Languages Of Malawi
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Languages Of Malawi
Malawi, a country located in Southeastern Africa, is home to a diverse population with rich linguistic heritage. The current only official language of the country is English, while Chewa language, Chichewa and Tumbuka language, Chitumbuka are the most widely spoken languages, and are former official languages of Malawi until 1968. Other local languages exist and are mostly spoken in specific localities of the country. There are only 6 distinct (standalone) languages spoken in Malawi, and 14, if adding dialects of those main languages, all belonging to the Bantu language family. The foreign spoken languages are English, Spanish and French. History The history of Malawi dates back to the 10th century when the Bantu-speaking peoples migrated to the region. The major tribes that came later and settled in the area were the Tumbuka people, Tumbuka and Chewa people, Chewa peoples who all came from the same area that is currently known as Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Z ...
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Democratic Republic Of The Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is the List of African countries by area, second-largest country in Africa and the List of countries and dependencies by area, 11th-largest in the world. With a population of around 112 million, the DR Congo is the most populous nominally List of countries and territories where French is an official language, Francophone country in the world. Belgian French, French is the official and most widely spoken language, though there are Languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, over 200 indigenous languages. The national capital and largest city is Kinshasa, which is also the economic center. The country is bordered by the Republic of the Congo, the Cabinda Province, Cabinda exclave of Angola, and the South Atlantic Ocean to the west; the Cen ...
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Karonga District
Karonga is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The district covers an area of 3,355 km.² and has a population of 365,028. It is a border district between Malawi and Tanzania's Mbeya Region's Kyela District. Chitumbuka is the major language spoken in the district and is also the second language of several other ethnic groups in the district such as the Nkhonde, among others. The majority of the population are mainly the Tumbuka people and a few Ngonde people. Karonga District is the main border from Tanzania into Malawi, and the capital is Karonga. The district shares internal boundary with Rumphi District in the South and Chitipa District to the North. Economics Over the last few years, there has been much development in the region due to the discovery of uranium at the Kayelekera mine, which officially opened in 2009, and many of the previously gravelled roads have been laid with tarmac. Tourism There are many hotels and guesthouses in Karonga, along the ...
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Mzimba District
Mzimba is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The capital is Mzimba and the biggest town is Mzuzu, which is also the administrative headquarters of the Northern Region. The district covers an area of 10,473 km2 and has a population of 1,017,701 (2023). It is the largest district in Malawi. The district is inhabited by descendants of Tumbuka and few Ngoni people who also speak Tumbuka as the Ngoni language is extinct. Tumbuka is the predominant language spoken in the district. History Pre-colonial era In the late 15th century, the Zwangendaba Ngonis that fled from South Africa settled in northern Malawi. However, once the Zwangendaba head of the family died, his sons resettled to what is now the Mzimba District and seven of his descendants still rule. The current king of the district is King Mmbelwa V. Establishment The district was established in 1908 by the British colonial administration as a key administrative center. Prior to its establishment, the ...
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Rumphi District
Rumphi is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The capital is Rumphi. The district covers an area of 4,769 km.² and has a population of 128,360. Geography Rumphi District extends from Lake Malawi in the east to the Zambian border in the west. The northern end of the Mzimba Plain extends into the eastern portion of the district. Most of the district is drained by the South Rukuru River and its tributaries. The Viphya Mountains extend into the southeastern portion of the district, and much of central portion of the district lies on the Nyika Plateau. Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve covers the western end of the district, and Nyika National Park covers much of the center. Rumphi is the district capital. Other towns include Chilumba, Chitango, Chiweta, and Livingstonia. Demographics At the time of the 2018 Census of Malawi, the distribution of the population of Rumphi District by ethnic group was as follows: * 96.2% Tumbuka * 2.0% Chewa * 1.2% Ngoni * 0.8% Nkhon ...
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Southern Region, Malawi
The Southern Region of Malawi is an area of Malawi. It covers an area of 31,753 km2. Its capital city is Blantyre. In 2018, its population was 7,750,629. Geography Domestically, the Southern Region borders the Central Region, Malawi, Central Region and Lake Malawi to the north. Internationally, it borders the country of Mozambique to the east, west, and south. Of the 28 Districts of Malawi, districts in Malawi, 13 are located within the Southern Region: Balaka District, Balaka, Blantyre District, Blantyre, Chikwawa District, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu District, Chiradzulu, Machinga District, Machinga, Mangochi District, Mangochi, Mulanje District, Mulanje, Mwanza District, Mwanza, Neno District, Neno, Nsanje District, Nsanje, Phalombe District, Phalombe, Thyolo District, Thyolo, and Zomba District, Zomba. The region is home to several parks: Majete Wildlife Reserve, Lengwe National Park, and Liwonde National Park (the last of these on the Shire River). It is also home to the Zo ...
