 | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Malawi |
| Regions | Central |
| Major cities | Lilongwe, Senga |
| Highway system | |
The M14 road is a road in Malawi that serves as an east-west corridor in Malawi's central region, bridging the capital city of Lilongwe with Senga, and providing the main thoroughfare between the capital and the shores of Lake Malawi. Spanning 110 kilometers, this route plays a crucial role in connecting the heart of the country to the lake's stunning natural beauty and economic opportunities. [1]
The M14 road embarks from the northern sector of Lilongwe, branching off from the M1, and initially charts a northeastern course before veering eastward, traversing the highlands. As it winds its way through the scenic landscape, the road descends from an elevation of approximately 1,100 meters to around 700 meters, passing through expansive open savannas. The paved thoroughfare connects the capital to the picturesque Lake Malawi, with the notable town of Salima, where it intersects with the M5, serving as a key stopover along the route. However, the exact designation of the road segment between Salima and Senga, a lakeside resort town, remains uncertain, leaving some ambiguity in the M14's overall trajectory. [1]
The M14 has a good history, having been one of the select few roads in Malawi to have been upgraded to a paved surface during the British colonial era. Although initially constructed as a narrow thoroughfare, the road underwent significant modernization efforts in the 1980s, transforming it into a more robust and efficient transportation artery, better equipped to meet the needs of the region. [1]
Transportation in Malawi is poorly developed. The country of almost 14 million has 39 airports, 6 with paved runways and 33 with unpaved runways. It has 797 kilometres of railways, all narrow-gauge and about 45 percent of its roads are paved. Though it is landlocked, Malawi also has 700 km (435 mi) of waterways on Lake Malawi and along the Shire River.
Lilongwe is the capital and largest city of Malawi. It has a population of 989,318 as of the 2018 Census, up from a population of 674,448 in 2008. In 2020 that figure was 1,122,000. The city is located in the central region of Malawi, in the district of the same name, near the borders with Mozambique and Zambia, and it is an important economic and transportation hub for central Malawi. It is named after the Lilongwe River.
Zomba is a city in southern Malawi, in the Shire Highlands. It is the former capital city of Malawi.
Nkhotakota (Un-kho-tah-kho-tuh) is a town and one of the districts in the Central Region of Malawi. It is on the shore of Lake Malawi and is one of the main ports on Lake Malawi. As of 2018, Nkhotakota had a population estimated at 28,350. The district had a population of 301,000.
The Central Region of Malawi, population 7,523,340 (2018), covers an area of 35,592 km2. Its capital city is Lilongwe, which is also the national capital. The region has an outlet on Lake Malawi and borders neighbouring countries Zambia and Mozambique. The Chewa people make up the majority of the population today.
Chipata is a city and administrative centre of the Eastern Province of Zambia and Chipata District. It was declared the 5th city of the country, after Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe and Livingstone, by President Edgar Lungu on 24 February 2017. The city has undergone rapid economic and infrastructure growth in the years, leading up to city status.
Dedza is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. It covers an area of 3,754 km.² to the south of the Malawi capital, Lilongwe, between Mozambique and Lake Malawi and has a population of 830,512. The capital is Dedza.
Ntcheu is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. It borders with the country of Mozambique. The district headquarters is Ntcheu, known as BOMA in the local language, but is most commonly called Mphate. It is run by Yeneya, the village headman. The district covers an area of 3,424 km.² and has a population of 659,608 people according to the 2018 Malawi Population and Housing Census. The Ntcheu district lies around halfway between Malawi's majors cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe - the capital city.
Salima is a district in the Central Region of Malawi. The city of Salima is the district's capital. The district covers an area of 2,196 km.² and has a population of 478,346. The beach at Senga Bay is the weekend retreat of many from the capital, Lilongwe, and has hosted the annual Lake of Stars festival since 2008, when it was moved from Chintheche in order to be less remote. There is a range of accommodation options in the area, though most are a few kilometers off the main road.
The Great East Road is a major road in Zambia and the main route linking its Eastern Province with the rest of the country. It is also the major link between Zambia and Malawi and between Zambia and northern Mozambique. However, the route does not carry as much traffic as many of the other regional arterial roads and between the main cities it serves, Lusaka and Chipata, it passes through rural and wilderness areas. In Lusaka the road forms the main arterial road for the eastern suburbs. The entire route from Lusaka to Chipata and the border with Malawi is designated the T4 road on Zambia's road network.
Kanzimbe Solar Power Station, is a 60 megawatts (80,000 hp) solar power plant, in Malawi, in Southern Africa. The power station was constructed between December 2018 and November 2021.
Sena railway, also called Shire Highlands railway, Dondo-Malawi railway and North-South Malawi railway, is a railway that connects Dondo, Mozambique, to Chipata, in Zambia. It is c. 1000 km long, in a 1067 mm gauge.
The M1 road is a road in Malawi. The road serves as the backbone of Malawi's transportation network, stretching from the country's northern border with Tanzania at Kasumulu all the way down to the southern border with Mozambique at Marka. The north-south artery passes through the capital city of Lilongwe and the commercial hub of Blantyre, covering a total distance of 1,140 kilometers. As the longest road in Malawi, the M1 plays a role in connecting the country's major urban centers and facilitating trade and travel..
The M3 road, also known partially as the Blantyre-Zomba road, is a road in Malawi. The road stretches across the southern region of Malawi, tracing a north-south path that spans 236 kilometers. Beginning in the bustling city of Blantyre, the route winds its way through the scenic landscape to Mangochi, before continuing onward to the Mozambican border at Chiponde, providing a connection between the two countries.
The M7 road is a road in Malawi that stretches 83 kilometers through the heart of the country. The route traverses a north–south trajectory, connecting the region north of the capital city Lilongwe to the town of Mbobo, providing a link between central Malawi's major population centers and economic hubs.
The M8 road is the road in Malawi that serves as an east–west connector in southern Malawi, bridging the gap between the major routes M1 and M3. Spanning 35 kilometers, the road links the towns of Balaka and Liwonde, facilitating efficient travel and trade between the region's important population centers and economic hubs.
Roads in Malawi are an important mode of transport in Malawi. Malawi has 15,451 kilometers of road network by 2016 of which 28% was surfaced. There were 3,357 km of principal roads within the country with majority paved having 2976 km smooth tarmac. A different scenario came in 2014 when a certain report indicated that 38% of tarred routes were top shape, 40% had deteriorated though still passable while the remaining 22% required fixing.
The M12 road is a road in Malawi that spans 119 kilometers, the M12 road traverses the country from east to west, connecting the capital city of Lilongwe to the Zambian border at Mchinji, providing a transportation artery between the two nations and facilitating the movement of people and goods across the region.
The M16 road is a road in Malawi spanning a concise 8.23 kilometers to form an east-west connection in the country's central region. Situated north of the Lilongwe area, this road plays a role in facilitating travel and commerce across the heart of Malawi, providing a transportation link between neighboring towns and villages.
The M18 road is a road in Malawi that runs about 113 kilometers to connect the town of Kasungu with the lakeside district of Nkhotakota, situated on the scenic shores of Lake Malawi. The east-west route traverses the heart of the country, playing a role in facilitating travel, trade, and commerce between the region's interior and the lake's coastal areas.
