Photos: 'This Is Africa' - Get to know the Republic of Malawi

Africa

African countries have their peculiar challenges like all countries the world over. Amid these challenges are particular characteristics of countries on the continent.

‘This Is Africa (TIA)’ is an Africanews initiative aimed at sharing information about African countries and helping our audiences better discover the continent – in a small but significant way.

For the next twenty weeks, we shall be sharing salient information about an African country such as their currency, political leader, population, date of independence etc.

[Photos / Information] Ten of Africa’s long-serving political leaders

Country of the Week: Republic of Malawi

1 – National capital / official languages = Lilongwe / English, Chewa
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎ Malawian kwacha
3 – Current political leader = Peter Mutharika
4 – Population estimate = 19,842,560 (July 2018 est.)
5 – Date of independence = July 6, 1964
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+265), internet (‎.mw)

Profile of the country

Peter Mutharika, Malawi president

Malawian kwacha

Flag of the country

Lilongwe craft market

Country of the Week: Central African Republic

1 – National capital / official languages = Bangui / French
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎ Central African CFA franc
3 – Current political leader = Faustin-Archange Touadéra
4 – Population estimate = 5,062,021 (July 2018 est.)
5 – Date of independence = August 13, 1960
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+236), internet (‎.cf)

Profile of the country

Faustin-Archange Touadéra, President of the country

Flag of the country

Central African CFA franc

Boali Falls, one of the best known landmarks in the country

Country of the Week: Republic of Guinea

1 – National capital / official languages = Conakry / French
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎ Guinean franc (GNF)
3 – Current political leader = Alpha Condé
4 – Population estimate = 12,413,867 (July 2017 est.)
5 – Date of independence = October 2, 1958
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+224), internet (‎.gn)

Profile of the country

Alpha Condé, President of the country

Guinean franc (GNF)

Flag of the country

Fouta Djallon, a highland region in the centre of Guinea

Capital city, Conakry

Country of the Week: Republic of South Sudan

1 – National capital / official languages = Juba / English
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎ South Sudanese pound
3 – Current political leader = Salva Kiir Mayardit
4 – Population estimate = 13,026,129 (July 2017 est.)
5 – Date of independence = July 9, 2011
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+211), internet (.ss)

Profile of the country

Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the country

Flaf of the country

South Sudanese pound

Streets of Juba, South Sudanese capital

Fula Falls, Baḥr al-Jabal in South Sudan

Country of the Week: Republic of Tunisia

1 – National capital / official languages = Tunis / Arabic
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎ Tunisian dinar
3 – Current political leader = Beji Caid Essebsi
4 – Population estimate = 11,532,127 (July 2017 est.)
5 – Date of independence = March 20, 1956
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+216), internet (.tn)

Profile of the country

Beji Caid Essebsi, President of the country

Tunisian dinar

Flag of the country

_The remnants of ancient Carthage _

Country of the Week: Democratic Republic of Congo

1 – National capital / official languages = Kinshasa / French
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎ Congolese franc
3 – Current political leader = Joseph Kabila
4 – Population estimate = 83,301,151 (July 2017 est.)
5 – Date of independence = June 30, 1960.
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+243), internet (.cd)

Profile of the country

Joseph Kabila, President of the country

Congolese franc

Flag of the country

Zongo Fall found in the city of Zongo in the Sud-Ubangi District

Streets of Kinshasa

Country of the Week: Gabonese Republic

1 – National capital / official languages = Libreville / French
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎ Central African CFA franc
3 – Current political leader = Ali Bongo Ondimba
4 – Population estimate = 1,772,255 (July 2017 est.)
5 – Date of independence = August 17, 1960
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+241), internet (.ga)

Profile of the country

Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon

_ Central African CFA franc_

Libreville, Capital city

Flag of the country

Country of the Week: Arab Republic of Egypt

1 – National capital / official languages = Cairo / Arabic
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎ Egyptian pound
3 – Current political leader = Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
4 – Population estimate = 97,041,072 (July 2017 est.)
5 – Date of independence = February 28, 1922
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+20), internet (.eg)

Profile of the country

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi

Capital City, Cairo

Egyptian pound

Great Sphinx of Giza

Flag of the country

Country of the Week: The Gambia

1 – National capital / official languages = Banjul / English
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎ Gambian dalasi
3 – Current political leader = Adama Barrow
4 – Population estimate = 2,051,363 (July 2017 est.)
5 – Date of independence = February 18, 1965
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+220), internet (.gm)

Profile of the country

Adama Barrow, President of the Country

200 feet high Arch 22 in the capital city of Banjul

Flag of the country

Gambian dalasi

Banjul’s Royal Albert Market

Country of the Week: The Republic of the Congo

1 – National capital / official languages = Brazzaville / French
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎ Central African CFA franc
3 – Current political leader = Denis Sassou Nguesso
4 – Population estimate = 5 092 million (2017 est.)
5 – Date of independence = Aug. 15, 1960
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+242), internet (.cg)

