Nsanje is a
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
in the
Southern Region of
Malawi
Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast ...
. The capital is
Nsanje
Nsanje (formerly Port Herald) is the main city in Nsanje District within the Southern Region of Malawi.
The intense urbanization in the fertile Shire River valley has formed an extensive urbanized zone that runs from the city of Bangula, furt ...
. The district covers an area of and has a population of 194,924.
In addition to the city of Nsanje, it has the important cities of
Bangula Bangula is a town of about 5000 population in southern region district of Nsanje in Malawi. There is also a commune of the same name. Its elevation is 100m. It is located on the western bank of the Shire River, near the confluence of the Shire and ...
,
Marka,
Tengani, and
Fatima
Fāṭima bint Muḥammad ( ar, فَاطِمَة ٱبْنَت مُحَمَّد}, 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija. Fatima's husband was Ali, th ...
.
Marka is the southernmost city in Malawi and already on the edge of the dry border with
Mozambique
Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...
(
Vila Nova de Fronteira).
Location
Nsanje is the southernmost district in
Malawi
Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast ...
and lies in the Lower Shire River Valley. It straddles the
Shire River
The Shire is the largest river in Malawi. It is the only outlet of Lake Malawi and flows into the Zambezi River in Mozambique. Its length is . The upper Shire River issues from Lake Malawi and runs approximately before it enters shallow Lake Malo ...
in the north (the river forms most of Nsanje's eastern boundary) and is surrounded by
Mozambique
Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...
. Elevation is around ASL except for some hills in the south-western part of the district which reach near to ASL.
Mwabvi Game Reserve lies in the north-western part of the district and can be accessed from Bangula or Sorgin (both along the M-1 road)
Elephant Marsh lies partially in the northern part of the district and can be accessed for tours via the eastern bank road. Tours start from the village of James.
Government and administrative divisions
There are five
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repre ...
constituencies in Nsanje:
* Nsanje - Central
* Nsanje - Lalanje
* Nsanje - North
* Nsanje - South
* Nsanje - South West
Since the
2009 election all of these constituencies have been held by members of the
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majori ...
.
Climate
Temperatures get as hot as in November and around in June. Rainfall averages around yearly coming January through April.
Economy
Nsanje is one of the poorest districts in Malawi and is virtually dependent on government and NGO aide organizations
Major income comes from small holder farming. Maize, millet, sorghum, rice, sweet potatoes, beans and cotton are all grown using almost entirely rain fed agriculture.
Maize is grown in marshes post rain season; Nsanje Boma they grow around Ndindi marsh area, Bangula they use Chisamba and Makhanga marshes.
Nsanje district has a lot of livestock; cattle, goats, sheep, domesticated birds. Most of the rich people in Nsanje they accumulated their wealth through livestock farming. Major buyer of cattle in the Nsanje District is Sidik Mia. Fishing is another economic activity that sustains lives of many.
Nsanje was devastated by a flood in January 2015. A 20-kilometre-long vein of cropland on the east bank of the Shire River was overwhelmed, destroying resources needed to sustain the population for a year. Other areas of Malawi were also devastated by flood around this time.
Demographics
At the time of the
2018 Census of Malawi
The 2018 Malawi census was the sixth national census in Malawi, which took place on 3-23 September 2018. The population of Malawi was counted as 17,563,749 – an increase of 4,534,251 (34.8%) over the 2008 census.
Preliminary results from the ...
, the distribution of the population of Nsanje District by
ethnic group
An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
was as follows:
2018 Malawi Population and Housing Census Main Report
/ref>
* 84.0% Sena
* 7.3% Lomwe
* 5.0% Mang'anja
The Mang'anja are a Bantu people of central and southern Africa, particularly around Chikwawa in the Shire River valley of southern Malawi. They speak a dialect of the Nyanja language, and are a branch of the Amaravi people. As of 1996 their popul ...
* 0.9% Chewa
Chewa may refer to:
*the Chewa people
*the Chewa language
Chewa (also known as Nyanja, ) is a Bantu language spoken in much of Southern, Southeast and East Africa, namely the countries of Malawi , where it is an official language, and Mozambiq ...
* 0.7% Yao
* 0.5% Ngoni
* 0.4% Tonga
Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...
* 0.2% Tumbuka
* 0.0% Nkhonde
* 0.0% Nyanja
Chewa (also known as Nyanja, ) is a Bantu language spoken in much of Southern, Southeast and East Africa, namely the countries of Malawi , where it is an official language, and Mozambique and Zambia. The noun class prefix ''chi-'' is used for l ...
* 0.0% Lambya
The Lambya, also known as the Nkoya, are an ethnic and linguistic group based along the border of northwestern Malawi and in Mbeya Region, Tanzania. A minority also exists in Zambia. In 2001 the Lambya population was estimated to number 85,000, i ...
* 0.0% Sukwa
* 0.8% Others
Culture
The people of Nsanje are traditionally Sena people __NOTOC__
The Sena people are a Bantu ethnolinguistic group with origins in northwestern region of Mozambique in Tete Province, Manica Province, Sofala Province and Zambezia Province. They are also found in Malawi and Zimbabwe near their respective ...
, Lomwe, or Mang'anja
The Mang'anja are a Bantu people of central and southern Africa, particularly around Chikwawa in the Shire River valley of southern Malawi. They speak a dialect of the Nyanja language, and are a branch of the Amaravi people. As of 1996 their popul ...
. The predominant language is Chisena, but Chimang'anja, Chichewa
Chewa (also known as Nyanja, ) is a Bantu language spoken in much of Southern, Southeast and East Africa, namely the countries of Malawi , where it is an official language, and Mozambique and Zambia. The noun class prefix ''chi-'' is used for la ...
, English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, and Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
are also spoken.
A rain cult holds position south of Nsanje boma worshipping a deity called Mbona. His head was cut off hundreds of years ago and out flowed a river of blood called Ndione. He now returns to his wife's home every so often in the form of a python to tell prophecies for the coming year.
Traditional dance of Nsanje district is usually danced by women, Madzoka danced by traditional healers, Ulimba usually performed after burial.
References
{{Authority control
Districts of Malawi
Districts in Southern Region, Malawi