Malawi: capital, population, area and flag
Malawi is a country in Eastern Africa (Africa). Its capital is Lilongwe. The population is about 22.2M (#60 of 193) and the area is about 118,484 km² (#99 of 193).
Key facts
- Capital
- Lilongwe
- Region
- Africa / Eastern Africa
- Population
- 22,216,120 (2025) #60 of 193
- Total area
- 118,484 km² (2024) #99 of 193
- Population density
- 229.7 people/km² (2024) #45 of 193
- GDP (total)
- $14.9B (2025) #144 of 189
- GDP per capita
- $672 (2025) #183 of 189
- Life expectancy
- 67.6 years (2024) #147 of 193
- Distance from Japan
- 12,335 km #61 of 192
- Area compared with Japan
- about 1/3 that of Japan
- Population compared with Japan
- about 1/6 that of Japan
- Main languages
- Nyanja, English
- Currency
- Malawian Kwacha (MWK)
- Calling code
- +265
- Time zone (capital)
- UTC+2
- Time difference from Japan (standard time)
- 7 h behind Japan
- Driving side
- Left
- Capital location
- 13.99°S 33.77°E
Population of Malawi, 1950–2100 (Japanese)
See past estimates, future projections and the population pyramid in the World Population Time Machine.
Map of Malawi
Capital: Lilongwe
Malawi: in the world’s top 10 for food & farming
Malawi ranks among the world’s top 10 for these crops, animals, seafood and farm products (latest FAO data).
Neighbors by land
Top rankings
Malawi is in the top 10 for:
Malawi in world rankings
How Malawi compares with other countries, indicator by indicator. Click an indicator to see the full ranking.
Questions about Malawi
What is the capital of Malawi?
The capital of Malawi is Lilongwe.
What is the population of Malawi?
Malawi has a population of about 22.2M (2025), #60 of 193 among countries.
How big is Malawi?
Malawi covers about 118,484 km², #99 of 193 among countries.
Which continent is Malawi in?
Malawi is in Africa, in the region of Eastern Africa.
What currency and languages are used in Malawi?
The currency is the Malawian Kwacha. Main languages: Nyanja, English.
How does Malawi compare with Japan in size and population?
The area of Malawi is about 1/3 that of Japan, and its population is about 1/6 that of Japan.
How far is Malawi from Japan?
The capital, Lilongwe, is about 12,335 km from Tokyo, the capital of Japan, in a straight line.
What is the time difference between Malawi and Japan?
The capital, Lilongwe, is on UTC+2 in standard time: 7 h behind Japan.
More countries in Eastern Africa
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