Zomba is a city in southern

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 ...

, in the

Shire Highlands The Shire Highlands are a plateau in southern Malawi, located east of the Shire River. It is a major agricultural area and the most densely populated part of the country. Geography The highlands cover an area of roughly 7250 square kilometers. t ...

. It is the former capital city of Malawi. It was the capital of first

British Central Africa The British Central Africa Protectorate (BCA) was a British protectorate proclaimed in 1889 and ratified in 1891 that occupied the same area as present-day Malawi: it was renamed Nyasaland Nyasaland () was a British protectorate located ...

and then

Nyasaland Protectorate Nyasaland () was a British protectorate located in Africa that was established in 1907 when the former British Central Africa Protectorate changed its name. Between 1953 and 1963, Nyasaland was part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasalan ...

before the establishment of Malawi in 1964. It was also the first capital of

and remained so until 1974, when

Lilongwe Lilongwe (, , ) is the capital and most populated city of the African country of Malawi. It has a population of 989,318 as of the 2018 Census, up from a population of 674,448 in 2008. In 2020 that figure was 1,122,000. The city is located in th ...

became the capital. The Parliament remained even longer, until 1994. The city is best known for its

British colonial The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...

architecture and its location at the base of the dramatic Zomba Plateau. Zomba is also the home of

Chancellor College The University of Malawi (UNIMA) is a public university established in 1965 and until 4 May 2021, when the university underwent a delinking, was composed of four constituent colleges located in Zomba, Blantyre, and Lilongwe. Of the four colleges, ...

of the

University of Malawi The University of Malawi (UNIMA) is a public university established in 1965 and until 4 May 2021, when the university underwent a delinking, was composed of four constituent colleges located in Zomba, Blantyre, and Lilongwe. Of the four colleges, ...

History

The town's British colonial past is reflected in the architecture of its older buildings and homes. Zomba was once a hub for expatriates in Malawi. Its diverse cultural mix included British tobacco farmers and Dutch, German and

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

emissaries. The British also established

Sir Harry Johnston ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as ...

Primary School. The Zomba

Gymkhana Gymkhana () ( ur, جِمخانہ, sd, جمخانه, hi, जिमख़ाना, as, জিমখানা, bn, জিমখানা) is a British Raj term which originally referred to a place of assembly. The meaning then altered to den ...

Club was once the focus for social activity in the expatriate community. However, in recent years, the club's appearance and reputation have been in decline. The Zomba Gymkhana Club was where the Malawi Rock Shandy was created by the head barman Shadrack in the 1960s. Next to the old parliament building is the botanical garden, which was established by the British, as well as the golf course in the city centre. At the southern entrance to the city, the

King's African Rifles The King's African Rifles (KAR) was a multi-battalion British colonial regiment raised from Britain's various possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s. It performed both military and internal security functions withi ...

memorial is positioned right next to the M1. During British rule, Zomba served as capital under

British East Africa East Africa Protectorate (also known as British East Africa) was an area in the African Great Lakes occupying roughly the same terrain as present-day Kenya from the Indian Ocean inland to the border with Uganda in the west. Controlled by Britai ...

and later the

. It became capital of independent Malawi from 1964 to 1975.

Economy

Zomba is the centre for the tobacco and dairy farms of the surrounding area, which also produces rice, corn (maize), fish, and softwoods. Timber is extracted from the nearby plateau. A market can be found in the town centre, where farmers from surrounding villages sell their products, as well as secondhand clothes and basic consumer goods. Also fresh and dried fish from

Lake Malawi Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania and Lago Niassa in Mozambique, is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system, located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. It is the fifth largest fre ...

and

Lake Chilwa Lake Chilwa is the second-largest lake in Malawi after Lake Malawi. It is in eastern Zomba District, near the border with Mozambique. Approximately 60 km long and 40 km wide, the lake is surrounded by extensive wetlands. There is an islan ...

are sold. Local supermarkets, such as Peoples Trading Company, Metro and Shoprite are located near the bus depot. A dozen, mainly Indian- and Chinese-owned, shops sell imported clothes, electrical appliances, bicycles and other basic goods. Along the M1, several filling stations can be found. National Bank of Malawi, NBS savings Bank,

Standard Bank Standard Bank Group Limited is a major South African bank and financial services group. It is Africa's biggest lender by assets. The company's corporate headquarters, Standard Bank Centre, is situated in Simmonds Street, Johannesburg. History ...

and Opportunity Bank International as well as the Malawian Post have branches in the city. Zomba Hospital is an important employer and one of the biggest hospitals in the country. Zomba Central Prison was built in 1935, and is the only maximum-security prison in Malawi.

