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Malawi

Malawi: Political System

Malawi is a presidential republic in the Commonwealth. The unicameral parliament, the National Assembly, consists of 193 members who are elected every five years. The head of state is also directly elected every five years. A one-time re-election is possible. According to Digopaul.com, the state is called:

National anthem

Mulungu dalitsa Malawi (God bless our country Malawi) has been the national anthem of Malawi since 1964. Text and music are by Michael-Fredrick Paul Sauka.

National flag

The national flag (national flag) of Malaw was introduced on July 6, 1964 with the independence of the state from the United Kingdom from Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK). It consists of three horizontal stripes of equal size, black above with a rising sun stylized in red, red in the middle and green below. Based on flag descriptions by Countryaah.com, the colors of the flag are interpreted as follows:

- Black for the peoples of Africa

- Red for the blood of the martyrs that was shed in the struggle for independence

- Green stands for the country's forests.

Malawi: personalities

Hastings Kamuzu Banda (1896/1898/1906-1997)

The exact year of birth of the independence leader, president and later de facto dictator of Malawi, Hastings Banda, is controversial. But the fact is that he led Malawi to independence. After he first proclaimed the republic in 1966 and became its president, he declared himself president for life in 1971. Banda founded the Kamazu Academy, allowed Malawian television in the 1990s, introduced a dress code for all citizens and maintained diplomatic relations with apartheid South Africa. After allowing democratic elections in 1994, he was defeated by Bakili Muluzi and resigned.

Cate Campbell (born 1992)

The Australian freestyle swimmer, who was born in Blantyre, has won numerous titles in the course of her athletic career. Among other things, he won the gold medal over 50 meters at the Japan Open in 2008 and swam a new Commonwealth record.

John Chilembwe (1871-1915)

Chilembwe, a Baptist clergyman and missionary, made a name for himself as a fighter against the British colonial system. The Chilembwe, who awakened the Malawian national consciousness, is still considered a national hero today. He will be remembered on January 15th.

Jack Mapanje (born 1944)

The well-known Malawian writer and poet was Head of English at the University of Malawi for a while and is currently Senior Lecturer in English at Newcastle University.

Elson Bakili Muluzi (born 1943)

The politician, born in Machinga in 1943, was President of Malawi from 1994 to 2004. His reign was marked by numerous controversies. Not only did he propose a constitutional amendment after his re-election in 1999 that would have given him a third term. He also had the Malawian grain reserves sold abroad shortly before the outbreak of a drought. The result was severe famine. The money for the sold grain has not turned up to this day.

Bingu wa Mutharika (born 1934)

Mutharika, born in Thyolo in 1934, has been the President of Malawi since 2004. In the 2004 elections there was talk of massive electoral fraud. Since the beginning of 2010, Mutharika has also served as President of the African Union.

Tamandani Wazayo Phillip Nsaliwa (born 1982)

The German-Canadian soccer player from Lilongwe, Malawi, plays in the Canadian national soccer team. He started playing for AEK Athens in the 2007/08 season.

David Livingstone (1813-1873)

David Livingstone, the famous Scottish missionary and Africa explorer, undertook several expeditions to Africa and tried all his life to work against the slave trade. He is considered to be the one who discovered Lake Malawi.

Paul Tiyambe Zeleza (born 1955)

The Malawian historian, literary critic and writer, born in 1955, has been President of the African Studies Association since 2009.

Malawi: animals, national parks

Animals in the national parks

The fauna of Malawi is presented according to the five local national parks and protected areas. The reptiles, however, are presented separately.

Nyika National Park

The Nyika National Park is located in the north of the country at an altitude between 2,000 and 3,000 m and covers an area of 3,214 km².

The park covers almost the entire Nyika plateau. The local coniferous forests and grasslands are typical.

In the park live 95 mammals, among which are:

African elephant (Loxodonta africana),

Ethiopian Vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops),

bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus),

eland (Taurotragus oryx),

United reedbuck (Redunca arundinum),

greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros),

Klipspringer (oreotragus oreotragus),

crown Ducker (Sylvicapra grimmia),

Lichtenstein antelope (Alcelaphus lichtensteinii),

lions (Panthera leo),

leopard (Panthera pardus),

roan (Hippotragus equinus),

puku (Kobus vardoni),

red duiker (Cephalophus natalensis),

Steppenzebras (Equus quagga),

Striped jackals (Canis adustus),

spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta),

white-throated monkeys (Cercopithecus albogularis),

desert warthogs (Phacochoerus aethiopicus).

