Page last updated on February 5, 2013

Location:
Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
13 30 S, 34 00 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 118,484 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 100
land: 94,080 sq km
water: 24,404 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)

Terrain:
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Natural resources:
limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite

Land use:
arable land: 20.68%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 1.18%
other: 78.14% (2005)

Irrigated land:
590 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
17.3 cu km (2001)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.01 cu km/yr (15%/5%/80%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 78 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most prominent physical feature; it contains more fish species than any other lake on earth