Tourism

The main attraction in Zomba is the Zomba Plateau. Activities offered include rock climbing, horseback riding, birdwatching, fishing and mountain-biking. The ''Ku Chawe Inn'', situated right on the edge of the plateau, is the most luxurious hotel in the area. Tourists also can sleep in log houses or camp at the trout farm. Within the town, two backpacker hostels and several lodges, ranging from basic to mid-class, are open for guests. A craft market provides locally made souvenirs.

Education

University of Malawi

Chancellor College, the largest of the constituent colleges of the

, is located in Zomba. The college has five faculties: Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Social Science and Faculty of Education.

Sir Harry Johnston International Primary School

Sir Harry Johnston International School has served the international and local community since 1958. The primary school consists of a seven classroom block (pre-Nursery to year 6) and the secondary school consists of three classrooms and a science laboratory. There is also a spacious multi-purpose hall on site used by both schools. Within the grounds there is a swimming pool, a football and netball field, a basketball court, a cross-country track, a playground and a nursery play area. The curriculum is based on the British National Curriculum in the Primary and the Cambridge Curriculum in the Secondary School, but content is adapted for the needs of the school population. The school is centrally located on Kalimbuka Road. It has students from a range of nationalities with around 80% of the students Malawian. The school is non-profit making and is managed by an elected board of trustees from the parent community. The school's swimming-pool is open to public from September to May each year.

Zomba Catholic Secondary School

Located around from the Old Capital city's town centre, this is a government-funded school founded in 1942 by the

Catholic church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. A community of

Marist Brothers The Marist Brothers of the Schools, commonly known as simply the Marist Brothers, is an international community of Catholic religious institute of brothers. In 1817, St. Marcellin Champagnat, a Marist priest from France, founded the Marist Brother ...

is located on site and the Brothers help with the teaching. Although funded by the government, pupils are still required to pay fees (MK107,000 per term as of 2017) as they live on campus and must pay board. The school is one of the best government schools in

and competition for entry is intense. The school has around 600 pupils and 30 teachers as well as several administrative staff. It is also well known as Box 2 and BOCCO (Boys Of Courage And Cooperation).

Zomba Theological College

Zomba Theological College was founded in 1977 and is run by the five synods of Blantyre, Livingstonia, Nkhoma, Harare and Zambia but also works closely with the theological department of the University of Malawi.

Geography

The Zomba Plateau is Zomba's most famous feature. In some parts, it rises to 1800 m in height and is covered with vast tracts of African juniper and ''

Widdringtonia ''Widdringtonia'' is a genus of coniferous trees in the Cupressaceae (cypress family). The name was Austrian botanist Stephan Endlicher's way of honouring an early expert on the coniferous forests of Spain, Capt. Samuel Edward Widdrington (1787� ...

'', and other mixed vegetation. The top of the plateau is criss-crossed by streams and is dotted with waterfalls and still lakes. The hike to the top of the Plateau is a common tourist activity. From the top of the plateau, it is possible to see

to the north,

Mount Mulanje Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, Co ...

to the southeast and 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 ...

to the west. The ''Mulunguzi River'' springs from the plateau and flows through the town.

Climate

Fauna

The bird, the

white-winged apalis The white-winged apalis (''Apalis chariessa'') is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or trop ...

(''Apalis chariessa''), has been sighted in the evergreen forest along the Mulunguzi River. It is estimated that only 50 pairs remain in the wild. The eastern egg eater snake (''

Dasypeltis ''Dasypeltis'' is a genus of colubrid snakes. It is one of only two taxonomic groups of snakes known to have adapted to feed exclusively on eggs (the other being the genus '' Elachistodon''). ''Dasypeltis'' are non-venomous and found throughout ...

medici medici'') has been found and several specimens recorded, including one of 112 cm.

Transportation

The easiest way to get to Zomba is by minibus or shared taxi from

Blantyre Blantyre () is Malawi's centre of finance and commerce, and its second largest city, with an enumerated 800,264 inhabitants . It is sometimes referred to as the commercial and industrial capital of Malawi as opposed to the political capital, L ...

via the M3. The highway between Zomba and Blantyre has been renovated and upgraded from 2012–2015. To and from Lilongwe you can take The Smart bus; a daily service with only a couple of stops along the way. Departing Zomba at 6:30AM and Lilongwe 12:30PM. National Bus Service as well as private run mini-buses connect Zomba with Liwonde (1hr, K1,500),

Mangochi Mangochi is a township in the Southern Region of Malawi. Located near the southern end of Lake Malawi, in colonial times it used to be called Fort Johnston. As of 2018 it has a population of 53,498. History Mangochi was founded by colonial adm ...

