Malawi

Malawi is a landlocked country located in southern central Africa along the western part of the Great Rift Valley of Africa. Covering a total area of 118,484 km², it stretches some 900 km north to south, and between 90 and 161 km east to west. Malawi is bordered by the United Republic of Tanzania to the north and north east, Mozambique to the east, south and south west, and Zambia to the west. The country is divided into three regions: the Southern Region, which is undulating and densely populated; the Central Region, which consists of fertile plains and is well-populated; and the mountainous and sparsely populated Northern Region. Lake Malawi is the third largest lake in Africa, spanning a length of 568 km and a width of between 16 and 80 km. In the north, the Rift Valley Escarpment rises steeply from the Lake, reaching altitudes of 2,500m above sea-level. This area includes the Nyika Plateau and the forested Viphya Plateau.