Malawi Overview

Animals and Plants

What are baobabs actually?

In the flat regions of the country you will primarily find dry forests. The further you climb the mountains, the more you come across tree savannahs and grasslands. Since agriculture is very important, unfortunately a lot of forest has been sacrificed for agriculture and turned into fields. Baobabs, acacias and also conifers are the most common tree species in Malawi.

Baobabs are very special trees. The tree stores water in the trunk so that it can withstand the African heat well. Baobabs get by with little water. This tree species grows south of the Sahara, but also in Madagascar and Australia. The tree does not exist in rainy areas.

Big Five

The term Big Five comes from the big game hunters of earlier times. They called five African animals that: elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo, lion and leopard. They didn’t give them this name because they were so big animals, but because they weren’t so easy to hunt. Fortunately, these animals are now banned from hunting. Even so, poachers continue to hunt them down. They particularly like the tusks of elephants and the horns of rhinos. Today, however, many tourists also come to the country to see the Big Five. They bring money with them that can be used again to protect the animals. This has also been recognized in Malawi. Other countries where you can watch the Big Five are South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Tanzania, Swaziland, Mozambique and Botswana.

Which animals live in Malawi?

Malawi’s diverse wildlife includes monkeys, antelopes, elephants, hippos, cheetahs, giraffes, cobras, crocodiles, rhinos and zebras. A few years ago, lions and rhinos and other large animals were almost extinct. Leopards also disappeared, as did elephants. But they returned again. Not alone, but with the help of people.

An example of this is the Majete Conservation Area, which is about three hours away from the Malawi Reservoir. 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.

We mustn’t forget the fish. Many endemic fish species live in Lake Malawi. These are fish that only live in Lake Malawi and nowhere else. Have you ever heard of a sea ​​python? This is a snake that also lives in Lake Malawi.

Who is more dangerous: hippo or crocodile?

On the shores of Lake Malawi there are many hippos, but also crocodiles. But the hippos are much more dangerous to humans than the crocodiles. There are more accidents with hippos than with crocodiles.

Economy

Tobacco and tea from Malawi

Like many countries in the south or south-east of Africa, Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. The people there mainly work in agriculture to earn a living. Many grow products that they then use themselves. These include corn, cassava, millet, and legumes. The people of Malawi also grow fruit such as bananas, mangoes and oranges. Much of what you can eat there is based on these plants, because home-grown things are cheaper than buying them.

But there are also large plantations in Malawi. Mainly tobacco, tea, sugar cane, cotton and coffee are grown on these. Children often have to work on the large tobacco plantations. The products of the large plantations are sold abroad. Zimbabwe in particular is the customer here. The residents along Lake Malawi also make a living from fishing.

Fish are also important to the economy in Malawi

Because agriculture is so important in Malawi, the economy also depends on the weather. If it stays dry for a long time, the plants wither and starvation develops. The same goes for floods.

While Malawi carries only a small portion of the products to other countries, there must be many products to introduce. Mainly products that are made from mineral oil, but also other important consumer goods and machines.

Malawi has natural resources that could make money. However, they are not broken down. Uranium, coal and bauxite should be mentioned here. Malawi is and remains heavily dependent on help from abroad.

Typical Malawi

Cordial country

Here we tell you about the special features in Malawi. What is typical for the country? What makes it different from other countries? Here you can also find out how children live, what they like to eat, what they play or where they go to school. Visit Malawi with us and embark on a journey through the everyday life of the people of Malawi.

Malawi has a very special name, namely “the warm heart of Africa”. That means “warm heart of Africa”. Visitors report on the friendly reception by the people of Malawi. Africans are usually very hospitable, but Malawi still stands out a bit here. Although the people of Malawi are very poor. Hospitality doesn’t have that much to do with money and property.

Unknown land

Little is said about Malawi. There are no major conflicts, no wars, and no natural disasters for the newspapers to cover. That’s a good thing. But Malawi is also a poor country that few people care about.

Many people do not have drinking water that is clean. If you turn on the faucet at home, you can be sure that clean water will flow out. Firstly, if you live in Malawi, you probably don’t have a tap and you can’t be sure that the drinking water is really healthy.

Happy country

Despite the poverty, the people of Malawi are happy people who love to dance. For her, dance and music are simply a part of life. There is a dance that has the funny name Gule Wamkulu, which translates as “great dance”. It is the most important dance in Malawi. The dancers paint their faces and bodies or wear masks and like to adorn themselves with feathers. People love to dance especially on the national holiday, which is always celebrated on July 6th, Republic Day. For more articles on Malawi and Africa, please visit internetsailors.

Eating in Malawi

Corn porridge and fish

The cuisine in Malawi is not particularly varied. Do you like corn Then you would taste it in Malawi, because a corn porridge called nsima is the national dish in Malawi. In African countries you should always eat this porridge with your right hand. The left is considered dirty.

Those who can afford it can also eat chicken or beef. However, most vegetarians stay, not voluntarily, but because they cannot afford meat at all. Sometimes there are beans too. At Lake Malawi, people like to eat fish, because there is enough of it here. The tilapia fish is particularly popular.

And the drinks?

Corn is also an important part of a popular drink called mahewu. It looks like drinking yogurt, but it’s not made of milk. It usually tastes quite neutral, so like (almost) nothing at all. But there is also Mahewu with flavors, banana or chocolate, for example. You can then buy it in plastic bottles or milk cartons. It is made in factories.

A bread called ntotchi

A bread called ntotchi is made from bananas, sugar, flour, eggs, milk and baking powder. It is also baked like bread and looks like bread. But that’s what people eat as dessert.

Mbatata biscuits are made from sweet potatoes, margarine, milk and sugar. Sometimes a pinch of cinnamon is also added.

Mmm, yummy grasshoppers!

Grasshoppers, which especially children in Malawi collect, are rich in protein and healthy. They don’t taste that bad. However, the wings and legs are clipped off. Then the grasshoppers are boiled for about five minutes and then dried. Put them in a pan with a little fat and a pinch of salt. They definitely taste good and are also healthy.