th.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Malawi has 172 people per square kilometre, which is about 2.9 times the world average of 59.4. It is more crowded than its size alone would suggest.

Within Africa, Malawi is the 21th most populous country of 54.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to Malawi in population are Zambia (20,017,675) and Romania (19,659,267).

By land area, its closest counterparts are Eritrea (117,600 km²) and North Korea (120,538 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

English is spoken officially in 58 countries in this dataset, including Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados and Belize, and 52 others.

Malawi uses the MWK, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.

How to remember Malawi

Think L for Lilongwe, L for Lake: Malawi is the long, thin country beside Lake Malawi, and Lilongwe became its capital in 1975, taking over from Zomba. For the flag, a red sun rises over a black sky.

The flag of Malawi: black, red and green, with a red rising sun

🇲🇼 The flag is three horizontal stripes of black, red and green, with a red rising sun on the black stripe. Black stands for the people, red for the blood shed in the struggle for freedom and green for nature. The rising sun stands for the dawn of hope and freedom for Africa.

Region and neighbours

Malawi is a long, narrow landlocked country in southeastern Africa, where the Great Rift Valley runs from north to south beside Lake Malawi. It shares land borders with 3 countries: Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique. Malawi is landlocked, with no coast on the open ocean.

Three facts about Malawi

  1. Malawi is nicknamed 'the Warm Heart of Africa' because of the friendliness of its people.
  2. Lake Malawi has more species of fish than any other lake in the world, including at least 700 kinds of colourful cichlids.
  3. Before it became independent in 1964, Malawi was called Nyasaland.

Sources: Wikipedia: Malawi, Wikipedia: Flag of Malawi, Wikipedia: Lilongwe, Wikipedia: Lake Malawi, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on Malawi

Malawi capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of Malawi 🇲🇼?

    • Bangui
    • Dodoma
    • Malabo
    • Lilongwe
    Show answer

    Lilongwe

  2. What is the capital of Zambia 🇿🇲?

    • Harare
    • Yamoussoukro
    • Porto-Novo
    • Lusaka
    Show answer

    Lusaka

  3. What is the capital of Mali 🇲🇱?

    • Asmara
    • Niamey
    • Luanda
    • Bamako
    Show answer

    Bamako

  4. What is the capital of Burkina Faso 🇧🇫?

    • Bamako
    • Conakry
    • Dakar
    • Ouagadougou
    Show answer

    Ouagadougou

  5. What is the capital of Chad 🇹🇩?

    • Port Louis
    • Moroni
    • Porto-Novo
    • N'Djamena
    Show answer

    N'Djamena

Malawi in Africa

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Africa is the block Malawi belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Malawi.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Malawi?

The capital of Malawi is Lilongwe.

What is the population of Malawi?

About 20,405,317, making it the 62nd most populous country in the world.

How big is Malawi?

118,484 square kilometres, ranking 98th by land area, at a density of 172 people per square kilometre.

What currency does Malawi use?

The MWK, which no other country uses.

What are the colours of the Malawi flag?

The flag of Malawi is three horizontal stripes of black, red and green, with a red rising sun on the black stripe. Black stands for the people, red for the blood shed in the struggle for freedom and green for nature. The rising sun stands for the dawn of hope and freedom for Africa.

Which countries border Malawi?

Malawi shares land borders with Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique.

How can I remember the capital of Malawi?

Think L for Lilongwe, L for Lake: Malawi is the long, thin country beside Lake Malawi, and Lilongwe became its capital in 1975, taking over from Zomba. For the flag, a red sun rises over a black sky.

More capitals to learn

Get the free Mind Skills Arcade app

Brain games for memory, logic, math and focus, free and offline: Get it on Google Play · Download on the App Store