The M2 is one of the main roads in
Malawi
Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over and ...
.
The road works as transportation artery in Malawi, stretching 113 kilometers in east-west direction across the southern region. Beginning in
Blantyre
Blantyre is Malawi's centre of finance and commerce, and its second largest city, with a population of 800,264 . It is sometimes referred to as the commercial and industrial capital of Malawi as opposed to the political capital, Lilongwe. It is ...
, the country's second-largest city, the M2 traverses the scenic landscape to reach the border with
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...
at Thornwood, providing a link between the two countries.
History
Historically, the M2 has served as the primary artery connecting Malawi to Mozambique, facilitating trade and commerce through the strategic port city of
Quelimane
Quelimane () is a seaport in Mozambique. It is the administrative Capital (political), capital of the Zambezia Province and the province's largest city, and stands from the mouth of the Rio dos Bons Sinais (or "River of the Good Signs"). The riv ...
. As the former capital and industrial hub of Malawi, Blantyre remains a center for the country's exports.
Notably, the road linking Blantyre to
Mulanje
Mulanje, formerly called Mlanje, is a town in the Southern Region, Malawi, Southern Region of Malawi, close to the border with Mozambique, to the east. It is near the Mulanje Massif.
History
A mission was established here and it was at first on ...
was one of the few paved routes at the time of independence in 1964, although its narrow width limited its capacity. Despite this, the M2 has continued to play a crucial role in Malawi's economic development.
The M2 held a unique distinction for many years, boasting the only dual carriageway stretch in Malawi. The road between Blantyre and its neighboring city of
Limbe was upgraded to two lanes in each direction by the 1990s, a rarity in the country at the time. Later, in the late 2000s, the section connecting the
M1 to the eastern part of Blantyre was also widened to dual carriageways, further enhancing the road's capacity and efficiency.
Route
From its starting point in Blantyre, the M2 road initially follows a dual-carriageway path through the city, before turning south and deviating from the more direct eastern route taken by the M4. Instead, the M2 winds its way through the picturesque highlands, gradually descending from an altitude of 1,200 meters to 700 meters.
The stretch passes through relatively densely populated countryside, eventually reunifying with the M4 at Cisitu. The M2 then skirts the base of the majestic Mulanje Massif, Malawi's highest mountain range, which soars to an impressive 3,002 meters. However, the road itself remains at a relatively low altitude of around 600 meters. Finally, the M2 reaches the Mozambican border at Thornwood, where it seamlessly connects with the N11, leading onwards to the historic port city of Quelimane.
See also
*
Roads in Malawi
Roads in Malawi are an important mode of transport in Malawi. Malawi has 15,451 kilometers of road network as of 2016 of which 28% (4,312 km) was surfaced. There were 3,357 km of principal roads within the country with majority paved ha ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:M2 road (Malawi)
Roads in Malawi
Southern Region, Malawi