The land of Malawi has been inhabited by man for thousands of years. The first Europeans to arrive were the Portuguese in the 16th century. However, it was David Livingstone who arrived in 1859 and had the first significant contact. Churches and missions were soon established in the area with the hope of ending the slave trade.
In 1891 the land became a British protectorate. It was called Nyasaland. It became the independent country of Malawi in 1964. The country was ruled for 30 years by President Hasting Kamuzu Banda.
The Geography of Malawi
Total Size: 118,480 square km
Size Comparison: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
