Africa · capital city
What Is the Capital of Malawi?
Lilongwe
The capital of Malawi is Lilongwe. About 1.3 million people live in the Lilongwe urban area — 5.7% of the country's population.
1.3 million
Urban area population
UTC+2
Time zone
13.97°S
Latitude · 33.78°E
Yes
Largest city
Lilongwe at a glance
Name origin
Named after the Lilongwe River that flows through the city; the origin of the river's name is unclear.
Time zone
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). No daylight saving time.
Coordinates
13 58 S, 33 47 E · IANA time zone Africa/Maputo
Location of Malawi
Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique
Largest cities in Malawi
1
Lilongwe Capital
1.3 million2
Blantyre-Limbe
1.0 millionUrban-area population · CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Capitals closest to Lilongwe
Harare, Zimbabwe — 519 km
Lusaka, Zambia — 613 km
Dodoma, Tanzania — 998 km
Moroni, Comoros — 1,055 km
Gitega, Burundi — 1,248 km
Maputo, Mozambique — 1,338 km
Kigali, Rwanda — 1,398 km
Mbabane, Eswatini — 1,401 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Lilongwe
What is the capital of Malawi?
The capital of Malawi is Lilongwe. About 1.3 million people live in the Lilongwe urban area — 5.7% of the country's population.
Is Lilongwe the largest city in Malawi?
Yes — Lilongwe is also the largest urban area of Malawi (1.3 million).
What time zone is Lilongwe in?
Lilongwe is on UTC+2 — UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). There is no daylight saving time.
Where does the name Lilongwe come from?
Named after the Lilongwe River that flows through the city; the origin of the river's name is unclear.
Which capital is closest to Lilongwe?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, Lusaka (Zambia) is the closest, 613 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).