(2,5hrs, K 3,500), Balaka,

and

. For Cape Maclear (4hrs, K 6,500 - 7,000) you go via Liwonde, Mangochi and Monkey Bay. Trucks and pick-ups transport passengers to

Phalombe Phalombe is a town in Malawi. It is the district capital of Phalombe District. Location Phalombe is located about , by road, north-east of Mulanje, along the T408 Road. This is approximately , by road, east of Blantyre, the financial capital ...

. For

Mulanje Mulanje, formerly called Mlanje, is a town in the Southern Region of Malawi, close to the border with Mozambique, to the east. It is near the Mulanje Massif. Location The town of Mulanje lies along the M-2 highway from Thyolo to the west to t ...

you take a minibus to Limbe where you change to Mulanje. The closest airport is

Chileka International Airport Chileka International Airport is an international airport in Malawi. It is located approximately , by road, northwest of Blantyre, the second largest city in the Republic of Malawi and the country's commercial and financial capital. Chileka ...

, Blantyre, 75 kilometres south of Zomba. Lilongwe

Lilongwe International Airport Kamuzu International Airport is an international airport serving Lilongwe, the capital city of Malawi. It is also known as Lilongwe International Airport. History The airport was built in 1977 by the Nello L. Teer Company, taking over most ...

is 4 hours from Zomba. Public transport within the city is organised by minibuses and taxis (approx K 2,000 for a journey within town; K 6,000 to go up the mountain). However, cycling and walking are the most widely used modes of transportation. Bikes can be rented in town to cycle around or up the mountain.

Demographics

Historical population

Ethnic groups

Zomba is multiethnic. According to the 2018 census, the Lomwe are the largest ethnic group in the city with 30.96% of its population. The second largest ethnic group in the city are the Yao with 20.59% of the population. Other minor ethnic groups include the

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 ...

with 12.76%, Ngoni with 10.5%,

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 ...

with 10.35%,

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 ...

with 5.97%, Tumbuka with 4.17%, Sena with 2.05%,

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 ...

with 1.05%, Nkhonde with 0.55%,

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 ...

with 0.33%, Sukwa with only 0.06%, and all other ethnic groups compose 0.66% of the city's population.

Religion

The largest religious denomination in Zomba City is

Church of Central Africa Presbyterian The Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) is a Presbyterian denomination. It consists of five synods: one in Zambia ( Zambia Synod), one in Zimbabwe ( Harare Synod) and three in Malawi – Livingstonia Synod in the north of the country, ...

with 20.24%. The largest minority religion is

Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

with 17.67%. Other minor religions include

Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventism, Adventist Protestantism, Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the Names of the days of the week#Numbered days of the week, seventh day of the ...

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

, and

Apostolic Apostolic may refer to: The Apostles An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission: *The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles *Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Churc ...

with 11.45%,

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

with 9.55%,

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

with 3.28%, other

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

denominations with 20.95%,

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

with 14.17%,

Traditional A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...

with only 0.04%, other religions with 2.22%, and no religion with 0.44% of the city.

Religion

Zomba is influenced by the Muslim community of Yao and Muslim Malawians from Indian descent. The main mosque is close to the market. Several Christian churches have branches in Zomba, the city is seat of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Zomba The Roman Catholic Diocese of Zomba ( la, Zombaën(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Zomba in the Ecclesiastical province of Blantyre in Malawi. History * May 15, 1952: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Zomba from the Apostolic Vica ...

Sister cities

Since 2008, Zomba is a sister city with

Urbana __NOTOC__ Urbana can refer to: Places Italy *Urbana, Italy United States *Urbana, Illinois **Urbana (conference), a Christian conference formerly held in Urbana, Illinois *Urbana, Indiana * Urbana, Iowa *Urbana, Kansas * Urbana, Maryland *Urbana, ...

, Illinois.

Gallery

Eastern Region Police Headquarters, Zomba.jpg, Eastern Region Police Headquarters, Zomba, Malawi Zomba District Council.jpg, Zomba District Council Building, in Zomba City Gymkhana Club Zomba.jpg, Gymkhana Club in Zomba, established 1923 Zomba Plateau seen from south.jpg, Zomba Plateau approached from the Blantyre-Zomba road, which was being renovated when this picture was taken in March 2014 CCAP Church Zomba.jpg, CCAP Church in Zomba with Zomba golf course and Zomba Plateau in the background

References

External links

The Zomba Plateau
{{Authority control Populated places in Southern Region, Malawi British Central Africa Protectorate Nyasaland Former national capitals