ABSTRACT
Malawi occupies the southern part of the East African Rift Valley. It stretches along the narrow western slope of the East African tectonic trench in which Lake Malawi, at an altitude of 475 metres above sea level, is located. It lies between latitudes 9 degrees and 17 degrees south, and longitudes 33 degrees and 36 degrees East. Malawi is about 725 km west of the Indian Ocean. The country is landlocked and is bordered by Mozambique to the south and east, Tanzania to the east and north, and Zambia to the west. It has a total area of 119,140 km2 of which 20 per cent is accounted for by water bodies.
