Languages spoken in Malawi
Africa · Capital: Lilongwe · Population 21.8 million
In Malawi, two languages have official status: English and Nyanja. English is the most widely spoken language, with an estimated 63% of the population speaking it as a first or additional language, or roughly 13.7 million people. After English, the most widely spoken are Nyanja at 63% and Tumbuka at 8.4%. English belongs to the Indo-European language family. English is also spoken in two of its three neighbours: Tanzania and Zambia. In total, three languages are recorded in Malawi, and their shares add up to 134.4% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 1.3 of them.
What languages are spoken in Malawi?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| EnglishIndo-European | 63% | Official | 13.7 million |
| NyanjaNiger-Congo | 63% | Official | 13.7 million |
| Tumbuka | 8.4% | Spoken | 1.8 million |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Malawi?
In Malawi, two languages have official status: English and Nyanja. English is spoken by an estimated 63% of the population, or roughly 13.7 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak English in Malawi?
An estimated 63% of Malawi's 21.8 million people speak English, which works out at roughly 13.7 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Malawi
- Capital
- Lilongwe
- Population
- 21.8 million
- Continent
- Africa
- Area
- 118,484 km²
- Currency
- MWK
- Languages recorded
- 3
- Land borders
- 3
- ISO codes
- MW / MWI / 454
Which countries border Malawi?
Malawi shares a land border with three countries: Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. English, the most widely spoken language in Malawi, is also spoken in Tanzania and Zambia.
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.