Among the local 425 bird species one can find, for example, the red-winged frankolin (Francolinus levaillantii), the rock crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) or the Stanley bustard (Neotis denhami). The national park is open all year round.

Kasungu National Park

The Kasungu National Park covers an area of around 2,300 km². The park is located about 115 km from the capital Lilongwe. The park is known for the elephants that come to the river channels to drink in the early morning and evening, although their numbers have decreased massively due to the poaching. The park's grassland is home to large herds of buffalo. Other animals include hyenas, kudu, lions, leopards, reed buck, saber antelopes and zebras. The national park is open from the beginning of May to the end of December.

Lengwe National Park

Lengwe National Park is located in the southwest of Malawi and covers an area of 130 km² and is a habitat for the rare nyala antelope. Other local animals are buffalo, bushbuck, duiker, impalas, hartebeest, kudu, leopard, lions and warthogs. The numerous observation stands from which you can observe these and other animals are highly recommended. The park is closed during the rainy season.

Liwonde National Park

The Liwonde National Park extends from Lake Malombe in northern Malawi to the city of Liwonde in the south and covers an area of around 550 km². It is possible to take a boat ride through the papyrus swamps and observe the local hippos and elephants. You can also find here:

African buffalo, bushbuck, duiker, impalas, kudu, rhinos, baboons, saber antelopes, black rhinos, warthogs, waterbucks, zebras, sable or sable antelopes. Some of the animals have been moved here. There are also Nile crocodiles in the park. The bird life in the park is very diverse, with around 380 species. It is important to know that the park is closed between November and May.

Lake Malawi National Park

The Lake Malawi National Park covers an area of approx. 90 km², the southern and central part of Lake Malawi, the Khumba peninsula and twelve smaller islands.

The lake The Malawi lake has the greatest diversity of fish in the world. Around half of the 1,000 species estimated in the entire lake are found in the area of the park. Of these, over 90% are only native here, i.e. endemic.

The national park has been on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1984.

On land, you can see klipspringers, bushbucks and vervet monkeys. The park is open all year round. Campsites are available.

Nature and landscape protection areas

In addition to the national parks described, there are several nature and landscape protection areas. However, there are no accommodation options for visitors here, although an appropriate infrastructure is being built up.

Majete Game Reserve

The Majete Game Reserve is about 65 km north of Lengwe. It is very remote and little developed for tourism. The area was fenced in to reintroduce animals to the wild. This is what it is called when animals are released back into the wild. Some of them came from the national parks of neighboring countries. The Big Five are now living here again: elephants, buffalo, rhinos, lions and leopards.

Mwabvi Game Reserve

The Mwabvi Game Reserve is located southeast of Lengwe. You can find impalas, saber antelopes, black rhinos or zebras here.

Vwasa Marsh Game Reserve

The Vwasa Marsh Game Reserve is located west of Mzuzu. Elephants, buffalo, rhinos and a large number of birds live in the game reserve. The flora of the reserve consists mainly of forests, open grasslands and swamps.

Important reptiles

Nile crocodile

The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) occurs in large parts of Africa and also in Malawi. The animals are about 3 to 5 m long. A detailed description of the Nile crocodile can be found here >>>

African

spitting cobra (Naja nigricollis) In Malawi, the subspecies of the African peibobra Naja nigricollis crawshayi occurs.

A detailed description of the African spitting cobra can be found here >>>

Leaf-green mamba

The leaf-green mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps), also known as the common mamba, is a very poisonous snake whose bites are almost always fatal without any counter-serum. But even with a serum, a bite poses serious danger.

A detailed description of the comparable green mamba can be found here >>>

Boomslang

The Boomslang (Dipholidus typus) belongs next to the Mambas to one of the most poisonous snakes in Africa. You can find a detailed description of Boomslang here >>>

Gaboon viper

Gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica) is quite sluggish and bit lazy also it is difficult to see in their environment and is therefore treated by the locals too careless. But a full bite of this snake almost always ends in death without counter-serum.

A detailed description of the Gaboon viper can be found here >>>

Banded cobra

The banded cobra (Naja anilifera) is a venomous snake belonging to the genus of the real cobras (Naja). A detailed description of the Banded Cobra can be found here >>>

Common puff adder

The common or common puff adder (Bitis arietans) belongs to z. B. the Gaboon viper to the genus Bitis, of which there are 14 species. A detailed description of the common puff adder can be found here >>>

Marbled tree snake

The marbled tree snake (Dipsadoboa aulica) is not poisonous.

