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malawi
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Malawi
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Malawi is situated in southeastern Africa. It’s a democratic and densely
populated country that’s bordered by Zambia to the north-west, Tanzania
to the north and Mozambique, which surrounds it on the east, south and
west. The Great Rift Valley runs through the country from north to south.
In this deep trough lies Lake Malawi (also called Lake Nyassa), the
third-largest lake in Africa, making about 20% of Malawi's area. East
and west of the Rift Valley are high plateaus (Zomba Plateau, Mulanje
Massif, Nyika Uplands and Shire Highlands), generally between 900 and
1,200 m above sea level. It’s biggest cities are the capital Liliongwe
and Blantyre.
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My trip to Malawi was a very short one, much too short to have a
significant impression of the country. I only visited Lilongwe, the
vibrant capital with colourful markets between chaotic traffic and Cape
Mac Lear, a small fishing village at Lake Malawi. Cape Mac Lear was the
perfect place to relax a couple of days after having been on safari in
Zambia. Lake Malawi has crystal clear water and teems with more fish
species than any other lake on earth. Some of the cichlid species have
incredible colours, so snorkelling can be very impressive. Unfortunately
the lake also supports populations of snails, of which some carry
bilharzia, a parasitic disease that can cause liver and intestinal
damage when not being treated. Treatment is very easy and
straightforward, so few people are scared enough to miss a bath in the
lake’s clear water.
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Malawi's climate is subtropical. There is little to no rainfall
throughout most of the country from May to October. Its population has
risen from 3 million in 1960 to 12 million in 2003. Inflation has been
largely under control since 2003, but Malawi remains a poor country with
regular food crises, poor medical treatment, insufficient school
education and wide spread of HIV. Travelling is very cheap and the
country is rightly hyped as the “warm heart of Africa”. Malawians are
very open-minded and truly one of the nicest folks in Africa. |
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