13°58N 33°49E, pop (2000e) 319 000. Capital of Malawi, SE Africa, in Central region, on R Lilongwe; altitude 1100 m/3600 ft; capital since 1975; airport; railway; seeds, tobacco, light engineering, clothes, tourism, commerce.
Lilongwe, estimated population 597,619 (2003 census), is the capital of Malawi. It lies in the country's central region, on the Lilongwe river, near the border of Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia, and on the main north-south highway of Malawi, the M1.
History
The city started life as a small village on the banks of the Lilongwe river, and became a British colonial administrative centre at the beginning of the 20th century. Due to its location on the main north-south route through the country and the road to Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), Lilongwe became the 2nd largest city in Malawi. In 1974, the capital of the country was formally moved from Zomba (the third largest city today in Malawi) to Lilongwe. Although, Lilongwe is the official capital of Malawi and has grown immensely since 1974, most commercial activity takes place in Malawi's largest city, Blantyre. Lilongwe is now the political centre of Malawi, but Blantyre remains the Economic capital.
General
As compared to other African capitals, Lilongwe is politically stable, safe, and quiet. Many European and South African expatriates live in Lilongwe, and many NGOs (Care International, Plan International, Concern, UNHCR, UNFAO, WFP, Population Services International, The UNC Project, World Camp), international aid organizations (Peace Corps, USAID, DFID), and international corporations, particularly tobacco-related firms, operate out of Lilongwe. Many coffee shops, cafes, bars, clubs, restaurants, and even a casino are located in Lilongwe. In Lilongwe, as opposed to rural Malawi, one can live, work, or vacation in a manner that most westerners would consider typical, if not luxurious.
However, most of Lilongwe's Malawian citizens live on just a few dollars a day and many are unemployed. The population of Lilongwe has grown as villagers, including young orphaned children, from the surrounding rural areas have relocated to the capital in search of often non-existent jobs and the unattainable quality of life enjoyed by government officials, NGO and other international workers, and expatriates.
Lilongwe is a hot-spot for the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Malawi.
Areas
The city has many districts known as Areas. Areas are numbered, and range from one to fifty or more as the city grows - City Centre not being a numbered Area.
Some Notable Areas are:
City Centre is by far the most modern, developed area of Lilongwe. Many banks (Stanbic - or Standard Chartered, National Bank of Malawi, the Reserve Bank of Malawi), diplomatic missions, exclusive hotels (Le Meridien Capital Hotel), airline offices (including South African Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, British Airways, Kenya Airways) and international corporate offices are located in City Centre. Area 3: Old Town (West of A1) - West bank of the Lilongwe river; While the areas mentioned above are quite wealthy, safe, and modern, many citizens of Lilongwe live in sub-standard/non-permanent housing in a variety of Areas, often without electricity or running water.Transport
Lilongwe is served by Malawi Railways and Shire Bus Lines, and local buses and minibuses run between Old Town, City Centre, Kamuzu International Airport, and other urban centers, including Mzuzu and Blantyre. Kamuzu International Airport, located about 35 km north of Lilongwe in the suburb of Lumdazi, offers local turbo-prop flights and flights on a number of major airlines to South Africa, Kenya, Dubai, and Ethiopia.
Shopping
The main western-style shopping area is around Shoprite and the Nico Centre in Area 3, on the west bank of the Lilongwe river in Old Town. It should be noted that almost any necessity can be purchased in Lilongwe, and many back-packers and overland travellers stop in Lilongwe to stock-up and enjoy city life for a few days.
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