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Central Region, Malawi
The Central Region of Malawi, population 7,523,340 (2018), covers an area of 35,592 km2. Its capital city is Lilongwe, which is also the national capital. The region has an outlet on Lake Malawi and borders neighbouring countries Zambia and Mozambique. The Chewa people make up the majority of the population today. Geography The Central region is bounded on the north by the Northern Region, on the east by Lake Malawi, on the southeast by Southern Region, on the southwest by Mozambique, and on east by Zambia. Central Region straddles the western edge of the East African Rift. Lake Malawi occupies most of the rift valley, with a narrow plain running along its western shore. Much of the region lies on a plateau, known as the Central Region Plateau or Lilongwe Plain. The plateau covers 23,310 square km (9,000 square miles). A belt of hills and escarpments separates the plateau from the rift valley lowlands to the east. The Dwangwa, Bua, and Lilongwe rivers drain the plateau, ...
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Northern Region, Malawi
The Northern Region is a region of Malawi. It had a population of 2,289,780 in 2018, and covers an area of 26,931 km2, making it the smallest region both by population and area. Its capital city is Mzuzu. Starting in the north and going clockwise, the Northern Region borders on Tanzania, Lake Malawi, Malawi's Central Region, and Zambia. The part of the Malawi-Tanzania border on Lake Malawi is a disputed territory. Malawi claims that the border lies on the Tanzanian shoreline, but Tanzania claims that it lies in the middle of the lake. This dispute dates back to the 1890 Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty. Geography Of the 28 districts in Malawi, six are located within the Northern Region. *Chitipa *Karonga * Likoma * Mzimba * Nkhata Bay * Rumphi In addition to mainland parts of Malawi, the Northern Region also includes the islands of Chizumulu and Likoma in Lake Malawi, which together make up Likoma District. Communities Major cities Prominent townships and cities in the re ...
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Kamuzu Banda
Hastings Kamuzu Banda ( – 25 November 1997) was a Malawian politician and statesman who served as the leader of Malawi from 1964 to 1994. He served as Prime Minister from independence in 1964 to 1966, when Malawi was a Dominion/Commonwealth realm. In 1966, the country became a republic and he became the first president as a result, ruling until his defeat in 1994. After receiving much of his education in ethnography, linguistics, history, and medicine overseas, Banda returned to Nyasaland to speak against colonialism and advocate independence from the United Kingdom. He was formally appointed Prime Minister of Nyasaland, and led the country to independence in 1964. Two years later, he proclaimed Malawi a republic with himself as the first president. He consolidated power and later declared Malawi a one-party state under the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). In 1970, the MCP made him the party's President for Life. In 1971, he became president for Life of Malawi itself. A renowne ...
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British Colonial
The British Overseas Territories (BOTs) or alternatively referred to as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are the fourteen territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom that, while not forming part of the United Kingdom itself, are part of its sovereign territory. The permanently inhabited territories are delegated varying degrees of internal self-governance, with the United Kingdom retaining responsibility for defence, foreign relations, and internal security, and ultimate responsibility for governance. Three of the territories are chiefly or only inhabited by military or scientific personnel, the rest hosting significant civilian populations. All fourteen have the British monarch as head of state. These UK government responsibilities are assigned to various departments of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and are subject to change. Population Most of the territories retain permanent civilian populations, with th ...
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Nyasaland
Nyasaland () was a British protectorate in Africa that was established in 1907 when the former British Central Africa Protectorate changed its name. Between 1953 and 1963, Nyasaland was part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. After the Federation was dissolved, Nyasaland became independent from Britain on 6 July 1964 and was renamed Malawi. Nyasaland's history was marked by the massive loss of African communal lands in the early colonial period. In January 1915, the Reverend John Chilembwe staged Chilembwe uprising, an attempted rebellion to protest against colonial forced labour and discrimination against Africans, among other grievances. Although the rebellion was unsuccessful, colonial authorities responded by reassessing some of their policies. Throughout the 1930s, a growing class of educated African elite, many educated in the United Kingdom, became increasingly politically active and vocal about gaining independence. They established associations and, after 19 ...
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Sukwa Dialect
Lambya ( Rambia) is a Bantu language of Tanzania and Malawi. In Northern Malawi it is spoken particularly in the Chitipa District Chitipa District is the northernmost district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The capital is Chitipa (formerly known as Fort Hill). The district covers an area of 4,288 km2, and has a population of 234,927. The major and common language s ....University of Malawi Language Mapping Survey for Northern Malawi (2006) (see External links). Sukwa, once thought to be a dialect of Nyakyusa, is now considered to be a dialect of Lambya. The University of Malawi Language Mapping Survey for Northern Malawi (2006), agreeing with this, found that the three languages Cilambya, Cindali, and Cisukwa form a single dialect group, although there are differences between them, especially between Cilambya and the other two. The examples below come in the order Lambya, Ndali, Sukwa:
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