# List of protected areas of Malawi

There are nine national parks and reserves in Malawi.

## National parks

* Kasungu National Park — situated approximately 165 km north of the capital city, Lilongwe, this is, at over 2,000 km$^2$, the second largest of Malawi's parks
* Lake Malawi National Park — designated a National Park in 1980 to protect the unique diversity of tropical fish living in Lake Malawi, some not found anywhere else on earth
* Lengwe National Park — most famed for the nyala antelope, not found in the other northern parks of Malawi
* Liwonde National Park — situated 120 km north of Blantyre, on the banks of the Upper Shire River
* Nyika National Park — the first (certified in 1965), the largest (over 3,000 km$^2$) and the highest (average height 1,800 m)

## Game and wildlife reserves

* Majete Wildlife Reserve — in the southwest of Malawi, with an area of 691 km$^2$
* Mwabvi Wildlife Reserve — the smallest of the parks, at 350 km$^2$, Mwabvi was adopted by Project African Wilderness in 2007 (PAW is a charitable organisation based in Malawi and the UK)
* Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve — the oldest and largest established reserve in Malawi
* Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve — southwest of the Nyika Plateau, to the north of the South Rukuru River, Vwaza Marsh covers an area of 1,000 km$^2$

## Other protected areas

* Lake Chilwa - Ramsar wetland of international importance

## Forest reserves

Malawi has a system of forest reserves, the first of which were established over a century ago. Grazing and cultivation have encroached on many forest reserves, and many reserve forests have been replaced with exotic plantation trees including pine and eucalyptus.

### Northern Region

* Bunganya Forest Reserve 34.7 km$^2$ est. 1973
* Chikhang’ombe Forest Reserve 5921 ha. est. 2002
* Chisasira Forest Reserve 3447 ha. est. 1973
* Jembya Forest Reserve 13,764 ha. est. 1981
* Kalwe Forest Reserve 159 ha. est. 1956
* Kamphoyo Forest Reserve 635 ha.
* Kaning’ina Forest Reserve 14,007 ha. est. 1935
* Kawiya Forest Reserve 643.9 ha.
* Kuwirwe Forest Reserve 661.5 ha. est. 1935
* Litchenya Forest Reserve 316 ha. est. 1948
* Lunyangwa Forest Reserve 374 ha. est. 1935
* Mafinga Hills Forest Reserve 4734 ha. est. 1976
* Mahowe Forest Reserve 59.168 km$^2$ est. 2002
* Matipa Forest Reserve 1055 ha. est. 1948
* Mkuwazi Forest Reserve 2020
* Mtangatanga Forest Reserve 8099 ha. est. 1935
* Mughese Forest Reserve 771 ha. est. 1948
* Musisi Forest Reserve 7034 ha. est. 1948
* North Karonga Escarpment Forest Reserve 7907 ha. est. 2002
* Perekezi Forest Reserve 14,482 ha. est. 1935
* Ruvuo Forest Reserve 4792.9 ha. est. 1935
* South Karonga Escarpment Forest Reserve 13,050 ha. est. 2002
* South Viphya Forest Reserve (Chikangawa Forest Reserve) 157,728 ha. est. 1958
* Uzumara Forest Reserve 754 ha. est. 1948
* Vinthukutu Forest Reserve 1957 ha. est. 1948
* Wilindi Forest Reserve 937 ha. est. 1948

### Central Region

* Bunda Forest Reserve 426 ha, est. 1948
* Chimaliro Forest Reserve 15,205 ha, est. 1926
* Chilobwe Forest Reserve 1314 ha, est. 1960
* Chongoni Forest Reserve 12,353 ha, est. 1924
* Dedza Mountain Forest Reserve 2917 ha, est. 1926
* Dedza-Salima Escarpment Forest Reserve 30,965 ha, est. 1974
* Dowa Hills Forest Reserve 3142 ha, est. 1974
* Dwambazi Forest Reserve, 7886.27 km$^2$
* Dzalanyama Forest Reserve 98,827 ha, est. 1922
* Dzenza Forest Reserve 779 ha, est. 1948
* Dzonzi Forest Reserve 4494 ha, est. 1924
* Kongwe Forest Reserve 1948 ha, est. 1926
* Mchinji Forest Reserve 20,885 ha, est. 1924
* Msitowalengwe Forest Reserve 98 ha, est. 1974
* Mua-Livulezi Forest Reserve 12,673 ha, est. 1924
* Mua-Tsanya Forest Reserve 933 ha, est. 1924
* Mvai Forest Reserve 4140 ha, est. 1924
* Ngala Forest Reserve 2272 ha, est. 1958
* North Senga Forest Reserve 1207 ha, est. 1958
* Ntchisi Mountain Forest Reserve 8758 ha, est. 1924
* South Senga Forest Reserve 532 ha, est. 1958
* Thuma Forest Reserve 15,767 ha, est. 1956

### Southern Region

* Amalika Forest Reserve 370 ha, est. 1959
* Chigumula Forest Reserve 525 ha, est. 1925
* Chiradzulu Forest Reserve 774 ha, est. 1924
* Kalulu Hills Forest Reserve 2892 ha, est. 1958
* Liwonde Forest Reserve 27,407 ha, est. 1924
* Malabvi Forest Reserve 300 ha, est. 1927
* Mangochi Forest Reserve 40,853 ha, est. 1924
* Mangochi Palm Forest Reserve 501 ha, est. 1980
* Masambanjati Forest Reserve 93 ha, est. 1974
* Masenjere Forest Reserve 276 ha, est. 1930
* Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve (Milange-Michesi) 56,314 ha, est. 1927
* Michiru Forest Reserve 3004 ha, est. 1970
* Milare Forest Reserve 59 ha, est. 1949
* Mudi Forest Reserve 39 ha, est. 1922
* Namizimu Forest Reserve 88,966 ha, est. 1924
* Ndirande Forest Reserve 1433 ha, est. 1922
* Soche Forest Reserve 388 ha, est. 1922
* Thambani Forest Reserve 4680 ha, est. 1927
* Thuchila Forest Reserve 1843 ha, est. 1925
* Thyolo Mountain Forest Reserve 1347 ha, est. 1924
* Matandwe Forest Reserve 31,053 ha, est. 1931
* Tsamba Forest Reserve 32.37 km$^2$, est. 1928
* Thyolomwani Forest Reserve 965 ha, est. 1930
* Zomba-Malosa Forest Reserve 19,018 ha, est. 1913