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 km2, 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 km2) 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 km2
 * Mwabvi Wildlife Reserve — the smallest of the parks, at 350 km2, 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 km2

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 km2 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 km2 est. 2002
 * Matipa Forest Reserve 1055 ha. est. 1948
 * Mkuwazi Forest Reserve 1608 ha. est. 1927
 * 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 km2
 * 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 km2, est. 1928
 * Thyolomwani Forest Reserve 965 ha, est. 1930
 * Zomba-Malosa Forest Reserve 19,018 ha, est. 1913