KarongaKaronga is a township in the Karonga District in Northern Region of Malawi in southeastern Africa. Located on the western shore of Lake Malawi, it was established as a slaving centre sometime before 1877. As of 2018 estimates, Karonga has a population of 61,609. The common and major language spoken in this district is the Tumbuka language, which is also a regional language of Northern Malawi.
Karonga DistrictKaronga District is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi, situated along the north-eastern shoreline of Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa) and bordering Tanzania to the north. The district is associated with the broader history of the Tumbuka people migration. Chitumbuka is the lingua franca and major language spoken in the district and is also the second language of several other ethnic groups in the district such as the Ngonde people, among others.
Chitipa DistrictChitipa District is the northernmost district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The capital is Chitipa (formerly known as Fort Hill). The district covers an area of 4,288 km, and has a population of 234,927. The major and common language spoken by majority in the district is Chitumbuka. Chitipa borders Karonga District, and neighboring countries Tanzania and Zambia.
Nkhata Bay DistrictNkhata Bay is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The capital is Nkhata Bay. The district covers an area of 4,071 km² and has a population of 164,761. Lake Malawi bounds the district on the east. The western portion of the district lies in the Viphya Mountains. The major ethnic groups are the remnants of the Tumbuka people known as the Tonga and Tumbuka people.
Tumbuka languageNiger-Congo language spoken in Southern and Eastern Africa TumbukaChitumbukaA Tumbuka young woman from Zambia performing Vimbuza dance of the Tumbuka people in Vietnam.Native toMalawi (5,220,860)Zambia (2,100,709)Tanzania (740,211)Zimbabwe (20,607)RegionSoutheast Africa and Southern AfricaEthnicitySenga people, Tumbuka, Yombe (Zambia), Phoka (Malawi), Henga, Nenya, Northern Ngoni and Tonga people (Malawi)Native speakers8.9 million (2024 estimate)Language familyNiger–Congo?
Nkhata BayNkhata Bay (or simply Nkhata) is the capital of the Nkhata Bay District in Malawi. It is on the shore of Lake Malawi (formerly Lake Nyasa), 40 km east of Mzuzu, and is one of the main ports on Lake Malawi. The population of Nkhata Bay was 14,274 according to the 2018 census.
Mzimba DistrictMzimba (formerly Kathibi, original Chitumbuka name) is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The capital is Mzimba and the biggest town is Mzuzu, which is also the administrative headquarters of the Northern Region. The district covers an area of 10,473 km2 and has a population of 1,017,701 (2023). It is the largest district in Malawi. The district is inhabited by Tumbuka people. Chitumbuka is the predominant language spoken in the district.
Rumphi DistrictRumphi is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The capital is Rumphi. The district covers an area of 4,769 km.² and has a population of 128,360. Chitumbuka is the major and predominant language spoken in the district. The major ethnic group is the Tumbuka people, followed by its sub-group, the Phoka people.
TanzaniaTanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest, Kenya to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the east, Mozambique and Malawi to the south, Zambia to the southwest, and Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west.
MzuzuMzuzu is the capital of Malawi's Northern Region and is the third largest city by population in Malawi. The city has 221,272 residents and 20,000 commuters (Mzuzu University students) with about a million people in its metropolitan area. It is in the Mzimba District. Mzuzu lies in a gap in the Viphya Mountains, and the agricultural region surrounding the city specializes in tea, rubber and coffee cultivation.
Tumbuka peopleThe Tumbuka (also known as Yombe, Tonga, Kamanga, Senga and Henga) are a group of Bantu people found in Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. More than fifteen related groups are counted among the wider Tumbuka family, including the Senga, Nyika, Henga, Yombe, Phoka and Tonga, all of whom speak dialects of the same language and trace their history to a common kingdom. Their language, Chitumbuka, has around a dozen recorded dialects, among them Yombe, Senga and Wenya.MalawiMalawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over 118,484 km2 (45,747 sq mi) and has a population of 22,224,282 (as of July 2025). Lilongwe is its capital and largest city. The part of Africa now known as Malawi was settled around the 10th century by the Akafula, also known as the Abathwa.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.