Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi or Lake Nyasa, south-eastern Africa, in the Rift Valley. Lake Malawi lies between Malawi on the west and Tanzania and Mozambique (where it is known as Lake Nyasa and Lake Niasa respectively) on the east. It is about 500 km (310 mi) long and an average of about 48 km (30 mi) wide. The area of the lake has been estimated to be 22,490 sq km (8,683 sq mi); its surface is about 472 m (1,550 ft) above sea level. The Shire River, an outlet of Lake Malawi, flows into the Zambezi River. Much of the lake is navigable, and fishing is heavy along its banks. Sighted by the Portuguese in the 17th century, the lake was forgotten by Europeans until its rediscovery by the British missionary and explorer David Livingstone. The Lake Malawi National Park, situated at the southern end of the lake, was created to protect a variety of endemic fish species; it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.