Blantyre
[key], city (2021 est. pop. 584,877), S Malawi, in the Shire Highlands. It
is the chief commercial and industrial center of Malawi with cement, food
and tobacco processing, and textile industries. The city is also on the rail
line that provides the landlocked nation vital access to ports on the Indian
Ocean in Mozambique. Blantyre was founded in 1876 as a Church of Scotland
mission station and was named for the birthplace of David Livingstone. In
1956, Blantyre was combined with Limbe to form one city.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2026, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Malawi Political Geography