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Have you ever wondered why Lake Malawi is sometimes called the “calendar lake”? It’s not because it tells you the date, but because this African lake has some surprising numbers that match up almost perfectly with the calendar!
Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa, stretches along the borders of Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. It’s the third largest lake in Africa and the ninth largest in the world. But what really makes it special is its incredible length — about 365 miles long, which is the same as the number of days in a year! As if that isn’t amazing enough, the lake is around 52 miles wide at its broadest point, just like the number of weeks in a year.
That’s why people call it the “calendar lake.” Imagine looking at a map and thinking, “Wow! This giant lake matches the way we count days and weeks.” Of course, the measurements aren’t exact, but the coincidence is so close that it’s become a fun nickname and a source of pride for the people living around the lake.
Lake Malawi is famous for more than just its numbers. It’s one of the world’s richest lakes for fish diversity, with over 1,000 different species — many found nowhere else on Earth. Fishermen paddle out every day in colourful wooden boats, and children play along the sandy shores.
So next time you flip through a calendar, remember there’s a sparkling blue lake in Africa whose size has amazed geographers, scientists, and storytellers for generations. Lake Malawi’s “calendar” coincidence makes it a fun and memorable natural wonder for everyone!
Lake Malawi has more species of cichlid fish than any other lake — many found nowhere else in the world.
Lake Malawi forms natural borders between Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania — so you can see three countries from one spot.