Northern Region, Malawi
# Northern Region, Malawi

The Northern Region is a region of Malawi. It had a population of 2,289,780 in 2018, and covers an area of 26,931 km², making it the smallest region both by population and area. Its capital city is Mzuzu. Starting in the north and going clockwise, the Northern Region borders on Tanzania, Lake Malawi, Malawi's Central Region, and Zambia.

## Geography

Of the 28 districts in Malawi, six are located within the Northern Region.

* Chitipa
* Karonga
* Likoma
* Mzimba
* Nkhata Bay
* Rumphi

In addition to mainland parts of Malawi, the Northern Region also includes the islands of Chizumulu and Likoma in Lake Malawi, which together make up Likoma District.

## Communities

### Major cities

Prominent townships and cities in the region include:

* Ekwendeni City (Mzimba District)
* Karonga City (Karonga District)
* Mzimba City (Mzimba District)
* Mzuzu City (which is also the capital city of Mzimba District and the region itself)
* Rumphi City (Rumphi District)
* Nkhata Bay City (Nkhata Bay District)

### Towns

* Mtawali
* Maganga

## Demographics

At the time of the 2018 Census of Malawi, the distribution of the population of the Northern Region by ethnic group was as follows:

* 68.4% Tumbuka
* 10.6% Tonga
* 6.9% Nkhonde
* 4.0% Chewa
* 4.2% Lambya
* 3.9% Ngoni
* 2.7% Sukwa
* 1.3% Lomwe
* 1.1% Yao
* 0.2% Sena
* 0.1% Mang'anja
* 5.1% Others
