Malawi was formerly called Nyasaland during the period of British colonial rule.
The territory became the Nyasaland Protectorate in 1907. It gained independence from the United Kingdom on 6 July 1964 and adopted the name Malawi. The modern country is landlocked in southeastern Africa and lies along the western and southern shores of Lake Malawi.
Lilongwe is Malawi’s capital, while Blantyre is a major commercial and industrial centre. Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa in some languages and historical contexts, is one of Africa’s Great Lakes and forms much of the country’s eastern landscape.
Malawi was part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland from 1953 to 1963, alongside Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia. Those territories later became Zambia and Zimbabwe. The historical name Nyasaland therefore belongs to Malawi, not to either of those neighboring countries.