Likoma District

Likoma District consists of two separate exclaves of Malawi situated within Mozambican waters in Lake Malawi, (also known in Tanzania as Lake Nyasa). It consists of two main islands, Likoma and Chizumulu. It is a district in the Northern Region of Malawi. The capital is Likoma.

Whereas Portuguese missionaries colonized Angola in the 19th century, Anglican missionaries colonized Malawi and therefore the islands in Lake Malawi. In 1954, an agreement was made to make the middle of Lake Malawi the border between Malawi and neighboring Mozambique; however, Likoma and Chizumulu islands were kept as part of Malawi.

The Likoma people are mostly fishermen and speak a traditional Nkamanga language. There are mostly small villages on both islands, with the exception of Mbamba with an Anglican cathedral. There are few cars but plenty of four-wheelers, creating a unique blend of tourism and local culture.

The district covers an area of 18 km² and has a population of 13,000. The population density is approximately 580 people per square kilometer. It is the smallest of Malawi's districts. There is one airport, on the main island.

There is a single National Assembly constituency representing the Likoma Islands:

Since the 2009 election it has been held by O. A. Thundu of the Democratic Progressive Party.

The district was visited by none of the dozen presidential hopefuls in the 2014 election cycle, which locals took as a sign of discouragement.

Most of the island is grassland, and the dominant trees are baobab tree and the mango tree. Animal life is made up of small amphibians, birds, and some of the most diverse fish life in Malawi.

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