Mangochi, Malawi

Mangochi
Lake Malawi, on eastern edge of Mangochi
Mangochi Location in Malawi
Coordinates: 14°27′36″S 35°16′12″E / 14.46000°S 35.27000°E / -14.46000; 35.27000
Country	Malawi
Region	Southern Region
District	Mangochi District
Population (2008)
• Total	51,429
• Languages	Yao
Time zone	+2
Climate	Aw

Mangochi is a township in the Southern Region of Malawi. Located near the southern end of Lake Malawi, in colonial times it used to be called Fort Johnston. As of 2008 it has a population of 51,429.

Mangochi was founded by colonial administrator Sir Harry Johnston in the 1890s as a British colonial defence post on the littoral plain of the Shire River's western shore. After this, Fort Johnston – as the town was then known – was an important slave market and administrative centre.

The British gunboat Gwendolen, named after Lady Gwendolen Gascoyne-Cecil, daughter of the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, was built in Mangochi in 1897. At 340 short tons (310 t), it was the largest ship to sail on Lake Malawi until being scrapped shortly after World War II. The gunboat, operated by the Protectorate of Nyasaland, is said to have fought the first naval battle of the First World War when it defeated the German vessel Hermann von Wissmann in August 1914.

Rioting in June 2003 injured three people. From March to November 2007, roughly 480 children were "rescued" from child labour on tobacco farms in Mangochi. In July 2008, elephants terrorised areas around Maldeco Fisheries in Mangochi and caused several deaths and damage to property, mainly crops. The Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture proposed moving the elephants into several game reserves, although the proposal stalled when some residents said they wanted the elephants to remain.

Mangochi is at an elevation of 1,541 feet (470 m), near the southern end of Lake Malawi, between the main lakeshore road and the Shire River and 5 miles (8 km) south of its entrance into Lake Malombe. The town is roughly 120 miles (190 km) northeast of Blantyre, Malawi's largest city. It is situated 1.4 miles (2.3 km) away from Mponda, 2.2 miles (3.5 km) away from Chipalamawamba, 2 miles (3.2 km) away from Mbaluku Laini and 1.4 miles (2.3 km) away from Yangala.