Identifying Malawi – The Land of Hippopotamuses

I. Introduction
In June 2009 Madonna Lou Ciccone –the world’s most effective singer — put Malawi — which had in no way gained point out in the entire world press in the latest many years — on the globe map when she traveled to the African Republic , which is a bit greater than the condition of Ohio, and adopted a woman. And what do you know about this African nation?
II. Welcome to the Land of Hippopotamuses
Malawi is a magical heavenly nation, ideal for these who worth a purely natural life-style. This African nation, with over 36% of its land nevertheless coated by tropical forests, has several nationwide parks. Malawi’s wildlife refuges are property to antelopes, hyrax, elephants, zebras, giraffes, crocodiles, rhinoceros, lions, cheetahs, hippotamuses, and other animals.
The Lake Malawi Countrywide Park has a single of Africa’s most spectacular landscapes. This lake has an area of 11,150km2 — it is just about 9 moments larger sized than Rhode Island — with substantial indigenous vegetation and wild animals this sort of as hippos. Considering the fact that 1970s this area has been a emphasis for an critical tourism sector. Lots of overseas visitors traveled to the lake Nyasa — also recognised as Malawi — and other normal sanctuaries each and every 12 months to see and photograph the hippopotamuses that live there. This lake , a single of the world’s ten most significant lakes, has been when compared to the Galapagos islands (Ecuador, South The usa) for its wildlife. It has extra wildlife than any other lake in the earth. The Malawi Lake, for illustration, has a person of the world’s maximum densities of fishes ( 500 distinctive forms of fishes, nearly all endemic ). This region is also a refuge for these birds as kingfishers, cormorants, and fish eagles. The Lake Malawi National Park was declared Pure Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in the yr 1984.
The Chongoni Rock-Art Region is a different well-known tourist attraction.
III. A Temporary Historical past of Malawi
Landlocked Malawi, previous Nyasaland, has been an independent state due to the fact the latter 50 % of the 20th century. In the former century, it experienced been managed by the United Kingdom. In this interval, the British drastically influenced equally the economical and everyday living of the place. Like lots of former British colonies, it is a member of the Commonwealth. Malawi has put in lots of of its article-independence yrs less than dictatorial rule.
From 1964 to 1994, Malawi was ruled by dictator Hastings Kamuzu Banda, who founded just one of Africa’s worst kleptocracies. At the domestic level he also experienced pursued a scorched-earth plan towards Asians and other minorities. In the course of his iron-fisted rule of Malawi, he had close ties with the white-dominated South Africa, a pariah condition in the global local community. SA was criticized because of its government’s racist insurance policies. In this time period, Malawi’s dictator Kamuzu Banda made the environment headlines when he arrived in Pretoria to confer with South African leaders. Kamuzu Banda became the initially and only African head of state to traveled to the state of apartheid. This visit did not have parallel in the diplomatic world.
Soon thereafter, the South African govt despatched affordable help to Malawi, 1 of the least-developed nations around the world on the African continent. Definitely Pretoria experienced played a main position in the country’s economy.
Without having a Question, Kamuzu Banda was just one of the world’s most hated leaders. But to deflect worldwide impression, which experienced condemned his plan towards South Africa, the nationwide federal government boycotted the 1976 Olympic Game titles in Montreal, Canada.
At the very same time, Kamuzu Banda aligned his region with the anti-Communist movement in Africa, along with Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya and Zaire ( existing-day the Democratic Republic of the Congo ). In this context, he founded total diplomatic relations with Taiwan, a region which is not regarded by the United Nations. On August 4, 1967 President Kamuzu Banda went to Taipei for an formal take a look at. Throughout the Chilly War, Malawi was an ally of Taiwan. On the other hand, the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II went to Lilongwe , Malawi’s cash, for an formal stop by in 1989.
The dictatorship arrived to an close soon after 30 yrs and Malawi turned a new democratic country. On May well 17, 1994 Malawi held its 1st multiparty presidential election and Bakili Muluzu became head of state. This landlocked place is a person of the few democracies in the African region. In 2004 Bingu wa Mutharika received the next free elections. In 2008 he — country’s next publish-Chilly War president — granted diplomatic recognition to the People’s Republic of China versus the opposition of Taipei.
This landlocked nation is a single of Africa’s most peaceful nations. As opposed to most of its neighbors, Malawi has in no way had civil wars or coup d’etats. Malawi is haven for refugees from Mozambique, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
IV. Human Progress
With a populace of over 9,000,000 and an spot of 45,700 square miles — it is nearly 3 situations greater than Switzerland — Malawi is located in southeast Africa. It is just one of the most densely populated sections on the African continent. Lilongwe is the cash city.
The Chewa make up Malawi’s most significant ethnic group. They dominance above Nyanja, Lomwe, Bantu and other minorities.
As opposed to much of Africa the place is not blessed with mineral resources. But this nation is endowed with exceptionally fertile soil. Malawi’s financial state is based chiefly on agriculture.
The previous dictatorship has devastated the economic system and turned Malawi into an impoverished country. This country is one particular of the world’s eighteen poorest nations. Due to the fact turning into an impartial state in 1964, it has experienced issues in resolving its human enhancement ( education, employment, community wellness, diet ). In 2008 Malawi rated 162 of 179 nations around the world on the United Nations Human Growth Index, forward of Ethiopia, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The Environment Wellbeing Business ( OMS ) states daily life expectancy is 35 for girls and 36 for adult males — just one of the lowest in the Third Planet. According to UN and other worldwide corporations, a lot more than 10% of the adult population has HIV/AIDS. It had just one of Africa’s best rate of an infection in the earlier ten years.
V. Sports activities
Soccer is the countrywide sport in the region, but Malawi has by no means competent for the FIFA Globe Cup. Even so, the countrywide group won a bronze medal at the African Game titles in Nairobi, Kenya — the most effective result that Malawi has at any time had. Sad to say, it nonetheless has not produced earth-class athletes or African title-holders. In Beijing 2008, Malawi had been poorly represented by four athletes ( Chauncy Learn, Lucia Chandamale, Charlton Nyirenda, Zahra Pinto ). It was Malawi’s eight participation in the Summer time Olympics — Munich 1972, Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Australia 2000, Greece 2004, China 2008.