Profile of the country

Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Country

An art gallery in the poto-poto school of painting

Flag of the country

Central African CFA franc

Country of the Week: Federal Republic of Somalia

1 – National capital / official languages = Mogadishu / Somali, Arabic
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎ Somali shilling
3 – Current political leader = Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed
4 – Population estimate = 14.74 million (2017 est.)
5 – Date of independence = July 1, 1960
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+252), internet (.so)

Profile of the country

Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, President of the Country

Somali shilling

Independence Monument

Flag of the country

Country of the Week: Republic of Madagascar

1 – National capital / official languages = Antananarivo / Malagasy and French
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎ Malagasy ariary
3 – Current political leader = H.E. Mr. Rivo Rakotovao (Interim president)
4 – Population estimate = 24.89 million (2016 est.)
5 – Date of independence = 26 June 1960
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+261), internet (.mg)

_ Profile of the country_

_ H.E. Mr. Rivo Rakotovao, interim president of the country_

_Tsingy de Bemaraha, an impressive greystone plateau of razor-sharp spikes located northwest Madagascar _

Malagasy ariary, country currency

Flag of the country

Baobab Avenue located around western Madagascar

Country of the Week: Liberia

1 – National capital / official languages = Monrovia / English
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎ Liberian dollar
3 – Current political leader = George Weah
4 – Population estimate = 4,689,021 (July 2017 est.)
5 – Date of independence = July 26, 1847
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+231), internet (.lr )

Country Profile

George Weah, Liberian President

Liberian dollar

Flag of the country

Down Town Monrovia

Country of the Week: The Kingdom of Morocco

1 – National capital / official languages = Rabat / Arabic
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎ Moroccan dirham
3 – Current political leader = Mohammed VI (King of Morocco)
4 – Population estimate = 33,986,655 (July 2017 est.)
5 – Date of independence = April 7, 1956
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+212), internet (.ma)

Profile of the country

Mohammed VI, King of Morocco

Moroccan dirham

Moroccan flag

Mausoleum of Mohammed V in Rabat

Country of the Week: The State of Eritrea

1 – National capital / Principal languages = Asmara / Tigrigna, Arabic, English
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎Eritrean nakfa
3 – Current political leader = Isaias Afwerki
4 – Population estimate = 5,918,919 (July 2017 est.)
5 – Date of independence = May 24, 1993
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+291), internet (.er)

Eritrea country profile

Isaias Afwerki, President of Eritrea

Eritrean Flag

The great Asamara Mosque

Eritrean nakfa

Country of the Week: Equatorial Guinea

1 – National capital / official languages = Malabo / Spanish, French, Portuguese
2 – Currency in circulation = ‎Central African CFA franc‎ (‎XAF‎)
3 – Current political leader = Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
4 – Population estimate = 1,267,689 (2017 est.)
5 – Date of independence = 12 October, 1968
6 – Country codes: telephone ‎(+240), internet (.gq)

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinea

The Freedom Tower found in the city of Beta

Central African CFA franc‎ (‎XAF‎)

Flag of the country

Brief profile of the country

Country of the Week: Libya

1 – National capital / official languages = Tripoli/ Arabic
2 – Currency in circulation = Libyan dinar
3 – Current political leader = Fayez al-Sarraj (United Nations-backed Prime Minister)
4 – Population estimate = 6.2 million (2016)
5 – Date of independence = 24 December 1951
6 – Country codes: telephone (+218), internet (.ly)

Fayez al-Sarraj, Head of the Libyan Government of National Accord

Tripoli, capital city

Libyan Dinar

_ Flag of the Country_

Country of the Week: The Republic of Mozambique / República de Moçambique (Portuguese)

1 – National capital / official languages = Maputo / Portuguese
2 – Currency in circulation = Mozambican metical
3 – Current political leader = Filipe Nyusi
4 – Population estimate = 26,573,706 (July 2017)
5 – Date of independence = June 25, 1975 from Portugal
6 – Country codes: internet (.mz), telephone (+258)

Mozambque President, Filipe Nyusi

Mozambican metical

Capital city of Maputo

Flag of the country

Country of the Week: Republic of Benin / République du Bénin

1 – National capital / official languages = Porto-Novo / French
2 – Currency in circulation = West African CFA franc, XOF
3 – Current political leader = President Patrice Talon
4 – Population estimate = About 11,520,000 (2018)
5 – Date of independence = 1 August 1960
6 – Country codes: internet (.bj), telephone (+229)

President Patrice Talon.

Flag of the country.

The West Africa CFA (XOF), currency used by most French countries in the region.

A general view shows the Tokpa district in Cotonou, Benin’s largest city and economic center.

Country of the Week: Republic of Kenya

1 – Capital / official languages = Nairobi / English, Swahili
2 – Currency = Kenyan Shillings (KES)
3 – Current president / PM = President Uhuru Kenyatta
4 – Population estimate = Over 49 million (2017)
5 – Independence Day = December 12, 1963 from Britain
6 – Country codes: internet (.ke), telephone (+254)

The Kenyan flag