Malawi in relationship to the rest of the World. Malawi is 1 of 54 countries in Africa and ranks 174 out of 189 poorest countries in the world. Malawi, with its capital in Lilongwe, is led by President Peter Mutharika and has a population of 18,143,315 as of 2018, according to the World Bank. The country uses the Malawian Kwacha (MWK) as its currency and is bordered by Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique. Covering an area of 118,000 km² (45,560 sq mi), Malawi's official languages are English and Chichewa. It gained independence from the UK on July 6, 1964. The climate is subtropical, with a rainy season from December to May and a dry season from May to December. Notably, Malawi is considered safer than both England and the USA