Malawi: Flag and Facts
Malawi's flag has black, red, and green horizontal bands, with a red rising sun in the middle of the black band at the top.
- Official name
- Republic of Malawi
- Capital
- Lilongwe
- Region
- Eastern Africa
- Population
- 22 million (2024)
- Languages
- English, Chewa
- Currency
- Malawian kwacha
- Area
- 118,484 km² (45,747 sq mi)
- People
- Malawian
- Calling code
- +265
- Highest point
- Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m
- Independence
- 6 July 1964 (from the UK)
- National symbols
- lion
- Borders
- Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia
About Malawi
Black represents the country's ethnic groups, red the blood lost fighting for freedom, and green nature. The rising sun stands for hope of freedom across all of Africa.
The name comes from the Chewa word for flames and links back to the Maravi people, who settled here around 1400 during a late wave of Bantu migration. A strong Maravi kingdom formed around 1500 and peaked about 1700, ruling southern and central Malawi plus parts of Mozambique and Zambia. It weakened as the slave trade grew. Yao traders brought Islam in the mid-1800s, and Britain declared a protectorate in 1891, renaming it Nyasaland in 1907. Independence as Malawi arrived on 6 July 1964. The land is a long, narrow plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, and some mountains.
Did you know?
- Sapitwa, on Mount Mlanje, is Malawi's highest point at 3,002 m.
- Malawi's median age is just 19.4 years.
- Malawi is landlocked, bordered by Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Want to test yourself? The random flag generator has a quiz mode, and the full flags of the world page shows every flag at once.
Questions about Malawi
What is the capital of Malawi?
Lilongwe is the capital, with about 1.3 million people in 2023. Blantyre-Limbe is close behind.
What languages are spoken in Malawi?
English and Chewa are the main languages.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.