What is the capital of Malawi?
Lilongwe lies in the central region of Malawi at about 1,050 metres above sea level, near the borders with Mozambique and Zambia, and is named after the Lilongwe River.
Lilongwe is the capital and seat of government of Malawi. Malawi itself has an estimated population of 22,216,120 (2025).
Lilongwe is also the largest city in Malawi, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Lilongwe at a glance
| City population | 989,318 (2018 census) |
|---|---|
| Country | 🇲🇼 Malawi |
| Largest city in Malawi | Lilongwe |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (CAT) |
| Currency | Malawian kwacha (MWK) |
About Lilongwe
Lilongwe is an important economic and transportation hub for central Malawi.
The city has grown quickly: its population rose from 674,448 at the 2008 census to 989,318 in 2018.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Lilongwe.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Malawi?
Is Lilongwe the largest city in Malawi?
What is the population of Lilongwe?
Where is Lilongwe located?
What time zone is Lilongwe in?
What currency is used in Lilongwe?
Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of Malawi on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.