This snake becomes about 65 cm long and feeds on frogs, geckos, but also on toads, skinks and small rodents such as mice.

Mozambique spitting

cobra The Mozambique spitting cobra (Naja mossambica) belongs to the genus of the real cobras (Naja), which can not only bite, but also spray its poison a few meters away against humans or animals. The real cobras are found in both Africa and Asia.

A detailed description of the Mozambique spitting cobra can be found here >>>

Striated tree snake

The striated tree snake (Dipsadoboa flavida) is not poisonous. The snake species has the following subspecies: Dipsadoboa flavida flavida and Dipsadoboa flavida broadleyi.

The latter subspecies does not occur in Malawi, but only in Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique.

Black mamba

The black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) can be over 4 m long and is certainly the most dangerous venomous snake on the African continent.

A detailed description of the Black Mamba can be found here >>>

Black and white cobra

The black and white or white-lipped cobra (Naja melanoleuca) belongs to the genus of real cobras (Naja). The real cobras are found in both Africa and Asia.

Malawi: plants

General overview

The most common vegetation formations in Malawi are savannahs and open grasslands as well as light dry forest. Closed forests only occur in mountainous areas and on the wooded high plateaus. There are still extensive coniferous forests in Nyika National Park. The country's forest was previously cleared for agriculture and settlements, but its importance has been recognized and major reforestation has begun. Baobab trees, acacias and various conifers are the most common tree species in Malawi. It is worth mentioning that due to the increasing drought, it is losing more and more water, which understandably has a not insignificant impact on the surrounding flora and fauna. At Lake Malawi you can find various marsh plants including reeds in the bank area.

Orchids

Alone in Nyika National Park there are said to be around 200 different types of orchids.

Wild fig trees Wild fig trees

grow in the country, There is a beautiful story about it, For example, David Livingstone is said to be welcomed in Nkhotakota on September 10, 1863 by chief Juma ben Saidi with 50 followers under a wild fig tree.

Aloe plants

The aloe plants (Aloe vera) with their milky-white juice are mainly used for skin diseases. This species belongs to the genus of aloes (Aloe) in the

subfamily of the Affodill plants in the family of the grass tree plants (Xanthorrhoeaceae). The plants either have no trunk and if they do, then it has a diameter of about 10 cm. The aloin contained in aloe has a strong laxative effect, which is why it can also be used for constipation. The plant was introduced to the island

Spurge plants

The spurge plants (Euphorbiaceae) are a family of plants in the order of the Malpighia-like (Malpighiales). Worldwide there are about 240 genera with about 6,000 different species. The representatives of a number of subfamilies are also growing in Malawi. The

spurge plants include: - African milk bush (Synadenium granti)

- Triangular spurge (Euphorbia trigona)

- Cassava (Manihot esculenta), which originally comes from South America

- Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), which is mainly found in Central and South America, for example also occurs in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and on Madagascar - but not in Malawi.

Legumes

The legumes (azuki beans) are divided into around 700 genera with around 15,000 known species. The plants can be herbaceous or also trees, shrubs and lianas. They usually have a relatively high protein content, making their fruits and seeds an important part of the human diet. They are almost indispensable, especially in the case of a low-meat, vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. Examples of which to use as food for humans and animals. Legumes are, for example, azuki beans, green beans, peas, peanuts, chickpeas, lima beans or lentils and lupins, as well as soybeans and vetches.

Baobab trees The baobab trees - also known as baobabs - are not only a real eye-catcher for nature lovers. The baobab trees (Adansonia) are a genus from the subfamily of the wool tree family (Bombacoideae) in the family of the mallow family (Malvaceae). They reach a height between 5 and 30 m.

Baobab trees store water in the trunk and also get by with relatively little water, so that it can withstand the African heat well. This tree species also grows in Madagascar and Australia. However, it does not exist in rainy areas.

The baobabs are large and often bizarre growing deciduous trees. They are characterized by a relatively short, extremely thick trunk and the tree crown consists of strong, often misshapen appearing branches that form a widely spreading crown. In the unleaved state, the crown of branches is reminiscent of a root system, which has contributed to the legend that the baobab tree is a tree planted upside down. The gray-brown to gray bark is between 5 to 10 cm thick and is hard on the outside and fibrous on the inside. Therefore, the trees can withstand smaller bush fires quite well.

The sweet fruits are used as fruit or for the production of fruit juices and confectionery, and precious oil is extracted from the seeds. Ropes, ropes, straps, strings for musical instruments, baskets, nets and fishing lines are made from the fibers of the bark. The dried bark is used, among other things, as a remedy for fever.

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