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Southern Region, Malawi

Coordinates: 15°40′S 34°58′E / 15.667°S 34.967°E / -15.667; 34.967
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Southern Region
Region
Southern Region in Malawi
Southern Region in Malawi
Coordinates: 15°40′S 34°58′E / 15.667°S 34.967°E / -15.667; 34.967
Country Malawi
CapitalBlantyre
Area
 • Total
31,753 km2 (12,260 sq mi)
Population
 (2018 Census)
 • Total
7,750,629
 • Density240/km2 (630/sq mi)

The Southern Region of Malawi is an area of Malawi. It covers an area of 31,753 km2. Its capital city is Blantyre. In 2018, its population was 7,750,629.[1]

Geography

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Domestically, the Southern Region borders the Central Region and Lake Malawi to the north.[2] Internationally, it borders the country of Mozambique to the east, west, and south.[2]

Of the 28 districts in Malawi, 13 are located within the Southern Region: Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Machinga, Mangochi, Mulanje, Mwanza, Neno, Nsanje, Phalombe, Thyolo, and Zomba.[3]

The region is home to several parks: Majete Wildlife Reserve, Lengwe National Park, and Liwonde National Park (the last of these on the Shire River).[3] It is also home to the Zomba Plateau as well as Mount Mulanje (the highest point in the country).[4]

During July, the region sometimes experiences a damp fog, locally known as chiperoni.[4]

Demographics

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A crowd of children in 2024

The Southern Region is home to about half of all Malawians.[5] Of these, about 90% of them live in rural areas.[5]

As of 2003, the Southern Region has a slightly higher rate of poverty (68.1%) than the Central Region (62.8%) and the Northern Region (62.5%).[6] This is due to migration into the region, as well as the region's relatively small cropland are per capita.[6]

Ethnic groups

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At the time of the 2018 Census of Malawi, the distribution of the population of the Southern Region by ethnic group was as follows:[7]

Society

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The village of Ntaja, in Machinga District, as seen in 2017

Economy

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Cattle are quite important to the Southern Region as well as to Malawi as a whole.[5] As of 1969, they made up about one third of the country's national slaughter,[5] and the region had a population of about 78,998 cows.[5]

Healthcare and disease

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Kwashiorkor exists in the Southern Region at a prevalence of about 1.8% as of 1995.[8] It is most common among babies aged between 1 and 1.5 years old, and often co-occurs with dysentery.[8] Lymphatic filariasis and antigenaemia are also quite common, especially in the east.[9]

Violence against nurses is quite common in the region, with about 70% of nurses reporting workplace violence as of 2016.[10] Most abuse occurs in the form of verbal abuse and threatening behavior, with physical assault and sexual assault being less common.[10] Patients make up the largest segment of perpetrators.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "2018 Malawi population & hosting preliminary report" (PDF). National Statistical Office of Malawi. 1 December 2018. p. 17. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b OpenStreetMap contributors (12 February 2025). "Southern Region, Malawi" (Map). OpenStreetMap. OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 12 February 2025.[self-published source]
  3. ^ a b Project, Malawi (2022-02-02). "Malawi's Southern Region". Malawi Project. Retrieved 2025-02-12.
  4. ^ a b CultureGrams World Edition 2018: Republic of Malawi (PDF) (Report). 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e Schmidt, R. (1969). "Cattle in Malawi's Southern Region". The Society of Malawi Journal. 22 (2): 57–72. ISSN 0037-993X.
  6. ^ a b Malawi Government (October 2003). REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON AGEING AND POVERTY: Country Position Paper - Malawi (PDF) (Report).
  7. ^ 2018 Malawi Population and Housing Census Main Report
  8. ^ a b Courtright, Paul; Canner, Joseph (1995-09-01). "The distribution of kwashiorkor in the Southern Region of Malawi". Annals of Tropical Paediatrics. 15 (3): 221–226. doi:10.1080/02724936.1995.11747776. ISSN 0272-4936. PMID 8534041.
  9. ^ Ngwira, Bagrey MM; Tambala, Phillimon; Perez, A Maria; Bowie, Cameron; Molyneux, David H (2007). "The geographical distribution of lymphatic filariasis infection in Malawi". Filaria Journal. 6 (1). doi:10.1186/1475-2883-6-12. ISSN 1475-2883. PMC 2233609. PMID 18047646.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: PMC format (link) CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
  10. ^ a b c Banda, Chimwemwe K.; Mayers, Pat; Duma, Sinegugu (2016-10-11). "Violence against nurses in the southern region of Malawi". Health SA Gesondheid. 21 (0): 415–421. doi:10.4102/hsag.v21i0.1000. ISSN 2071-9736.
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