country in SE Africa, on Lake Malawi: a former British protectorate, it became independent & a member of the Commonwealth in 1964; a republic since 1966: 45,747 sq mi (118,484 sq km); pop. 7,983,000; cap. Lilongwe
lake in SE central Africa bounded by Malawi, Tanzania, & Mozambique: c. 11,150 sq mi (28,878 sq km)
A country of southeast Africa. Center of the widespread Malawi kingdom from the 15th to the late 18th century, the region became a British protectorate in 1891 and was known as Nyasaland from 1907 until 1964. It joined Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe) in a federation from 1953 to 1963 and became independent as Malawi in 1964. Lilongwe is the capital and Blantyre the largest city. Population: 13,600,000.