Malawi explained to kids

Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is divided into two regions, the Northern Region and the Southern Region. Its capital is Lilongwe, which is also Malawi's largest city. The second largest is Blantyre, the third is Mzuzu and the fourth largest is its old capital Zomba. The name Malawi comes from the Maravi, an old name of the Nyanja people that inhabit the area. The country is also nicknamed "The Warm Heart of Africa" because of the friendliness of its people. Malawi's history has been marked by a series of powerful states, beginning with the Maravi Empire, followed by the Nkolongo and the Ngwira Kingdoms, the Ngoni Kingdoms, and finally the British colonial state. Malawi was colonized by the British in 1891 during the scramble for Africa. Upon independence in 1964, Malawi became a one-party state under the presidency of Hastings Banda, who remained president until 1994, when he was ousted from power in a referendum. Malawi has a democratic, multi-party government headed by an elected president. Malawi is among the world's least-developed countries. The economy is heavily based in agriculture, with a largely rural population. The Malawian government depends heavily on outside aid to meet development needs, although this is slowly changing as the government is increasingly seeking to reduce its dependence on foreign aid. The Malawian economy is one of the world's least diversified and depends heavily on agriculture, accounting for over one-third of GDP and 90% of export revenues. The majority of the population engages in subsistence farming. The economy is also heavily dependent on remittances from Malawians working abroad. Malawi has a low life expectancy and high infant mortality rate. There is a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, which is a major public health concern and contributes to Malawi's high poverty rate. Malawi is ranked the 136th safest investment destination in the world by the Political Risk Services.